It is a tragedy any time someone dies or is killed, and it is the living who have to deal with the consequences. I believe that a person has the right to chose and weigh the consequences of their choices.

As avid motorcyclists, we make choices on how to protect our bodies, how to operate our motorcycles and what training to get. It is our responsibility to be aware of what is going on around us and to immediately react to the different scenarios we encounter.

We don't know what mistakes led to Ivan Romero's tragic death in Minneapolis last week. We don't know what kind of training he had. We don't whether he was wearing protective gear.

Why were the police racing to a scene that had already been secured? Did the police slow down enough to assess the roads before going through the red light? There are many things people in cars don't know about motorcycles.

We can stop much faster than a car, so don't follow so close. If we are beside you, we don't know if you've seen us. Use your signal, look beside your vehicle if you're changing lanes, and look for us.

We can accelerate quite fast. If we are trying to pass you, please let us. We will be out of your way quickly. Don't try to cut us off!

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LIZ BOSMAN lives in Plymouth.