Hi, kids. You know I love you. I'm one of you. Cycling has been my method of transportation since I was 16, rain or shine, winter or summer. I bike in high heels and formal gowns. I pick up lumber with my bike. It's one of my prized possessions, and in my opinion, one of the very few perfect inventions of humankind.
To say that there is a problem between motorists and cyclists is putting it mildly. There is downright animosity, and each side bristles with self-righteousness and entitlement. On the motorist side, they say roads were built for cars, and some other crap I don't understand. On the bike side, we say cars are ruining everything, and that we all need more exercise, let alone cleaner methods of transportation and traffic relief.
Whatever. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that neither side respects the other, but demands to be respected. It can't work. Our mayor is boldly and unashamedly anti-cycling. If we are going to make any headway at all, we need to make some changes. I'm not keen on the idea of a bunch of laws and shit, though I can see how it makes a certain sense. We might not even need them, though, if we were at least polite.
I just rode home to the west end from downtown. Dundas from Bathurst to Bellwoods is no longer a nightmare - smooth, fresh black asphalt made that part of the ride lovely. I ran into trouble after I passed Ossington, though. Sidewalks and most of the road are ripped up. On the one hand, I could take the sidewalk - something I hate doing even when it's unavoidable. Pedestrians hate bikes on sidewalks even if they're walked - bikes take up a lot of space, it's awkward and it slows everything down. And riding there violates the by-law. On the other was the option of riding on the narrow strip of road between two cars. Even though I would easily have been able to keep up with the flow of traffic at the same 5km pace they were at, I knew the drivers would get upset and angry and hate me for 'holding up traffic'. Be that as it may, I chose the road, even though I knew I wouldn't feel safe. Being between two cars with streetcar tracks 8 inches from my wheels is not comfortable.
I was mulling this over as I waited at the stop light, when two cyclists blew past me through the red. I sighed. Each time a cyclist does this, motorists notice and hate us a little more - point out our lack of adherence to any rules.
What killed me though, is at the next intersection, it was too busy for the one cyclist to blow through. She was waiting, and the last left-turning car turned after the light had changed red. The cyclist was anticipating the green, so she was already halfway out there. And she screamed at the car, "Nice driving, asshole!"
Really? Really?
I can see it, guys. I can see why people think we're dicks. The only way we're ever going to get any respect on the road is if we all behave with a little modesty and consideration. Be aware of who is around you, like you would in life. Not only will it make you safer in the moment, it will also make us safer and give us a stronger voice in the future.
To say that there is a problem between motorists and cyclists is putting it mildly. There is downright animosity, and each side bristles with self-righteousness and entitlement. On the motorist side, they say roads were built for cars, and some other crap I don't understand. On the bike side, we say cars are ruining everything, and that we all need more exercise, let alone cleaner methods of transportation and traffic relief.
Whatever. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that neither side respects the other, but demands to be respected. It can't work. Our mayor is boldly and unashamedly anti-cycling. If we are going to make any headway at all, we need to make some changes. I'm not keen on the idea of a bunch of laws and shit, though I can see how it makes a certain sense. We might not even need them, though, if we were at least polite.
I just rode home to the west end from downtown. Dundas from Bathurst to Bellwoods is no longer a nightmare - smooth, fresh black asphalt made that part of the ride lovely. I ran into trouble after I passed Ossington, though. Sidewalks and most of the road are ripped up. On the one hand, I could take the sidewalk - something I hate doing even when it's unavoidable. Pedestrians hate bikes on sidewalks even if they're walked - bikes take up a lot of space, it's awkward and it slows everything down. And riding there violates the by-law. On the other was the option of riding on the narrow strip of road between two cars. Even though I would easily have been able to keep up with the flow of traffic at the same 5km pace they were at, I knew the drivers would get upset and angry and hate me for 'holding up traffic'. Be that as it may, I chose the road, even though I knew I wouldn't feel safe. Being between two cars with streetcar tracks 8 inches from my wheels is not comfortable.
I was mulling this over as I waited at the stop light, when two cyclists blew past me through the red. I sighed. Each time a cyclist does this, motorists notice and hate us a little more - point out our lack of adherence to any rules.
What killed me though, is at the next intersection, it was too busy for the one cyclist to blow through. She was waiting, and the last left-turning car turned after the light had changed red. The cyclist was anticipating the green, so she was already halfway out there. And she screamed at the car, "Nice driving, asshole!"
Really? Really?
I can see it, guys. I can see why people think we're dicks. The only way we're ever going to get any respect on the road is if we all behave with a little modesty and consideration. Be aware of who is around you, like you would in life. Not only will it make you safer in the moment, it will also make us safer and give us a stronger voice in the future.
