The Heat Is On: Be Cool, Share The Road

Now that the endless spring rains are a distant memory, folks in O-ree-gone are whooping it up in the sunshine!  100-degree weather for a while.  Woo Hoo!

More of us will be outside these days, especially in the mornings before the mercury climbs to uncomfortable levels.  We will need to share the road, look out for each other, and help everyone make it home safely to our sweeties when we’re done having our fun.  That means we all need to be even more cool than we usually are.

There have been a few mishaps between vehicles and bikes lately. People do stuff when they’re riding--and driving--that defy any courtesy or common sense.  I hate it when I see a cyclist blow through an intersection just because they’re on two wheels instead of four. That is definitely not cool. I also hate it when drivers “buzz” cyclists because they want to make a point. Also not cool. Since I’m on my soap box, here’s the worst of the worst: driver inattention.  If we're too busy to notice other people, let's get off the road. Doing make-up while juggling a latte, mcmuffin, and cell phone is already impressive enough. Let's not add driving to that skill combo, 'kay?

When you’re driving, please remember that cyclists move faster than you think.  If there’s one thing drivers can do a better job of, it’s to wait the extra 3 seconds for the cyclist to continue their path instead of trying to “scoot ahead.”  Yesterday morning a very nice driver was very likely in a hurry to get to work, but still waited for me to roll by in the bike lane before they made their right turn.  Now that was cool!

Cyclists, remember that drivers see big things more readily than little things.  Don’t count on them seeing you just because your spandex glows in the dark.  Take a more deliberate pace and look at the drivers’ eyes.  If you don’t think they see you, you’re right. They don’t.


Finally, remember that tempers flare up faster in the heat.  A smile and a wave may cool folks down more than you realize.

Be cool, people.