Editor’s note: Bryce Pengelly, 23, died after his motorcycle was in an accident with a pickup truck on Aug. 14.
Editor:
You might have read recently that there were 18 motorcycle fatalities in B.C. in July of this year alone.
Motorcycle deaths in B.C. more than doubled in the first seven months of 2018 over the same period in 2017.
Regardless of the cause of these accidents we see so many vehicle drivers being impatient, speeding, changing lanes quickly, crowding other drivers, riding the bumper of the vehicle in front to force people over, running yellow lights, running red lights, and more.
We recently watched the truck in front of us turn left on a red light! Not that long ago this Grandpa witnessed someone at a stop sign with a coffee on the dash, smoking a cigarette, putting on makeup, and using a cell phone!
Our family is one of those grieving the loss of our loved one. These people on motorcycles are someone’s son or daughter, someone’s grandchild, someone’s father, mother, son or daughter, sister, brother, cousin, niece, nephew, friend, partner, the list goes on.
We plead with everyone on our roads to please share the road, slow down, don’t run yellow or red lights, and respect the fact that motorcyclists have a lot less protection around them than each of us do in our vehicles.
We also plead with motorcyclists to ride safely and responsibly, obeying the same rules of the road and observing our plea written above.
We can’t stress how much the support means to each family grieving for their loved one.
—Grieving Pengelly grandparents and families
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