Or lack thereof.
When you roll out at sunrise on the bike, whats your mindset like?
You’re a cyclist, surely someone in a vehicle will cut you off today. Run you off the road. You’re edgy already – prepared to defend yourself and you haven’t even left home.
Now lets consider motorists. Cycling is the last thing on their mind. Getting the kids to school on time and paying the bills are priorities. I wonder what frustrations they’re experiencing at work, in life – what personal battle are they trying to overcome?
Then lets concoct a situation where both parties come together on the road. A moment where both parties expectations aren’t met. Whats likely to happen do you think?
Two words – Road Rage.
I get letters regularly on this topic from both cyclists and people who are frustrated with cyclists. This one came to me yesterday whilst I was reading The Age’s article on The number of peak hour cyclists soar. Let me share part of one from Perth.
Mark,
Is the lycra cyclists wear so tight that it squeezes and stimulates an aggression gland?
I find that the vast majority of cyclists adopt an overly aggressive attitude when on the road. I watched a cyclist just yesterday abuse some poor unsuspecting lady for simply getting out of her car. He was riding between traffic and parked cars. There was not a lot of room for him to ride between them safely. A lady sitting in her car opened her door to get out of her car and he suddenly screamed at the top of his voice at her and then started abusing her like it was her fault.
The annoying part for me was I could see that he was watching her. Like a tiger ready to pounce, as he was approaching. He could clearly see what she was about to do but deliberately made out like she almost caused him an accident and was screaming at the top of his lungs
On that topic I’ll say this. When you’re laying on a hospital bed – it doesn’t matter who’s fault it was! The damage is done. You are responsible for your own safely and actions so leave a gap.
Personally I applaud bike riders for their conviction but it’s a bit like religion – nobody likes to have it pushed on them and nobody likes someone that doesn’t focus on their own wrong doings first.
I think it is a bit like the aboriginals they scream and fight about their rights yet they don’t follow society’s rules. They try to make their own rules and kick up a huge stink if anyone tries to stop them.
So as cyclists, are we a minority with a chip on our shoulder? Are we victimized and discriminated against?
We’re two separate groups cyclists and motorists – but only in terms of road infrastructure. That’s it. In all other cases we’re the same people with the same issues and the same stresses of life.
The problem in western countries is expectations.
Go to any Asian country and you’ll bear witness to what seems like traffic mayhem and chaos. Cyclists, trucks, cars cutting each other off, pushing in to gaps that aren’t there.
I will give you 50 bucks if you spot one single case of road rage!*
Why? Because they expect the traffic to be chaotic. They accept it for what it is.
Here in Australia, our tolerance levels are pretty low. We have very high expectations of each other. As a cyclist, you expect cars will leave you a wide berth when they overtake. When they don’t – enter the road rage.
As a motorist, you expect cyclists to not ride two abreast in heavy traffic. When they don’t, you consider this a breach of your expectations on general road courtesy – enter the road rage.
I personally think the solution lies less with government planning and infrastructure but more to to with psychological education of the community. There needs to be more education on general tolerance and acceptance between these groups.
What do you think? What is the next step forward to building a better relationship between motorists and cyclists?
*This is an empty promise. I don’t have 50 bucks and if I did, it would probably go on a new rear tyre for my bike.
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Photo credit TBA
