Cycling on the High Road

models: Gerry Bratz and Sandra AllenPhotograph by David Niddrie

“At least as much as cyclists complain about motorists and pedestrians, pedestrians and motorists complain about cyclists.”

You’re riding your bike in peak rush hour traffic when a truck up ahead spills a load of PVC pipes onto the street. Traffic stops, the truck stops and the driver gets out to reclaim his spilled cargo. Do you? a) Stop and wait with the rest of traffic wishing this guy would hurry up and get his freakin’ pipes out of your way? b) Zip on by weaving through traffic because you can? Or c) stop, get off your bike, and help the driver reload the pipes so everyone can get going a little faster and so the driver can feel a little less lame? Mike Sallaberry found himself in this situation and chose to stop and help the driver out. Recounting the scene, he says, “me and two other cyclists helped reload them. No motorists helped, even though they were the ones inconvenienced by the mess. The cyclists could have kept going no problem.”

Sallaberry models the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – a tenet of almost every major religion and philosophy. This “rule” more often than not seems to be forgotten on our roads: our fast-paced culture, where “me” matters most, rewards competition over compassion. We drive or ride through life worried about our own deadlines, dates, and dinners. When we’re faced with a difficult situation on the road, how often do we put ourselves in the other person’s place? Or how often do we become angry and self-righteous?

Cyclist Claude Ewell recounts one time when a van cut him off in traffic. “I caught up to him and said, ‘You cut me off’,” says Ewell. The driver retorted with, “Fuck you.” Ewell said the same back, and the situation escalated. At the next stop light Ewell spat at the man’s car and ended up hitting the driver in the face. He says the angry driver then “hit the gas and ran into me from behind.” When asked why he retaliated Ewell says, “If you let people get away with that crap, they’ll think that’s the way it should be, and that’s not the way it should be. A bike is a vehicle. I was entitled to be where I was.” Though he does admit it “got a little carried away.:

Photograph by David Niddrie

Ewell’s situation is not that uncommon. Though many people might stop shy of spitting, most are free with expletives. And oftentimes, cyclists (and other road users) think it’s their duty to “teach a lesson” to someone. This mode of thinking assigns responsibility for our emotions and actions to the other; as in, “they made me angry,” or, “he caused me to spit.” We judge someone when we think, “what an idiot” and we condemn that person when we think, “I’ll show him!”

There’s another perspective here – the other person’s. At least as much as cyclists complain about motorists and pedestrians, pedestrians and motorists complain about cyclists. We’ve all seen it – in the letters to the editor, blogs, and online discussion groups. Cyclists don’t exactly have the image of angels. One frustrated motorist in San Francisco vents on Craigslist about a frustrating encounter:

“I’m stopped at a four-way stop at Hampshire and 22nd, four cars at each corner. It’s my turn. I start to accelerate, then have to slam on the brakes because a bicyclist jets through the intersection without stopping or even slowing down. To make it even better, he slaps his ass and air kisses me when I toot my horn at him!” She goes onto recall another incident where she was stopped at a red light with her right turn blinker on waiting to turn. “The traffic had cleared, but just as I begin to turn, a bicyclist passes me moving very fast on the right, running the red light. I almost hit him, but he doesn’t seem to care. I’m shaking. What if I did hit him? How would that affect his life? How about mine? How about my kids who are also in the car?”

Every story has at least two sides. While there is likely truth in each, these stories also reflect our subjective feelings and emotions and how we respond to them. How often do we take a moment to pause and be aware of our emotions? And how often do we accept responsibility for our own feelings – be they irritation, anger, or rage?

Buddhists call this internal reflection on one’s thoughts and motivations, mindfulness. Psychotherapist Tara Bennett-Goleman believes that practicing mindfulness can help free us from destructive emotional patterns. She identifies ten basic patterns responsible for most of what troubles us. Vulnerability and entitlement are two that cause trouble on the road. Cyclists often feel vulnerable in traffic. Many also ride with a sense of entitlement, feeling that cycling is a superior mode of transport deserving special consideration over vehicles.

Being aware of these feelings is the first step to mindfulness. If you find you are prone to feelings of entitlement, Bennett-Goleman advises, “Start to be aware of the negative impact of your actions on the people around you.” Blowing through a stop sign with three other vehicles waiting their turn doesn’t go unnoticed.

If you’ve read this far, by now you might be protesting. You might think: “But bikes are disadvantaged on the road. Cars are bigger and more dangerous. They can kill us. We can’t kill them. That makes cyclists the victims, right? And then there are the streets – they’re designed for cars, not bikes, so we need our own rules. Bikes are the best. We don’t pollute. We’re the greatest!”

Making our own rules on the road can lead to dangerous situations – for others and for ourselves. With the huge public relation hurdles we already have, it’s also not likely this tactic will win us friends or garner more support for cycling. A self-obsessed attitude is unbecoming and lessens our credibility.

The way we ride our bikes is our strongest voice – for our own safety and for advancing cycling. The way we navigate traffic, the look we give or don’t give someone, or the hand gesture that we make speaks for us. Riding a bike is like doing a dance; words are rarely spoken but much is said.

Remembering that the other people on the road are human beings can help us do this dance more gracefully. Instead of condemning drivers, have you ever felt compassion for them? After all, they are also victims of the car culture. They’ve bought into the promise of freedom that delivers expensive gas prices, wasted time away from friends and family stuck in traffic, and life-alienating transport.

Seeing the humanity in others is an essential part of cultivating compassion. Jay Ferm, a Madison WI cyclist, says that when he’s faced with a driver behaving badly he “imagines that perhaps they are rushing a kid to the doctor, or are late for a job interview.” He admits that at times he gets angry and, when he catches himself, remembers that he was once “an unconscious road user.”

Connecting with others on the road as fellow humans can also give rise to everyday acts of kindness. Cyclist Andy Thornley says, “I love the everyday chances I get to give the other person her turn, pausing at the crosswalk to let folks cross, signalling my turns and waving ahead cars, bikes, and others, dinging my bell to let dog walkers know I’m approaching.” These little moments are our invitations to choose either the self-centred “me-first” approach or the compassionate giving approach. Thornley aims for the latter saying, “Giving is empowering, good for your heart, and good for your community. As a cyclist you have the opportunity many times a day to be visibly and influentially magnanimous, generous, considerate, even civilized, just by giving the other person his turn!”

According to the Dalai Lama, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” This sounds easier than it is, but the bicycle can be our vehicle to compassion. Bicycles offer a greater level of humanity than cars. The slower pace offers a greater connection to the environment, the community, and other people. And most bicyclists will admit, they’re happier when they bike. We can take advantage of the nature of cycling to help us cultivate compassion. Just imagine what the road would look like if we let our hearts drive our bikes. And as far as bringing new people to cycling, it’s a lot easier to attract bees with honey than with vinegar.

About the Author

Kristen Steele works with the Alliance for Biking and Walking, the North American coalition of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. [more...]

Published in Momentum No. 37

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