SHARING THE RESPONSIBILITY
Five Ways Cyclists Can Defuse Road Rage
Share the Road ethics dictate that cyclists must also share the responsibility to do what they can to stop angering and inconveniencing motorists.By Bill Schneider, 9-02-10
A cyclist moving up to take his pull. Photo by Reed Gregerson.
Two days ago on my morning trip down to the coffee shop to get a little wisdom at the ORG (Old Retired Guys) Table, a driver blasted right through a stop sign and almost made it my last day on a bicycle. So what did I do?
Two things. First, since I ended up about five feet from the driver’s window, I did not yell or make obscene gestures, not even any dagger eyes, Instead, I waved and smiled and tried to give him my best “no worries, we all make mistakes” look. Second, I decided to write this commentary--and the “other side” for next week.
I’ve already written several columns about the prickly relationship between cyclists and motorists sharing our public roadways, but today, I’m talking directly to cyclists, not motorists.
I want to believe that road rage toward cyclists is easing and that more motorists have adopted the Share the Road philosophy, but I’m not sure the situation is getting better. Any avid cyclist knows road rage continues to be a problem--and a dangerous one. So, here are my suggestions on what cyclists can do to help defuse it.
1. Attitude Adjustment. This is Number One for a reason, because it is. I’m one cyclist who knows that too many of my brethren have a holier-than-thou attitude. This shows through to motorists and is maddening to say the least. Instead of cyclists thinking they have some special rights, I prefer that all of us consider ourselves ambassadors for everybody who rides a bicycle, now and in the future.
Basically, be constantly careful not to give motorists any reason to dislike cyclists. Don’t take over a road. Don’t inconvenience motorists. Pull over when you have traffic backed up. When waiting at a stoplight, leave room for motorists to turn right on red. Be considerate.
Reward politeness with politeness. Smile and wave when a motorist gives some courtesy and space. Be careful you wave correctly so it isn’t misinterpreted as an obscene gesture.
Here’s a good example. I, like many cyclists, just want equality, but frequently, when I’m stopped at a stop sign going into a thru street, waiting for traffic to clear, motorists will stop, even though they have no stop sign, just be nice and help me cross, like I was pushing a stroller or something. I wish they wouldn’t do this, but nonetheless, I smile and wave my gratitude as I cross the street.
Reward meanness with kindness. Even when a motorist cuts you off, yells obscenities or hazes you, don’t yell back or offer up the universal salute. Don’t ride over the driver’s side window for a little chat; this almost never has a good outcome. Again, smile and wave. Nothing will change that incident; but next time, the motorist might feel and behave differently. Suck it up; take one for the team; do it for all cyclists who will come down that road after you do. Guilt is a powerful motivator.
2. Obey Traffic Laws. Follow the rules of the road, at least to the extent the average motorists does. For example, it’s a rare motorist who doesn’t sometimes roll through a residential stop sign after making sure the way is clear, and I doubt many motorists blame cyclists for doing the same. They do, however, resent cyclists not coming to a dead stop at a stop sign going into a busy street or at all red lights.
Most state laws require cyclists to signal turns, so do it whenever possible. And do it aggressively instead of a little quick point in the direction you plan to turn. Get that arm out there and hold it until you have to go into the turn. Hopefully, most motorists understand that signaling isn’t always possible when cyclists must keep both hands on the bars for safety reasons. We can’t leave the turn signal on and keep both hands on the wheel.
Drive, not ride, your bike, so you behave like you do when driving your motor vehicle. And avoid driving on sidewalks. You wouldn’t drive your car on a sidewalk, right? Make left turns like you do with your car; don’t cut corners.
3. Hold Your Line. Riding a straight line is perhaps the best habit a cyclist can have--best for safety, best for allowing motorists to safely maneuver around you, best for defusing road rage. Avoid any sudden, erratic movements, such as weaving in and out spaces between a line of parked cars. Watch ahead for obstructions like potholes and bulb outs and make minor adjustments far in advance.
4. Be Bright. Forget fashion and be as visible as possible. Wear highly visible colors and reflective clothing. Use lights, front and back, in low light situations. If you removed reflectors from your bicycle, as many avid cyclists do, substitute by wearing reflective clothing, reflective patches on helmets, saddles and bike bags or daypacks, and reflective straps around pant legs.
5. Safety in Numbers. The more cyclists on the roads, the safer the roads and the more motorists will get accustomed to sharing roadways with bicycles. So, get out there; don’t leave it in the garage because you had a conflict with a motorist. However, if you’re riding in a group on a roadway without a shoulder and hence sharing a lane with motorists, be sure to ride single file.
And finally, don’t forget, you’re an ambassador now. Act like it.
Footnote. Next week, Five Ways Motorists Can Defuse Road Rage for Cyclists. In the meantime, for more of my columns on this issue, click here.
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A very thoughtful piece, and much appreciated by this cyclist who, although often getting perturbed by traffic knows the only way to reach equality will be through the use of controlled diplomacy like your article suggests.
And to the previous commenter, "sick of bikes". Your ignorance is laughable but I think that rather than namecall I'll take the advice of the article and simply wave hello to you and you pass by on the streets that we share.
Cheers,
Sam
i was thinking the other day when a driver passed as close to me as he could without hitting me, baby not in tow at this moment, and proceeded to give me finger and accelerate. these type of drivers crack me up because of the whole acceleration thing, if you are that upset pull over and confront me please, because i guarantee i am following the great state of montana's bicycling laws. anyway getting back to what i was thinking, is that we are all living breathing human beings and when drivers act like this something could very easily go wrong and you could kill another human being who is simply riding a bicycle. DRIVERS PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS NEXT TIME YOU SWERVE AT, YELL AT, OR HONK AT A CYCLIST, THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANOTHER HUMAN BEING DYING BECAUSE OF YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS.
Unfortunatly for cyclist vehicles always win....those awful conflicts so put safety back in your hands and do the right thing lose the arrogance and coexists your safety is up to you...or you may lose your life over a dumb bike and bad attitude.
I use the American Eagle -- five times the strength of the ordinary bird.
As a driver, I've always worked hard to be courteous and protective toward cyclists -- I truly don't understand attitudes like "sick of bikes." (smile, wave) Today I was making a hesitant left turn and did a quick hand signal before I quickly returned to my wobbly handlebars. The lady in the SUV across from me called out her window, "Thank you for signaling." I guess a little courtesy does go a long way. It feels weird to be so exposed, though.
I will read the rest of your columns.
Bill's right- Mutual respect is the only way to go, though as a vulnerable cyclist it can be hard not to get upset when people put your life at risk when you're following the rules of the road. I love my bike, but only wish transportation systems in the West were more accomodating for those who choose to ride a bicycle.
Boils down to two things:
Be professional out there, and
Lead, follow, or stay the freak out of the way.
One thing, tho. The simple fact remains that bikes don't pay fuel taxes that pay for roads. There needs to be a funding mechanism, perhaps licensure and taxation in order to fund bike infrastructure. Not a full ride, the economics are not there, but some skin.
The other issue I have is when bicyclists use roads clearly unsafe for combined use. If there's no shoulder, and a safer alternate route, go the heck over there. I don't know how many times I've gotten a nasty surprise from Mister Velo Shouldn't Be Wearing Spandex, or simply been forced to throw away all of MY momentum. I still try to give a wide, wide berth, slow down, et cetera, but dang it is hard sometimes.
Secondly, in my state (CA) the presence of a bike lane does not mean that a cyclist MUST use it or ONLY ride in it. Nope. You can use a car lane and take the entire lane if you need to, regardless of whether there is a bike lane. There are many reasons why you need to do this from time to time: cars parked in the bike lane that don't leave enough room, making a left turn, obstructions in the road, passing cars or cyclists, etc. You aren't required by law to ride in the shoulder, either. If there is a road that is unsafe for combined use it's because cars bully cyclists when a cyclist is doing the safe thing and taking the whole lane.
If you don't know the VC of your state and what rights bikes have, just look up "bicycle laws in (your state)" in Wikipedia. That should clear it up for you and you don't have to go around feeling like the big bad cyclist is doing something illegal and wrong towards your poor little car (unless you find in the VC that they are). I maintain that drivers are just plain ignorant of the very laws that give them the right to drive their cars and so their anger towards cyclists usually comes from a place of ignorance. Educate yourself.
To Tom's point, I think using your arm is a lot cheaper and easier to deal with than installing a turn signal mechanism on your bike.
Yes, bicycles should all be required to have at least three wheels.
Smiling.
Waving.
The rule I follow as a commuter/utility cyclist on Houston suburbun streets is "When consistent with my travel objective and safe, make choices which minimize interactions with motor vehicles."
Examples:
a) I have a route with a 5' shoulder, 50 mph speed limit, which has a couple of bottlenecks where the shoulder disappears. Even though there is a slightly increased risk of tire damage, I run on the shoulder but when I get to the narrows I take control of the right hand lane. At times, this may give a motorist a "reason to dislike cyclists" but allowing a buzz pass would be too dangerous.
b) At stoplights on the same road where the shoulder narrows to 2 feet, I cross to the far side and wait for the platoon of cars to pass before I continue. In that way I can follow in the red-light eclipse and I can get a half mile up the road before the next platoon reaches me. I use the 2' shoulder to avoid impeding traffic (some cyclists would consider it too narrow). OK, so I have to wait a couple of minutes at the light but I avoid having 20 tailgaters pass me when I'm on the 2' shoulder.
c) When I'm using a designated bike lane, I move over into the right hand lane and control it at intersections since I'm worried that crossing drivers won't see me in the bike lane. This has given some drivers "a reason to dislike cyclists" but it reduces my risk of a crossing accident.
d) In my route choice, I'll use bike paths and residential streets when they are reasonable for my destination, but very frequently there is no choice but to use major arterials. This may give drivers a "reason to dislike cyclists" but I need to get where I'm going; otherwise, a bicycle can't serve as transportation.
On my last trip during rush hour, I had a stopped car blocking the bike lane and I had a driver try to pass me on the right as I made a left turn at a traffic light. In both cases I looked at and motioned to the drivers that they were out of line. Drivers who don't follow the rules of the road need constructive feedback, though some may find that a "reason to dislike cyclists".
I find this balance safe; generally, car avoidance improves my safety (less exposure = less risk) but not at the cost of making utility cycling impractical. What that means is at times I do things that may give some drivers a "reason to dislike cyclists".
Balance; that's what cycling is all about.
I have to say that the worst bicycle riders are the "Egg Timers" out on a bike for the 1st or 2nd time in their adult lives. They always insist on riding on the wrong side of the road facing traffic. What a death wish. "Egg Timer" as in the line from the Chevy Chase Movie "Vacation" "Get around these Egg Timers"
One more point: I wear a rear-view mirror on my helmet when I'm riding. I like to know what is happening behind me at all times. Sitsuasional awareness is your friend, whether driving a car or riding a bike.
There will always be a few motorists, unfortunately, who don't think bikes belong on "their" roadway, or feel that cyclists aren't paying their fair share. And no amount of trying to convince them otherwise, will.
I can TESTIFY that diplomacy works. I've been a dedicated transportation cyclist since 1986 in Boise; I try to be legal, visible, defensive, and totally predictable. And I rarely have problems with motorists. (On the rare occasions when I get honked at or hollered at, it's almost always 1) teenage punks, 2) sweet little blue-haired ladies, or 3) rednecks who think the bigger the vehicle, the more right you have to the road. Sigh.)
I will reserve the right to have a "holier-than-thou attitude," because I earn it. (Grin) But I try not to wear it on my shoulder... I am so superior I can condescend to being diplomatic toward the common rabble in their "cages." (That's what the other kind of "bikers" call 'em.)
Peace and love!
(-;
http://bikenazi.blogspot.com
If you are riding at night, but on the obnoxious blinky red light on the back, and the obnoxious blinky white light on the front, reflective clothing only works when you are in front of me, not so much when I am pulling off a side street.
And DO. NOT. EVER. ride against the flow of traffic, especially in the dark. I have had to many situations where I was making a right hand turn at night, looking for traffic to my left, and almost hitting some idiot riding on the sidewalk against traffic without a light. I have almost hit those assholes a few times, it would have been entirely their fault, and I would still be left knowing that I contributed to the injury or death of another human being.
I ride my daily commute up here in Alaska, where roads and motorists are rarely forgiving. As we have very few bike lanes, and snow often fills the shoulder, I find myself torn between "controlling the lane" to keep road-raging drivers from buzzing me, or "riding small" to help cars get around me. My reasoning for riding in the middle of lane is that I force drivers to make a legitimate pass, and change lanes to get safely around me. I find that when I'm as nice, and as far to the right as possible, many drivers will try to squeak by me without giving enough room to make a safe pass. Their impatience puts my life at risk.
But you're right, if I make a noticeable effort to help let them pass me, they're much less likely to have a reason to hate cyclists, and might be more forgiving to the next cyclist they see on the road.
I'll do my best to smile and wave to the next hot-head that bullies me on the road.
To explain to those that choose to post after this, road taxes etc that you pay are purely down to your increased strain on the road surface with heavy vehicles which cyclists can rarely claim to have the same impact and we are meant to be here, end of story.
But anyway (smile, wave).