Commentary: Cars and bikes, can't we all just get along?
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4/23/2008 - 4/24/08
Oh, the drivers and the cyclists should be friends ...
"Why?" The driver might say. "Those bike people think they own the whole darned road. They don't follow the rules, and they go so slowly. I've got places to go. Why don't they just move over? They could get killed out here."
And yet, the cyclist might say, "Hey, you in the gas-guzzler. Don't hit me, bro. There's broken glass and cinders on the shoulder and no bike lane here. I'm just trying to get places, too. Now give me some room and cool your jets."
Well, if it seems a long shot for these two types to share the road, guess what? They already do, right here in my own head. Yes, I'm a driver who enjoys putting down the pedal and going fast, and I hate it when I have to worry about those unpredictable bicycles on my road. Then, later, I somehow magically transform into a lycra-wearing, self-righteous, health-nut cyclist. Now, before you say I should get my head checked, let me explain.
Yes, the power and beauty of the automobile is intoxicating. It is a young person's rite of passage to get (and crash) his or her first car.
From Bruce Springsteen to "Teen Angel", the freedom and emotion evoked from driving (and crashing) is our musical legacy. Who would dare infringe on this right to be swept away by the feel of that "396 with Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor"? That is, until I fill the tank again and have to buy another, bigger size of jeans.
Then, as suddenly as it came on, that obsession is gone, replaced by a passion for the wind in my face as I silently glide my bicycle through this lovely town. I waive at my friends and neighbors.
I stop at the coffee shop, proudly bearing my helmet inside for that well-deserved pastry. I laugh at the gas-price signs and snicker at the Hummers. Then, I pedal into work and park it: right in front.
But the two of me should be, could be friends. It only took a song in the musical Oklahoma to resolve heated conflicts between the farmers and cowmen in their territory disputes. (Or maybe it was necessity and common sense that prevailed. Now there's an idea!)
Similarly, though, horses once owned the road until the automobile (and cheap gas) took over. And still, time and change march on. Now, as gas starts to look like a luxury item and the air is getting more toxic from it, the drivers and the cyclists really should be friends.
I'm thinking I can cut a deal with my inner driver to make a little room for, and slow down for, my inner cyclist, who will promise to be courteous, predictable and cautious. Not that I expect them to be dancing together in a musical anytime soon, though.
Catherine Downing is a driver, cyclist, mother, mediator, arbitrator, Pedal Queen member and 20-year resident of Santa Fe.
Tips for cyclists
1 Always signal clearly when you plan to turn or change lanes. Drivers are so nice when they know what you plan to do. It's the sudden or unexpected moves that are annoying.
2 Always stop at a stop sign, unless you make eye contact with the driver who waives you on through. Then always say "thanks" for the courtesy.
3 When there is no safe bike lane on the side, graciously "take the lane" and thank the driver who slows down to accommodate this sharing of the road.
4 Remember that cyclists are still somewhat invisible to most drivers. Give them a chance to see you, especially by wearing bright colors and using lights at night.
5 But mostly, "be excellent to one another."
Tips for drivers
1 Bicycles are vehicles according to the motor-vehicle code. It is illegal for them to be on the sidewalk. They must ride with traffic in the traffic lane, or on a safe bike lane if there is one.
2 Only pass if you safely have five feet of room between your side window and the bike. This is the law, and it makes good sense.
3 Cyclists can ride legally, even two abreast, in the traffic lane. Maybe you could consider them like a horse and buggy, and think "oh, how quaint," then take your time and pass when it's safe. There's usually no need to honk or yell; they can hear you coming. (Hybrids excepted.)
4 Keep those frisky dogs inside the car window. They like to lunge out the window and sample the cyclist.
5 And remember, "be excellent to one another."
