Drivers in Your Town

[pyxichick]

I've been riding for exactly three months now, and have logged 1000 miles. It wasn't until yesterday on a group ride that I had an angry motorist encounter, and then later in the same ride, a rowdy bunch of guys yelling out the window (couldn't tell if it was anger or just testosterone.)

This got me to thinking...Minneapolis drivers are, on the whole, very considerate of cyclists. Of all the thousands of drivers I must've encountered in the past 1000 miles, only two felt compelled to yell something out the window, and nobody has launched any projectiles.

I understand this is not the case in every city.

My question to all of you: how would you rate your city's drivers on bicycle awareness/courtesy?

[Tri Girl]

In central Oklahoma, drivers are pretty tolerant of cyclists (even though there aren't all that many around). It's more of a problem on country roads (2 laners with no shoulder) that I encounter rednecks who try to buzz you or run you off the road. In the 2000 miles I've logged, only had a couple close calls.
Overall- I would rate my big city as an 8.5 of 10. I guess it's the "Oklahoma standard." They're all pretty decent here! I just wish we had bike lanes of any kind... :)

[latelatebloomer]

I have found our local drivers to be very careful and yielding, but it's a mostly rural area and they also have to deal with agricultural traffic, too - even draft horses from time to time. (Hopefully they don't think I'm a Belgian in bike shorts!!!:eek:) Cyclists are becoming very common here and I figure that almost every driver knows someone who rides.

The only time young guys yelled from a car, they yelled "you can do it" as I flailed up a hill. I figure that even if they were being smart*sses, I could live with that. But who knows, they might really have been amazed to see someone like me taking that hill.

Several times, as I have stopped to stretch or hydrate, a driver has slowed to make sure I was ok. There was one episode of weird male behavior, but I think the guy might just have been really lost.

So, my experience has been good. Y'all come and ride in Upper Bucks County!

[KnottedYet]

Seattleites are pretty good over all. Especially if you're wearing a miniskirt/skort! :D

I had someone honk at me once because I was in the left turn lane, but I think they were just confused. (we didn't have the green arrow yet) Maybe they thought they needed to be over the sensors to trip the turn light. (this was one that my bike does trip, and almost immediately)

I'm lucky in that I ride a designated bike route for most of my commute. Those green "Bike Route" signs help keep the cars on their toes. And there isn't much car traffic.

Edit: I think rural drivers are good with bikes because they have dealt with slower vehicles (and been the drivers of slower vehicles) like tractors and horses and such. They seem to treat bikes like horses or farm machinery. They have a "slow vehicle protocol" that city drivers don't have. Besides, they know your mom probably knows their mom from the library or the Cenex, so they better behave! (my mom knows darn near everyone, and knowlege is power!)

[SJCzar]

I've had a few encounter this season that were a little too close, but overall I think drivers in our area aren't too bad. I've only had one time where I'm sure the driver was trying to be a jerk and not just the usual one's that are inattentive or clueless.

When I bike outside of the city, I find that the Wisconsin drivers are very bike observant and always friendly. Sometimes they are almost on the opposite shoulder trying to give us as much room as possible.

I've never had anything thrown at me or been harassed by a driver.

[SouthernBelle]

I live in town in a somewhat rural area and overall I think I have been well-treated by drivers here. I've had younger guys honk or yell, but I think it's because they don't know there is gray hair under the helmet. :D If I'm stopped to have a snack or catch a breath, I've had people stop & ask if I was ok.

It seems that the drivers I've had the most trouble with are young women and the elderly, as in failing to give right of way or cutting me off or riding too close.

[Geonz]

Our drivers are pretty civil, too.

I think, however, that it has a whole lot to do with the road conditions, and not as much with their "natural demeanor" as I'd like to think. Seems suddenly if I'm on a busy road at a busy time, a lot more drivers are cantankerous. And I'll never forget the amazing difference in drivers when I was doing a century - when we were hugging the shoulder, they were cutting close and zipping by and basically acting ignorant and scaring us to death... as soon as we went two feet out into the lane, they were slowing and passing appropriately. After lunch when I forgot, suddenly the drivers were rude and ignorant again.... until we moved back out. I concluded that the same drivers simply respond almost automatically, and differently, depending on where I am.

ON the otehr hand, drivers around here simply seem more *knowledgeable,* as in they are less likely to swing around and turn right, or misjudge my speed. I think this is because we have a lot of cyclists and other odd vehicles (tractors, farm vehicles, etc).

[Haudlady]

I live in a small rural town, with small cities to the south and north (each about 12 miles from my town). The city to the south is great - courteous drivers, lots of other cyclists... The city to the north is much rougher - drivers don't seem to have eyes!

I wonder how they can be so different. It seems crazy! It's amazing what different characters the two cities have.

My small town is GREAT to ride in... with the exception of the out-of-state traffic that comes to visit a nearby historical site. Nine times out of ten - when a driver zips past my house at excessive speed, they don't have a native plate!