At 7:20 a.m. on Memorial Day, we were cycling along Butler Street just past the Highland Park Bridge. A driver seen weaving through traffic at a high rate of speed hit one of us, Robert Noll, the lead cyclist, and seriously injured him. He remains hospitalized, recovering from two full days of surgery to repair his many broken bones.

Dr. Noll has endured weeks of pain, lost time from work and is facing possible long-term disability. Another member of our group, Jonathan Finder, was thrown to the pavement face-first, sustaining facial fractures and a concussion.

This accident received a lot of media attention probably because we are doctors at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Clearly it has resulted in major changes not only for our families, but also in the lives of our patients, whose continuity of care has been affected.

Having survived a hit-and-run “bicycle versus car” accident gives one special insight into the issues of cycling and driving on the busy roads of Pittsburgh. “Share the road” is the correct message for both motorists and cyclists. The consequences of not following this simple rule are potentially fatal.

The publicity around our accident has led to a public conversation about bicycling, bicycle safety and the relationship between cyclists and drivers. After reviewing the many letters to the editor and online comments, we are struck that attitudes have not changed. As the saying goes, this event has generated more heat than light.