Do you find yourself driving your car like you ride your bike?

[Jiffer]

Sometimes when I'm driving on a road that I often ride, I find myself forgetting that I can't simply slow, check for cars at a red light and roll through! (This only happens at small intersections, by the way, and I've near actually gone through. ) And sometimes I find myself slamming on the brakes at a stop sign going, "Has that stop sign always been there?!" ... because I never stop at it on my bike and don't often drive that road in my car. That's happened at two different stop signs lately.

On my way home tonight, in the incredible Santa Ana winds, there were a couple of huge orange cones blown over to the left side of my lane, right where I was getting off the freeway. I found myself starting to lift my left hand to point them out to people behind me! And then I just laughed and shook my head and told my daughter this is getting a little scary.

Does anyone else have these sort of issues?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I ride my bike more than I drive my car.

Sometimes I find myself braking in my car during a mild downhill curve so I don't 'lose control' on a little patch of gravel or something....too funny.

Also, when walking down the road during my fitness walks, I regularly catch myself trying to glance in my bike helmet mirror to check on the traffic behind me. Makes me want to wear a rearview mirror all the time!

[Biciclista]

me too, me too. I am hypervigilant riding on the road, but when I am driving the car, sometimes I forget that i am wrapped up in a bunch of protective metal.

[Grog]

I notice that my partner and I drive a lot on the roads we ride on, even when it's not the fastest way to go (by car).

This being said, I increasingly prefer riding my bike than going around in a car, and find it safer. I see traffic going a lot faster in cars, and a lot more opportunities for accidents. On the bike, I know very well at all time where all of my body parts are and how they are located in relation to moving objects and people in my vicinity. In high-, fast-traffic areas with lots of cars changing lanes to go in different directions, I feel that there are a lot more variables to be cared for, and a lot more that is outside of my control.

Am I weird or does anyone relate? (Making the two of us weird.)

[jobob]

I used to reflexively reach down as if I were going to shift my barcons as I was driving up a steep hill.

[crazycanuck]

If i biked like i drove..umm ha haaa..

I can say however i'm getting very very good at spotting cyclists ahead whilst driving.

[HoosierGiant]

Sometimes when I'm driving on a road that I often ride, I find myself forgetting that I can't simply slow, check for cars at a red light and roll through! And sometimes I find myself slamming on the brakes at a stop sign going, "Has that stop sign always been there?!"

That's exactly why I stop at every traffic light and stop sign. I wouldn't roll through in my vehicle; I refuse to do so on my bike. Sure, it wreaks havoc on average speed -- and I'm all about the numbers! Yes, it can seem unnecessary at times since we ride in the country where there's often little traffic, and visibility at intersections can be 1/4-mile or more. But, I don't want to put myself in the position to absent-mindedly commit a no-brainer in my vehicle because of behavior engaged in on the bike. Of course, I'm the one who finds myself attempting to put the gallon of milk in the cabinet instead of the refrigerator, so I have cause to worry.

[TrekTheKaty]

Sometimes when I'm driving on a road that I often ride, I find myself forgetting that I can't simply slow, check for cars at a red light and roll through! (This only happens at small intersections, by the way, and I've near actually gone through. ) And sometimes I find myself slamming on the brakes at a stop sign going, "Has that stop sign always been there?!" ... because I never stop at it on my bike and don't often drive that road in my car. That's happened at two different stop signs lately.

Does anyone else have these sort of issues?

Yep! Almost rolled through a stop sign the other day! (In a car we call those Missouri rolling stops--my husband says it's not my fault. I was born here!)

[katluvr]

I may not "drive" like I bike. But when I drive or ride (passenger) after a bike ride I do call out "car left" or "car right" and sometimes "slowing/stopping" if I am driving or my partner calls it out! We laugh! Yep, rather be biking!

[gingerale]

I can't say I drive like I bike. But! I examine every single hill I drive up and down thinking to myself how hard I might have to work up one and how great it would be to fly down another. lol! Then I start wishing I had my bike with me so I could get out there and ride bigger ones to see how well I can make it up them. I'm crazy, I'm sure.

[GLC1968]

I don't roll through stops or anything (I don't on my bike, either), but I definitely have to catch myself from yelling out "car back" when driving with my husband. Just today, we were carpooling in to work together and I yelled "clear" as we were backing out onto our road!

Oh, I also find myself getting annoyed with cars that slow as I follow them down a hill....like "come on...there's an uphill up ahead - don't lose momentum!"

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

[Thorn]

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

Yep....(except I am a compulsive "must see 0 on the speedometer" at stop signs driver). And coasting when the light is red to save any momentum I've built up. I toyed with once writing an article on how to get better gas mileage by driving your car like a long-distance cyclist...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

Here is more info on car driving tips that help you get better gas mileage (techniques now called "hypermiling"):
hypermilinggastips

[GLC1968]

Here is more info on car driving tips that help you get better gas mileage (techniques now called "hypermiling"):
hypermilinggastips

Yeah, but often the 'hypermilers' cause traffic problems and dangerous situations. I was trying to find the balance between the two...good milage and safe driving.

(Of course, we've since sold the Prius - my bike gets better mileage )

[tennisgirl43]

I can't say I drive like I bike. But! I examine every single hill I drive up and down thinking to myself how hard I might have to work up one and how great it would be to fly down another. lol! Then I start wishing I had my bike with me so I could get out there and ride bigger ones to see how well I can make it up them. I'm crazy, I'm sure.

Not crazy! I do this, too! I'll even say to my husband, "Wow, that's some grade" on hills I would never have noticed before in a car.

I also found myself thinking about drafting behind a semi today. :-) Never would have thought about that before becoming a cyclist!