In a world of roads dominated by automobile traffic, cyclists often need to be able to think like motorists.
The reality in most of the world these days is that commuters and other cyclists have to share the road with cars. Especially in North American cities and suburbs, the car takes such a dominant place on the road that people sometimes forget that bikes belong there too.
As with other minorities, the behaviour of an individual cyclist is all too often held up as representative of the group. Every cyclist has probably heard some car-driver say they think bicyclists have no respect for traffic rules or other people on the street. This may partly mean that motorists have a hard time understanding cycling behaviour, even when it’s lawful and safe. But, unfairly, it means that every cyclist is an ambassador for cycling.
Therefore, a cyclist must be able to think like a car driver. This may take some research, because the world viewed through a windshield can look very different from the one seen over the handlebars.
Drivers can’t see bikes.
A 1995 study of 212 cyclist deaths in Ontario, Canada found that "the biggest threat to adult cyclists appears to be the motorists’ failure to detect them." This doesn’t necessarily mean that these cyclists were unlit or invisible. Some people call it the "red Volvo theory": if you acquire a red Volvo, you’ll suddenly be amazed how many there are on the road that you hadn’t noticed before. In other words, many drivers simply aren’t aware of cyclists.
Traffic awareness is vital.
Like an athlete in the middle of a game, a cyclist has to be extra-aware of his or her surroundings. Not only must you make good traffic choices, but you must be aware of other people making poor ones. It’s important to be visible and to communicate with other road users, using lots of direct eye contact and hand signals. Cyclists simply can’t depend on others to notice them and guess what they’re up to. You must not only respond to the cars around you, but imagine the ways the traffic situation may be about to change, so it’s extremely important for cyclists to develop skills in noticing and anticipating hazards, and to react accordingly.
Traffic Tip:
When you spot a hazard in your path like a pedestrian or a pothole, school yourself to shoulder-check behind you right away to see whether you have any room to move into traffic. If you’re looking far enough ahead, you should have lots of time to do this safely before you have to choose how to take evasive action.
In the next article, I’ll discuss riding with other cyclists.
