Being a small, slow bicycle driver on roads full of large, fast vehicles can be quite intimidating. Decades of cheap fuel and urban sprawl have made it that much more difficult to drive a slow-moving vehicle in a fast-moving culture. But even in this less-that-perfect environment, cyclists can learn the skills and techniques to operate safely and confidently on the road.
The 10 things a confident cyclists knows:
- How to control the bike.
- The road is much safer than the sidewalk.
- Following the rules is easier and safer than making up your own.
- Regardless of infrastructure, it’s safest to integrate in the intersections.
- There’s more than one way to turn left.
- Life is good when you protect your space in the lane.
- The limitations of bike lanes are many and allowing paint to think for you can get you killed.
- Emergency maneuvers… just in case.
- How to let it go and not escalate harassment.
- That confident cycling is safer and less stressful than driving a car!
5 things a courteous citizen knows when driving a car:
- Share the Road means one after the other, not that bicyclists should share a lane with cars.
- Bicycles are vehicles, they belong on the road.
- How to avoid common mistakes that cause crashes.
- Bicycles don’t cause delay, the ten seconds you waited to pass was ten seconds less you waited at the next red light.
- By being nice, you have nothing to lose but stress and bad karma.
