CYCLE: Presume nothing, people

John Hensley, how dare you write saying it was my fault for the accident with my bike. You know if you saw it, you would have known that I slowed down enough on my bike because if the driver had started to turn, I would have stopped. You would also have noticed I was halfway past his car when he gunned it around that corner.

I would love for you to tell me, face to face, it was my fault. My back tire was under his car and my left pedal was stuck in the grill of his car. I've lived here three years and two months, and have always ridden my bike on that side of the road.

I've had many cops and ISPs drive past me and not one of them has ever stopped and told me I needed to be on the other side of the road. But wow! I get smacked by a car and I get a $56.50 ticket.

If there was a yield sign like down by the Holiday gas station, I would have gotten off my bike, but there isn't. His light was red - that means for him to "stop" and look both ways, not just one way. When I drive a car I look both ways.

One other thing: I do have lights on my bike. A red one in back and I got one in front, and if I ride at dawn, I also have a flashlight. Both of the lights on my bike are flashing lights, so if you ever see them, you best look both ways and look good before you pull out of a parking lot. It just could be me or one of your kids you hit.

PAULA AIRHART

Coeur d'Alene