Drive-By Encouragement

[RoadRaven]

I always slow and drive behind a bike til its safe to pass and have no problem with other cars having to wait with me.

I have pro-bike stickers on the back of my car

I never toot from behind, but sometimes I will give two short toots after I have passed - sometimes I wave.

If its a cyclist we know, the boys will sometimes call out a hello to them as we pass.

[lph]

Riding home today I slowed waaay down coming to a pedestrian crossing, until I could see that the 2 teenage dudes in the beat-up old car approaching were going to let me over without me having to stop altogether (which I'm legally supposed to). I dipped my head at them to acknowledge the nicety, and then yelled "thanks!" as I crossed, since I noticed their windows were open.

Sure enough, the next minute I got two short toots, and I had to think of this thread

(Of course it MAY have been because I was wearing my shortest shorts and a tank top, plus hotshot sunglasses disguising the fact that I'm old enough to be their mom... One can always hope.)

[Starfish]

I'm old enough to be their mom... One can always hope.)

As a teenage boy said, in a recent episode of Monk, to a hot older woman when she reminded him she was old enough to be his mother, "But you're not."

You might have got the toots without the sunglasses!

[Meg McKilty]

Bump.

I have come up with it: the new drive-by encouragement symbol for all cyclist.

We even have ones for MTB'ers. Ok, you twirl your finger around in a circle in the air as you drive by people one their cycles. Then they know you also cycle. ("OOOOO")

MTBing people will use a more "peaked" method of the twirling, using figures such as this with their fingers: "^^^^^".

You may all thank me tremendously.

[Zen]

Or they may think you're trying to say they're crazy

[Meg McKilty]

Or they may think you're trying to say they're crazy

That is exactly what Southern Belle said, but I disagree! If we band together and teach one another about the new symbol of cycling unity, we can give signals to one another in peace. Without honking horns. Or yelling.

[li10up]

There is definitely something to be said for not YELLING during a ride. Several times I've about jumped out of my skin when my co-ride leader yelled, "TURNING RIGHT!!" while on a ride. A simple point of the hand would have been sufficient. Sorry for the thread drift....

[lph]

I was thinking of this thread last time I drove our car... and passed a cyclist, and suddenly felt an urge to yell "hey, I'm not really LIKE this, you know! I ride a bike too!!"

But when I'm on a bike I don't really think much about the drivers around me, as long as they give me a little room and don't act aggressively I don't feel the need for any more interaction.

So I was thinking that maybe we want to give drive-by encouragement mostly for our own sakes, because we'd rather be thought of as cyclists than as drivers...

[li10up]

So I was thinking that maybe we want to give drive-by encouragement mostly for our own sakes, because we'd rather be thought of as cyclists than as drivers...

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one. I think it is more for our own benefit than the person on the bike. Kind of gives us a sense of belonging.

[RoadRaven]

I was thinking of this thread last time I drove our car... and passed a cyclist, and suddenly felt an urge to yell "hey, I'm not really LIKE this, you know! I ride a bike too!!"

Me Too!!

I feel a combination of feelings when I see someone cycling...
...anger and envy - why am I stuck in a car, this is sooooo unfair!

...pleasure and almost pride - yahoo, someone is out there and making us visible and having a great (I hope) ride... if I can't at least someone is

...guilt - I am soooo embarrased to be seen in a car. I feel the urge to slow right down, explain myself and make a cycling connection