4,000 versus 40 Pounds: Safe Driving, A Cyclist’s Perspective

There is no scenario in which I could have crossed the finish line at the 2023 Amateur Road National Championships with a second-place finish without spending hundreds of hours cycling on the roadways. My training has caused me to cycle around and observe all types of drivers, react to the movements of vehicles around me, and often anticipate erratic driving. I have been lucky. One of my fellow Team USA cyclists was not so lucky this year, and he perished due to an inattentive motorist, in a horribly tragic collision on the roadway.¹

From this cyclist’s perspective, driver education must focus more on sharing the roadway with smaller vehicles. Bicycles are considered vehicles in many states, including my home state of New York. Under the Vehicle and Traffic Law, much like motorcycles, scooters, and other small-wheeled electronic and motorized modes of transportation, bicycles must follow the rules of the road.² What this means for regular cars, trucks and other vehicles on the road, is that they need to be educated to understand that bicyclists must ride on the road, and not on sidewalks. This sometimes causes frustration for drivers who see bicyclists as moving too slowly, or feeling that they should be on the sidewalk. However, for example, when making a left turn at a stoplight of a 4-way intersection, a cyclist must be in the left turn lane, signal with a hand gesture, navigate oncoming traffic, and traffic behind him or her. This is often confusing for motorists, who do not always see bicycles, and who do not understand that the rules of the road apply to cyclists.

The number of deaths related to vehicle-bicycle crashes can be reduced by requiring driver education on this topic prior to issuing a driver’s permit, license, and then periodically throughout a person’s driving career. For example, insurance companies could mandate a periodic training for insureds, which covers the topic of sharing the road with cyclists.

I have not been in a car accident myself, but I have seen my friends/family members driving irresponsibly when speeding while running late to school, work, an event. As a cyclist, I had a near-miss with a car traveling in the opposite direction as I. The driver became frustrated with the speed of the driver in front of him. In his frustration, he pulled out into the lane I was occupying and accelerated rapidly, passing by the car in front of him. This occurred on a section of road with a double yellow line. That car came into my lane, missing me by only inches. I got lucky that day, but the results could have been very different.

To be a safer driver and to drive responsibly, it is important to know that when operating a motor vehicle, you have the potential to end someone’s or your own life in the blink of an eye. Therefore, it is important to drive alert and follow the rules of the road to keep yourself and others safe. As a mentor to younger cyclists, I help teach them to be safer on the roadways when training. One of the topics that I discuss is surrounding awareness and how to be diligent, observant and on the lookout for distracted or erratic drivers around them. One specific rule that all cyclists and drivers of motor vehicles must learn to follow is to keep a minimum of three feet between the bicycle and any vehicle driving alongside. This provides a “buffer zone” in case either the cyclist or driver makes a sudden maneuver. When I am out with my mentees on the roads riding together, I use universally-known cycling voice commands and hand signals to alert the younger riders to dangers in and around the roadways. They learn these commands and signals so well that they become automatic.

There are other aspects of practicing safety on the road that go beyond understanding your surroundings. As an automobile driver, remaining diligent about not using a cell phone and not driving when under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol are two items that many people do not take seriously. Marijuana has recently become legal in New York for people over the age of 21. In addition to drunk drivers, drivers impaired by marijuana inebriation are becoming more prevalent and this poses yet another concern for cyclists training on the roadways.⁴

To make the roadways safer for cyclists, all states should ban cell phone use while driving; local municipalities should install more bike lanes on busy roadways; additional laws should be enacted that protect cyclists more (called Vulnerable User Laws); and steeper penalties for those driving under the influence should be enforced. Additionally, an easier/quicker way of reporting hostile or unsafe drivers to law enforcement and other motorists in the area could help prevent accidents from happening. This could be achieved similarly to how accidents can be reported on many GPS navigation applications (cyclists use similar navigation applications).

As a cyclist there are also means to be safer that go beyond being aware of your surroundings, such as always wearing a helmet; using bright reflective gear; and installing safety lights that are visible from the front and back.

Road cycling is a healthy sport that is loved by many, especially because it is something that can be done for life even as age and joint or other injuries prevent impact sports or activities. Cycling is low impact, but is very good for your heart and overall health. It is important to make sure that the roadways are safe to support this activity. Driver education is among the most important ways to ensure that our communities’ roadways are safe for cyclists. A 40-pound bicycle will almost always lose the battle with a 4,000-pound vehicle. Drivers of both must do their part in reducing the risks. And that starts with awareness and driver education.