‘They’ will be ‘us’ Be Good to Angry Drivers.

Tonight is another celebration of cycling.  In cities all around the world, bicyclists of all creeds, be they hipsters, squids, newbies, randonneurs, messengers, or children, all will join together and ride through their cities for Critical Mass.  They do this during Friday rush-hour to remind automobiles that they exist, as well as celebrating the various cycling lifestyles (they’re diverse but still dependent on a bicycle in some fashion).  Cyclists don’t get together in big traffic jams often like cars do.  Cycling by nature is decentralized, and therefore drivers don’t always realize just how much of the population travels by pedal-power.  In some cities, such as Portland, cyclists account for so much of the population that they are taken for granted, but still conflicts arise continually.  When cyclists get together in these huge crowds, irritable automobile drivers tend to react.

I will not go into the black hole of describing bad interactions that have occurred when a crowd of cyclists and a crowd of automobile drivers met during rush hour.  That’s just a numbers game of probabilities and personalities.  Put enough hot-heads with axes to grind and pedals (something we ALL share) under our feet, and conflict is simply more likely.  What bothers me is not that drivers and cyclists might conflict, but rather that there is an attempt to sustain a dividing line between the two.  I can definitely share a brief testimonial though that drawing a line in the sand between drivers and cyclists is self-detrimental and misguided.

As an ex-lead-foot driver I can say from experience you’re right if you say those impatient, reckless drivers will get what’s coming to them. I always rode around impatiently and went through about 4 cars and a lot of headache. I learned my lesson and embraced the cycling lifestyle. Now I can’t imagine ever owning a car for the rest of my life. This is the long-term argument that cycling will win out in the end, but short-term conflict is always going to be inevitable. Just don’t get stuck in a Them-vs-Us mentality, because ‘they’ will be ‘us’ one day.  This is a new year, the first Critical Mass with wonderful weather.  Go out and enjoy it with both bikes and cars alike.