But what I’ve recently realized is perhaps by not being honest with the people I’ve hoped to encourage, I’ve actually done them a disservice. I’ve helped create the unrealistic idea that cycling is all rainbows and roses. And perhaps those interactions—when they do happen, because they will—become more disorienting and discouraging than if we had all been a little more honest about riding in the first place.

Let me back up for just a second here, in case there are any people of my previous mindset, one I haven’t completely abandoned. While there is limited data to compare, there is evidence to show that for long term health, a bike is much safer than driving a car. It’s also incredibly rewarding, both physically and mentally. But crashes do happen, and when they do, they tend to be severe.

Now while I may know that I may be safer on my bike than flying around in a deadly, high-speed machine, that knowledge doesn’t keep the tension out of my shoulders as cars pass at accelerated speeds that are far too high for the neighborhood I live in. And lately, anecdotally in my life, there has been an unexplainable, alarming increase in cyclists being hit by cars. Not only are these tragic circumstances, but I think that when they happen to the best and strongest of us, it gives the rest a collective pause.

Don’t get me wrong—I love every part of my self-propelled lifestyle. Well, except maybe the one.

So I’m ready to talk about incidents on my bike— about those close calls and run ins. Some of which may or may not have involved my racing my heart out to the next light just to give them an earful.

But here’s the problem with how we’ve been discussing this in my town and in my circle: it’s always focused on me. What I was doing. Which road I was on. Was it rush hour? It’s the discussion any cyclist has had a million times.

Even though less than 15% of crashes are estimated to be the result of rider error, and a far greater percentage are the fault of drivers, we focus on the bike. Even though we know traveling at high speeds in mixed-traffic areas can have fatal repercussions, we overlook the obvious. The below graphic illustrates the importance of one crucial number: speed.