Are cyclists more friendly? Your thoughts ..

Submitted by jtackett on Wed, 2008-10-01 09:22

This weekend I did my first 3 Gap/6 Gap ride in Dahlonega. I have never taken a bike out that that type of terrain, but I had a great time. It was during the ride that my brain started to ponder the question, "Are cyclists more friendly?"

I had noticed, more so than normal, that whenever I passed someone, or they passed me, there was usually a "Hello" or "How are you doing" given to each other. And when cyclists passed another cyclists on the side of the road, or slowing down, they always seem to ask, "Is everything OK?" I thought back on my commute to and from work and realized that whenever I saw another cyclists, I always acknowledged them either with a wave, a shout out, or just a nod. I cannot tell you how many times I have been waiting for the light at an intersection (yes I stop) and if another cyclists pulls up, I say hello. And I have on more than one occasion stopped and helped a cyclists that was having problems with their bike. It just started the gears in my brain to turn and ponder the question.

For me, it has been 3 years since I gave up my commuting by car and started using my bike. I do not seem to remember being that friendly while driving my car. Think about it.. when driving do you acknowledge other motorists the same way you do cyclists? (and no, giving the finger to the person that cut you off in the car does not count.) How many times do you roll down your window to say hello to the driver next to you? Do you ever slow down and asked a motorist on the side of the road, "Is everything OK?"

Why is that so. Perhaps it is because we are usually in a more relaxed state when we ride our bikes, that we became more friendly. I mean we don't have the hassles of trying to find gas, or worrying about parking, or dealing with traffic on the Connector. This is not to say that as a cyclists we don't worry about things (the poor state of Atlanta roads, rude drivers, etc.) but for some reason, we just seem to become more easy going.

Anyway, I would be curious to get some feedback from other cyclists about this. Am I just imagining this? Am I right/wrong, or perhaps I am letting my mind wander to much? I am sure that somewhere there has been a study done on this (scientists love doing studies on what may seem to be an obscure observation) and I would be curious to find it and read it.

Well enough for now. Keep on pedaling...

Comments

Interesting Question to Explore

Submitted by jett on Mon, 2008-10-06 21:15.

I've found that cyclists are easy to get along with, laid back, and willing to put up with minor discomfort for subtle rewards, and this has strongly colored my ideas about why cyclists are more friendly, but my mind has been expanded by this post and the previous comments.

Certainly being out in the open (on the bike, I always have my top down. All the way down.), makes a cyclist more approachable. It's easier to see people's eyes and gauge their openness to personal contact. And then, perhaps because we're always making eye contact to make sure we're seen, people find us approachable for that reason.

I've also noticed that people's personalities change behind the wheel of a car. The guiding principle for operating a car seems to be getting to your destination as quickly as possible or pay the price for getting in someone else's way. I don't care for cyclists who carry that attitude into traffic (although I do appreciate the ones that can ride fast!).

It is possible that we contrast cyclists with motorists when judging whether they are friendly or not. I find that pedestrians, runners, and even those waiting for the bus to be just as friendly as cyclists. The physical and mental isolation the car provides does seem to be a significant factor.

Jett Marks
http://cycling.jettmarks.com

I think it has a lot more to

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2008-10-01 10:21.

I think it has a lot more to do with being in the minority. I imagine the more cyclists you see on the road, the less likely you are to say hi to them. When you see another cyclist, you feel a comradery with a kindred spirit, another person challenging themselves.

If you were in some poor (or smart?) country, where no one had cars, and you were driving around, and saw another car, you'd probably give a nod of some sort to that other driver. It's just cause there's so few of us in comparison.

And cars are basically designed to encapsulate you from the rest of the world. All our safety standards have put us in steel boxes that keep the outside world out. Give the book "Traffic" a read. It talks a bunch about how cars limit our communication skills considerably.

All that said, I agree that being on your bike just makes you feel better, and I'm sure that puts people in better moods.

Cyclists do seem more friendly

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2008-10-01 10:13.

...because in a car, you're insulated from the outside world. It's hard to ignore someone or be ignored when you're "out there". You can't make that kind of connection behind the tinted glass of a mostly soundproof metal container.

And maybe this is why many of us feel empowered to behave badly when driving. The other motorists don't know who we are, so perhaps we don't feel as accountable for behaving poorly. On a bike, I see you, you see me, and now we feel more compelled to use our manners.

I'm sure there are still rude bicyclists out there. In the end, it's not your choice of vehicle that determines your behavior. It's all about whether or not you remember that the other folks on the road are people too. If you feel you are connected to them, the sense of society is better maintained. If it's you against the world, well, that detracts from everyone's commuting experience.