In a speech last month criticizing a state bill that would permit local governments to impose lower speed limits, New Hampshire state Rep. Thomas Walsh joked about how it was “very tempting” to “run bicycles off the road.” Bob Manley, a resident of the Granite State, sent a version of the following letter to Walsh in protest, and we are printing it to draw larger attention to the blithe way that many Americans demean cyclisxts. The letter has been lightly edited for clarity.

Dear Rep. Walsh,

I am writing to you as a resident of New Hampshire and a frequent cyclist on our state’s roads. I was disturbed and outraged by your statement on the House floor on April 23, 2026. “It is against the law to run over pedestrians,” you said. “It’s against the law to run bicycles off the road, even though it’s sometimes very tempting.”

This is not a harmless remark. It is dangerous, irresponsible and completely inappropriate — particularly coming from the chair of the House Transportation Committee, a position responsible for promoting and protecting the safety for all road users.

As highlighted in a recent piece by Paul Susca and Amanda Gourgue of the Bike-Walk Alliance, New Hampshire faces a troubling and worsening pattern of fatalities that involve pedestrians and cyclists. These are not abstract statistics. These are human beings: neighbors, friends and family members whose lives are permanently altered or cut short altogether.

It is unacceptable for a public official to suggest — even in jest — that harming cyclists is “very tempting.” Doing so sends several dangerous messages: that the safety and wellbeing of cyclists and pedestrians are negotiable; that reckless and aggressive driving is acceptable; and that vulnerable road users do not deserve protection. 

Those of us who ride on New Hampshire’s roads already understand the risks. We experience close passes, endure hostility, and witness moments where a split second determines whether we make it home. We rely on our elected representatives to take these risks seriously, not diminish and normalize them.

Your role demands leadership, accountability, and a commitment to safety. Your comment suggests the opposite.

I urge you to publicly retract your statement, issue a sincere apology and reaffirm your commitment to the safety of all road users — especially those who walk and bike.

More importantly, I urge you to take meaningful action to improve safety on our roads, rather than dismissing or undermining efforts to do so.

We all share these roads. Every person on them deserves to get home safely.

Respectfully,
Bob Manley