Tips for dealing with angry motorists

Taking part in traffic comes with responsibilities. This is true for motorists as well as bicyclists, as this week's BikeWalkLee column illustrates.
 
News-Press "Go Coastal" BikeWalkLee Column, July 6, 2016

If you ride on most local roadways in the company of motor vehicles, there’s an appallingly good chance you’ll have to interact with that small minority of motorists whose social skills leave a lot to be desired when it comes to cyclists.

Notice the words “small minority” – most drivers are watchful and courteous when sharing the road or intersection, a situation that is improving every year as more cyclists use our improving facilities and more motorists become attuned to watching for and working with cyclists.

That said, there are those who still feel compelled to share their opinions about your transportation choices (among other things) as they roar by you, and an even smaller group who want to turn those words into actions by pitting their two-ton vehicle against your far-less-substantial bicycle – a fight you will never win.

So what should you do?

First, do not engage the rage. Drivers whose impulse control is so low they can’t stand to be on the same road with cyclists are not in the mood for a rational conversation. (They don’t call it “road rage” for nothing.) Resist the urge to respond in kind (or at all). Get some distance between you and them if possible, and use your bicycle’s agility to your advantage if the driver is determined to dog you (since you can go places his or her car cannot). Even change routes or pull into a safe place until the rager drives on… it’s better to arrive late than not at all.

Second, be aware and watchful. Look for erratic drivers coming up behind you, or vehicles that could do you inadvertent harm due to their size or appurtenances (such as mirrors). Many serious cyclists have taken to riding with a video watchdog on board, able to document dangerous drivers if any rage erupts. (Cell phones can also be handy to snap pictures of threatening vehicles and their license plates.) Not only is this a reminder to drivers that actions can have consequences, it also can be essential to any legal action that ends up being taken down the road (for you or another rider, since rage tends to have a good range).

Use hand signals and stop at stop signs
(photo: nevadabike.wordpress.com)

Finally, be a good cycling ambassador. The best way to avoid road rage is to eliminate the spark that causes it, by making motorists friends rather than enemies. A smile and a wave always helps, as does obeying the rules of the road behind the handlebars as well as behind the wheel. Riding responsibly includes being a good vehicle (signal turns, stop at intersections, be consistent and in control). The more motorists are comfortable with cyclists sharing the roadways, the less anger there’s likely to be.

I can hear the cyclists saying that drivers have to share the burden of keeping roadways safe, too. They do… but those of us on bicycles have a lot more to lose in a bike-car battle, so it behooves us to work harder to encourage an equitable calm rather than an unbalanced rage.

Cyclists also need to keep working for more legal protections for what is termed “vulnerable road users” – which includes pedestrians at crosswalks, wheelchair or scooter users, motorcyclists, highway workers and people riding horses, farm tractors, horse-drawn carriages or electric mobility devices. Recent bills to boost such protections have gained support in the Florida Legislature but have not been enacted, and as these bills make their way through the legislative process some of the crucial protections in the original text have been left by the side of the road. We can hope legislative sponsors keep putting such protective bills forward, and that someday our lawmakers will put those protections in place.

Until then, however, our safety is in our own hands.

By Ken Gooderham, BikeWalkLee


Ready to ride or run?

Run: Head to Eagle Lakes Community Park in Naples for the Eagle Lakes 5K on Saturday, July 23 (eliteevents.org)

Ride: Critical Mass rides rule (but you may want to confirm the times, as summertime climates may force changes: On Friday, the NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. On Saturday, the Sanibel Critical Mass ride gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended for both. (http://www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)

Both: Your next local tri is Sunday with the American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples, sprint triathlon and duathlon (eliteevents.org). Then it’s the Englewood Sprint tri on July 16 (swflymca.org) and the TRISK Tri Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon Aug. 6 (multirace.us)

-- BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County - streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.