Blogg-Ed Indetermination

In honor of National Bike to Work Week, and as someone who has biked to work for the last several years myself, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how biking has made me a better driver. Yes, I still drive my car from time to time, but much less so and with much greater care when I do. I attribute my better driving habits to what I have learned from biking.

1. Context is key. I am constantly thinking about where the hazards are mostly likely to be and alter my behavior accordingly.

For example, I ride down a tow-lane, one way street every morning. Is it safer for me to be in the right lane or the left lane? I choose the left lane for two reasons: (a) in the early morning it is mostly drivers who are getting into and out of their cars, and the driver’s door is on the curb side if I am in the left lane, and (b) with right turn on stop allowed at stop lights I am less likely to be cut-off by a driver if I am in the left lane while stopped at a traffic signal.

My ride also takes me past a couple of nursing homes frequented by elderly drivers. I exercise more caution there, and do the same when I pass a local high school frequented by less experienced, younger drivers.

2. Non-verbal communication keeps you safe. Eye contact with others around you on the road can speak volumes for your safety. Clear signals (hand signals, in my case), let people know my intent.

3. Cell phones are evil (when used by drivers or riders). My closest calls regarding accidents have all involved drivers with cell phones and missed stop signs, traffic signals, or simply unawareness of my presence on the road. Cyclists who try to talk on a cell phone while riding their bike are even worse.

4. Courtesy begets courtesy. There are a lot of cyclists who are real jerks when it comes to sharing the road with cars. And there are a lot of drivers who are real jerks when it comes to sharing the road with bicycles. But I have found that a friendly hand wave and even chatting with drivers at stop signs and signals is not only fun to do, but I think often results in creating a more positive environment for both drivers and riders.

5. It takes a lot of energy to start riding up a hill from a dead stop. If I am expending a lot of energy on a bike, think of what your car has to do with hundreds of times more weight! Rabbit starts in a care waste energy. Drive like you’re on a bike and save fuel.

6. Similarly, I really notice the difference when my bike tires are under-inflated, even by a few pounds. That’s prompted me to be more vigilant with my car tires. The U.S. Government says that properly inflated tires can increase fuel efficiency by as much as 3.3%.

7. While riding, I get to enjoy things such as the feel of the road, smells, the feel of the air against my skin, things that as a driver I am insulated against by shock absorbers, AC, and windows. I’ve learned as a driver to appreciate the days of my youth when my dad would take us for a drive on a warm summer night, no air conditioning of course, and we’d feel the coolness and moistness of the air as we passed lakes and streams, the difference aromas of regions of the country near farms or in forests. I drive with my windows down a lot more now.

8. Routine can lead to disaster. We’ve all had moments where we’ve “zoned out” and wondered where the last few minutes went. Perhaps we’re taking our morning shower and can’t remember if we washed our hair or not. Or we’ve been driving and have gone past our exit – the same one we’ve taken for years. God help you if you do this on a bike, while a motorist does the same thing while driving. When this happens to me it’s time for me to vary my route or do something new so that there’s less chance of my mental autopilot kicking in, resulting in an accident.

My worst cycling crash was due to my own inattention. It happened within a few blocks of home, and involved nothing more than a half-inch lip to a driveway from the street, too soft of a grip on the handlebars, and a mind that wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Scrapes, bruises, cracked ribs, and a deeply wounded ego resulted.

I hope you ride a bike to work this week and, if possible, more often than that. If you’re like me you may find that you’ll end up a better driver, too.