Not very often does a motorist shudder at a memory of almost hitting a cyclist or pedestrian. Close calls on the road are an everyday occurrence; most of the time motorists don’t even know they’ve almost hit, or have come within three feet of a cyclist.

If the moment is noticed, it’s usually greeted with a brash, aggressive reaction that is forgotten minutes later and only brought up again at dinner parties while talking about those “cyclists who never follow traffic laws.”

Admittedly, there are some cyclists, just like motorists, who think traffic laws apply to everyone but them, but when a motorist driving a car that weighs over 4 tons breaks the law resulting in an almost collision with a cyclist or pedestrian, it has a much more profound and life-altering effect.

Recently, a man named Jeff Ballinger, a former photojournalist for the San Luis Obispo Tribune and a cycling enthusiast, posted on Facebook about a close call he had while riding his bike on a bright clear morning in Templeton, California. A van came up behind Ballinger, close to three inches to him rather than the three feet required by law, and almost hit him. The car, going way too fast on the narrow two-way country road, did not stop to ask if the rider, who barely escaped without injury, was alright.

This incident changed Ballinger forever, realizing that the disregard for human life is ever present, and how easily it could be missed.

“Let me take a moment to remind you, in case the incident has already slipped your mind like a bad joke or another episode of some mindless television show,” Ballinger wrote on Facebook. “I assure you the experience has not yet stopped rolling around in my head, clanking like a cowbell from time to time just to remind me to replay the scene in my head again and relive the moments when I was inches from serious injury or death. It’s a familiar experience for many people who ride a bike, but one that is likely quickly forgotten by the people involved behind the wheel.”

The road is not just a place for cars; It’s also not just a place for bicycles. It’s an enclosed environment that must be shared, and when close calls happen, they must be taken seriously by both parties. But more importantly than being aware of each other on the road, cyclists and motorist must be kind to one another.

When you share the roads on campus, look around. Be aware of who is walking and riding around you, because what is a close call for you, may not be for them.

Be kind, be seen and roll on.