That's what went through the minds of cyclists throughout Utah after a motorist struck and killed Josie Johnson as the young woman rode well on the side of a clear and wide stretch of roadway near Solitude Ski Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon little more than a year ago.

None more so than Nikki Christensen.

Five days before Johnson's death, a car struck and seriously injured Christensen as she rode her bike home from classes at the University of Utah.

"[Josie Johnson] was a student at the university as well and an avid cyclist like myself," said Christensen, who suffered a broken femur and a shattered wrist in the collision. "I was still in the hospital when I heard about the Johnson tragedy and it really hit me pretty hard."

It took 10 months and a lot of new hardware in her body, but Christensen is back on her bike. Christensen, along with an expected 1,000 others, will ride Saturday in the Second Annual Josie Johnson Memorial Ride.

"I'm riding because it is important to continue to draw attention to the fact that bicyclists are on the road and they have a right to be there," Christensen said. "I hope with this ride that we can bring more attention to how common it has become for cyclists to be killed."

The Sept. 18, 2004, accident that killed Johnson marked the third cycling death in Utah in a span of 37 days. Cyclists, lawmakers and law enforcement officials reacted with a flurry of safety initiatives, including a new state law, that advocates say is just the beginning of what needs to be done to make roads safer for cyclists.

"Everything just peaked at that point. It was the third case in a row where it was a very obvious incident of negligence on the part of the motorist," said Jason Bultman, who holds leadership roles in three bicycle advocacy groups. "It was just too much."

An average of 900 bicyclists are injured and six are killed in collisions with cars statewide each year, according to the Utah Department of Health.

Theron Jeppson, pedestrian and bicycle safety coordinator for the state's violence and injury prevention program, said 50 percent of the state's bicycle/car accidents happen in Salt Lake County. Utah, Weber and Davis counties also see a fair number of incidents.

So far this year, two cyclists have been killed in car accidents (both in southern Utah), compared with six statewide in 2004. No one can say if the safety efforts since Johnson's death have contributed to the reduction.

But advocates say they hope the efforts have made a difference. Some cyclists say they have noticed a positive change from motorists, but others say nothing has changed and they feel as threatened as ever.

Bultman helped lead the safety charge while still on crutches with a shattered ankle from a car that hit him while he rode his bike to work less than three months before Johnson's death. He also plans on riding Saturday after his injury forced him to miss last year's inaugural ride.

Spurred by John Weis, Johnson's adviser in the molecular biology graduate program at the University of Utah, bicycle advocates went to the 2005 Legislature and eventually got House Bill 49 passed. The law dictates that cars must provide a safe distance when passing a bike on the road, a minimum of 3 feet in allowable situations.

Advocates say the bill did not go far enough, but it succeeded in raising awareness of cycling in the community.

State Rep. Roz McGee, D-Salt Lake, sponsored House Bill 49 and said she believes motorists are paying more attention to two-wheeled vehicles. But she admits it is hard to gauge whether cyclists are more safe since passage of the law.

"I have observed and I have heard from various people, and I'm not sure if it is true, that the safe use of the roads by cyclists is more on people's minds. It certainly is more on mine," McGee said. "Along with that increased awareness is a heightened observation of cyclist behavior by motorists. Cyclists need to understand that people are watching them closer than ever and they are sometimes seeing unfortunate behavior."

Bultman said that is one of the topics to be discussed during the ride.

"We as cyclists need to be telling those who aren't playing by the rules to get in line and do it," he said. "We asked for more attention and we are getting it. Now, we need to be more responsible than ever or drivers will disregard our efforts."

Ken Johnson, Josie's older brother, said he has been overwhelmed by the support his family has received since her death. He feels that everything that has been accomplished since the accident will help prevent bicyclist deaths on Utah roadways, but he wants cycling groups involved to a greater extent in long-term planning projects.

"One important step to safer roads would be to have a strong permanent, voting, voice in roadway construction and renovation," he said. "Certainly not every road in Utah needs to accommodate cyclists, but selected commuter and recreational routes that provide safety measures for cyclists and pedestrians would be of benefit to all."

brettp@sltrib.com

Want to ride?

The Second Annual Josie Johnson Memorial Ride starts Saturday at noon at Sugar House Park, with talks by Utah Bicycle Coalition president Ted Wilson, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Tour de France stage winner and local rider David Zabriskie. An expected 1,000 cyclists will ride at a casual pace, with a police escort, to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, where members of Johnson's family will speak. Relatives of Steve Williams, who was killed in a cycling accident on Sept. 16, will also speak before the group travels back to the park via a different route. Visit http://www. slcbac.org/jjride/index.php for more information. The event is free.