We poor, misunderstood cyclists

Ok, for those of you who would rather have bicycles not allowed on the road, let me start by saying “I understand.”  Like every other group of people, cyclists often get stereotyped.  And however unfair it might be, the road cyclist stereotype often comes from those who don’t share the road very well. 

Seems odd, doesn’t it?  What would make someone on a 15-pound bike think that he could take on an upset driver in a 2-ton SUV?  But there are those who do.  They are the riders that I refer to as the cowboys.  These guys are typically the real power cyclists in the recreational riding circles.  They’re faster than all the rest of us, which apparently gives them that feeling of invincibility.  To be fair there are some situations when the cyclist has the right-of-way, but not just because he can ride fast. 

Now the thing is, if you want to be at peace with cyclists on the road, you’ll also have to deal with more than just the cowboys—there are also the neophytes.  These are most commonly seen in late July or August, just after people have seen some of the Tour de France on TV and have decided that they want to give it a try.  So they run down to the local bike shop, buy a bike, and then start riding around without really understanding the fine art of riding on the road.  And, of course, in addition to the cowboys and the neophytes, there are also the misinformed.  These are cyclists who may have been riding for years, but have never really taken the time to learn the laws regarding the interaction of cars and bikes on the same road. 

And then there are the rest of us.  Yes, there are some of us out there who actually do understand.  We know how to get through intersections without getting in the way.  We know how to make left turns, and (more importantly) how to make right turns.  We know when to take the lane and when not to.  This is all part of that fine art of road riding that I will try to promote on this blog.