Two words: Utah drivers
Two more words: Shawn Bradley
I get it, but drivers
everywhere in the U.S. are a problem. Drivers in this country are under-trained (it's far too easy to get an license in the States and laws are poorly and/or haphazardly enforced). Many often drive beyond their abilities and drive distracted, and the over-sized SUVs with poor sight lines don't help the situation (seriously: a hood/grill that's almost 5 feet above ground level isn't safe for anybody).
And yes, Shawn Bradley's injury is totally inexcusable. The driver who crashed into him had zero excuses. At least he's still alive. Road violence kills and injures too many people in the U.S. Drivers often get off easy, such is the car-centric culture we have right now.
But I grew up riding bicycles with Utah drivers on the roads. I ride on roads in the greater DC area (spoiler: our drivers are far, far, far worse than anything Utah produces) every day. Sure, it's not ideal but I'm also not going to let fear dictate whether I do an activity I enjoy.
When I was in SLC from September to December of 2020, I brought my road bike and was on it a lot. I rode all over the Salt Lake valley, in southern Davis County, and in the various canyons out of SLC. Plenty of fellow riders out there as well. Drivers in the greater SLC area were like all drivers in the U.S. Most were more predictable than those in the greater DC area. Also: the roads in Utah are wider than most here in the east (newer roads built to a more forgiving standard), so there was always enough space for folks to coexist.
Anywho... let's just say that riding a bicycle on the road is statistically very safe. Is it perfect? No, but mountain biking has its own risks, as does skiing. We all choose which risks to take in life. As I often say: your mileage may vary.
I’ve been on some road rides. I get boooorred.
Huh. Where have you been on these rides? There are plenty of non-boring road rides in northern Utah. Some of the best roads to ride in the U.S. happen to be out there. And if you add gravel roads to the mix, there's a full-on buffet of great rides in Utah. And no, you don't
need a gravel bike to ride them (tho it's easier on the hands and wrists to ride on wider, more pliable tires).
I get the attraction of the trails in northern Utah, though. They're still my favorites to ride MTB. But after my total hip replacement my MTB days are mostly done. In terms of acceptable risk, I'd rather not go through a revision and riding in fear is an easy path to injury.
OK - back to skiing stoke. Hope the snow lasts at The Bird for a bit longer, as I may have a chance to get a day up there when I'm out in early May.