I’m unclear on how it is in other cities, but even in bike-friendly Berkeley the majority of adult cyclists are jerks. They ignore stop signs, whip by you when you’re trying to turn, and seemingly go out of their way to intensify the challenge of driving. On behalf of less rude cyclists, I apologize, and I ask that you hear me out. Why shouldn’t you give cyclists the finger and curse them from the comfort of your car?
Family biking in 2013
1. Biking is good. It’s good for the earth. It’s good for health. It’s good for the local community and economy because people shop/service closer to home. Even horrible people can do good.
2. Biking is hard. Often only the mad, desperate, or dui’d are up to the task. It takes guts to get out there in traffic. We may be on edge or on Xanax.
3. Understand that city streets are not freeways. Even central thoroughfares are meant to be shared with bicycles. Know that we cyclists don’t *want* to be on busy streets, but sometimes it’s the only/best way to get from point A to B. Either that or Google Maps is secretly trying to kill us.
4. There’s a feedback cycle when cars and bikes share the roads. Rage begets rage and reduces who chooses to cycle. Courtesy begets courtesy and encourages more people and children to bicycle.
Think for a second about that. Do you feel safe letting your kid bicycle from school to home or to practice? If not, I am guessing you or someone else shuttles your kid or kids around. More errands in your car can make you frantic and drive faster. More cars on the road makes you feel less safe about letting your kid bike.
The only way to reverse that escalation is to make it safer and more welcoming for bicyclists to share the road. The only way to make it safer is, well, for *you* to make it safer.
My kids smile and wave when cars stop to let us cross the road on our bikes. I want those drivers to feel good about the care and courtesy they’ve offered. Unfortunately, many cyclists will not be grateful or graceful. So I am asking you to take a leap of faith and pay it forward without expecting something in return.
Slow down, let bicyclists cross the road, wave rather than honk, look out for and help cyclists make turns, and so many other little things. Because just maybe you can reassure someone who is trying to bike, or maybe you can catch a jackass off-guard and put a smile on their face without Xanax.