LJWorld.com

I never met Rachel Leek.

As far as I know, we never exchanged pleasantries. She might have sold me a loaf of bread once, or I might have seen her strolling around downtown. Maybe I held the door for her once, or sat next to her at a movie.

But, no, I did not know Rachel Leek.

And yet … I’ve thought about her every day for a week now.

Leek is the 20-year-old woman who was killed by an apparent hit-and-run driver as she was riding her bike early on the morning of Oct. 16 in the 1000 block of Tennessee Street.

The Saturday morning after her death, I just happened to go to WheatFields — the downtown bakery where she worked — to pick up some bread. Signs on the door announced that the workers inside were mourning her passing.

The man in line in front of me wasn’t buying anything. He just stood in line for a good 10 minutes so he could offer his condolences.

As I walked out the door, a woman rode past me on her bike.

She was riding on the sidewalk and was not wearing a helmet.

From her riding, I could tell she wasn’t an experienced cyclist. From her dress, I gathered she was on her way to work, reinforcing again that some people absolutely rely on bikes as modes of transportation, not as a means of recreation.

And that night — actually, in the wee hours of the next morning — I chose to ride my bike home from work, about the same time of night Leek was riding the night she was killed.

I say “chose” because I didn’t have to ride. I could have driven one of two cars. But I chose to ride, because that’s what I do. I prefer to ride. It’s better for me. I’m happier when I ride. I save money. I see and hear and experience things I wouldn’t if I were trapped in a cage. It’s not for everyone, and I don't want to convert anyone. More than what I do, it’s part of who I am.

And yet … I couldn’t help but question that choice.

I don’t think riding a bike to and from work is necessarily any more dangerous than driving or flying or playing Monopoly.

OK, maybe it’s a little more dangerous than Monopoly.

I know there’s a certain amount of risk in riding a bike, but there’s a risk any time I choose to walk out my front door. I find the benefit outweighs that risk, and I do everything I can to minimize that risk.

I follow traffic laws, ride predictably and ride defensively. I go out of my way to ride low-traffic streets. I dress to be seen, spend most of my bike budget on lights and reflectors and shiny bits so that I don’t blend into the background.

And yet … I know the margin for error can be slim.

A minor error in judgment here or a split-second lapse in concentration there can have disastrous consequences. That goes for me or anybody sharing the road with me.

So, yeah, Rachel Leek has been on my mind a lot lately.

It makes me want to go for a ride.