Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Delivery drivers

New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 USA

I love your cycling ads, and New Belgium is very well known within the cycling community for your support of cycling for transportation and your other sustainability initiatives. I have an opportunity for improving your image among cyclists and that is basic driver eduction for your delivery truck drivers.

I was cycling to work lawfully and safely on Ken Pratt Boulevard in Longmont, Colorado this morning when a big red truck pulled out of the Old Chicago parking lot and started to completely blow through the octagonal red sign with the white letters STOP on it and nearly creamed me. The driver did slow at the last second just enough to avoid a collision when I was inches from the front grill of the truck. I was too shaken up to get a license plate or other identifying numbers, but FAT TIRE AMBER and the bicycle logo were on the side of the truck. I suspect the driver didn't initially see cross traffic because, initially, he barely slowed enough to make the turn onto Ken Pratt. PLEASE remind all of your drivers that the red sign means to come to a COMPLETE STOP even if they don't see cross traffic, and that bicycles are traffic as much as any other vehicle on the road.

All of us make mistakes in traffic on occasion, but operators of large vehicles must excercise a lot more caution because of the much greater damage they can inflict.

Thank you for your help and support of cycling in the USA.


Update: New Belgium responds.

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