The Board of Directors and the members of the Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition share the grief, sorrow, and anger felt by bicyclists all over the State of Oklahoma following the senseless deaths of Christa Voss and Matthew Edmonds.

The letter below (in a slightly different form) was sent to all Oklahoma District Attorneys in May during National Bicycle Month.

To:    All Oklahoma District Attorneys

On behalf of the thousands of bicyclists in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition (OBC) wishes to thank you for your efforts to protect all users of our streets and roads.

Foremost, under Oklahoma law, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as all road users. As drivers of vehicles, bicyclists have the duty to obey all traffic laws while riding. Similarly drivers of motorized vehicles must treat bicyclists the same as other vehicular users of the road.

Annually, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety reports an average of 325 auto/bicycle accidents, which result in the death of approximately 6 bicyclists each year. National statistics suggest that motorists and bicyclists share the fault equally for many of these accidents.

The Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition requests that you fully and carefully investigate all accidents involving bicycles and automobiles. Please be aware of the laws of Oklahoma, and your community, as they apply to both motorists and bicyclists, and prosecute violators of those laws appropriately.

The vast majority of adult bicyclists are also licensed drivers. They know the traffic laws as well as any other driver. However, bicyclists are also aware of their vulnerability. It is unlikely a bicyclist will deliberately place themself in harms way. But when a motorist says, "I didn't see him" or "she came out of nowhere," they are probably telling the truth. Not because the bicyclist was irresponsible or erratic, but because motorists are not trained to look for smaller objects in their path.

Failure to "see" the bicyclist does not excuse motorists from failing to be attentive and in control of their vehicle at all times.