Roman Mica recently posted an article about a local sheriff's take on cyclists, traffic laws, and attitudes. The sheriff, along with many readers, made very vocal comments about their perception of the attitude of cyclists. In return, cyclists tried to help others understand the environment they sometimes face. And to be fair, other cyclists did much to prove the sheriff's point.
On Sunday, there was yet another incident in which cyclists paid the price for the actions of a driver. In a race in Monterrey, Mexico, an alledgedly drunk and sleeping driver slammed into riders on the course of a local race. One cyclist was killed and another 10 were injured. One article is here. A word of caution, the included picture is quite disturbing and somewhat graphic.
To avoid the accusation of stereotyping, allow me to start by saying that not all drivers are drunk. Most drivers remain awake while driving and focus reasonable attention to the road and others around them. And it is, fortunately, still relatively rare for a cyclist to be hit by a motorist.
There is, however, a big "but." Cyclists have no way of knowing which motorist IS drunk. Or asleep. Or paying more attention to (pick one: their cell phone, the radio, breakfast/lunch/dinner, personal hygiene, some very important aspect of the local scenery). When a car is approaching with a great deal of momentum, cyclists have little warning of any impending doom.
So, when the motorist decides at the last moment to lay on their horn to "warn" the cyclist they are passing, reactions tend to be negative. If passengers in the car try to "share" a beverage container (or the actual beverage) with the cyclist, the response is unlikely to be positive. Motorists (and civil authorities) who are completely oblivious to the law regarding a cyclist's right to the road often elicit bad attitudes.
I share the road with hundreds of cars every time I get on my bike. The vast majority of them are in the hands of responsible drivers. The occassional poor choice on their part is most likely offset by the occassional poor choice on my part. The opportunity for unintentional situations always exist.
They aren't the ones that concern me. For any non-cycling motorists who might read this, remember that "wonder" is a two way street. While you wonder about a cyclist's "negative attitude," they are wondering if you're driving the car that is going to injure or kill them.
RSS Feed