Last night, we found out one of our good friends here was swiped by a car while riding on his bike. He was doing all the correct things one should do while riding on a shared roadway, but the driver had road rage and was driving aggressively and honking; there were witnesses that could attest to this. Our friend is fine aside from some cuts and bruises, thank goodness. It's very sad that I have several friends here and in the states that have been hit by cars over the years while cycling, or have been rudely accosted by strangers for simply preferring to travel by bike.
I also enjoy cycling from time to time. Like many cyclists, I know to always be visible and hyper aware of my surroundings when on a busy street. Nevertheless, there have still been times that I have come close to getting hit or hurt, or people have just generally reacted rudely.
Bikes are good for everybody.
Someone on a bike is one less car on the road, which means less traffic and cleaner air for everyone. Biking is healthy exercise which helps cut down on obesity and other health issues. Biking is free.
If you get angry at cyclists when you're driving, maybe you need to think about these two things...
1. Infrastructure definitely needs to be updated for the 21st century; that's not a cyclists' fault. Do the local roads have bike lanes and sidewalks, or do cyclists really not have much choice of where to ride in some areas? Is local public transport bike-friendly (safe parking areas, safe ways to get in and out of high-traffic areas, bikes allowed on trains or buses at all times, etc.)?
2. Why am I such an angry person? Seriously, if I am getting irrationally angry because I need to slow down a few mph for a short period, maybe I need to find better ways to reduce my own stress on a regular basis. If I'm running late to get somewhere, chances are it's my fault in some way. What can I do next time so that I can leave early enough and not get angry at everyone else that is also on the road? I am not the only person in the world; sometimes just I need to wait for my turn (didn't we all learn that in preschool?).
It's fine if you're not a fan of cycling. Just don't make it unsafe for people out there who are.
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