Yup, its summer, and the stories are starting to multiply again. As far as road rage?
Don't engage, instead count to ten
If endangered, call 911 and press charges
If possible, and the opportunity arises, explain safe cycling to an attentive and calm motorist
Your own safety is more important than "winning" a fight
with acknowledgments to Patrick O'Grady and the Mad Dog Media Whirled Hindquarters for use of the cartoon.
1 comment:
I'd like to comment on a Positive interaction with a motorist this morning. I was tooling down Canyon/Central and since we had our daughter on the kid-tandem attachment we have been taking the easier (but slower) route up the side path to go up the hill into town. A guy in a Kelly Construction truck was stopped at the apartment driveway, right where I planned to hop up onto the sidepath from the bike lane, and since his window was down, I called out what my intentions were, and he said "Oh, ok!" and I crossed in front of him and up onto the sidepath (and yes, I waved a thank-you). He didn't try to pull out in front of me, and I didn't have to worry that he would try to. Granted people's windows aren't always down, but I just want to point out that pulling people into interactions like that while biking around town really lessens the "us vs. them" feeling bicyclists often get. If you can, eye-contact and relaying intentions really helps to make everyone in the situation realize that we're all people, and not a bike or a car. So, thank you Kelly Construction dude!
I also want to mention that if you choose to go the route of a sidewalk or sidepath, please go slowly and watch the driveways and for vehicles that might try to overtake you. The bike lanes on Diamond will be done soon, and life will be good, or better.
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