Being a nicer cyclist

[erikgarrison.livejournal.com]

What are some ways that cyclists can positively engage drivers, gain their respect, and encourage them to use caution when they are sharing the road with cyclists?

Comments

[m00n.livejournal.com]

When I "honestly don't see" someone, their strong reaction just makes it clearer to me how close we came to a really bad situation, and does in fact remind me that I need to be more careful, whereas just moving on as if nothing had happened makes it seem as though, well, nothing really happened.

Same here. Thankfully I have never had this happen to me while driving, but I cannot honestly say that I would feel much animosity toward a bicyclist who responded to my nearly running them over by hitting my car. Frankly I would be relieved that more did not happen and I'd be glad on a more abstract level, if I somehow didn't see them at all, that they did something to make me notice anyway. Maybe I just think that because I've been on the sending end of that situation so many times, though.