respectso much about what is wrong with traffic has to do with respect
people fail to respect others
car drivers do not respect other car drivers
car drivers do not respect pedestrian or bicycle traffic
for some reason car drivers become different people behind the wheel than they would be at work or at home
they become quite selfish
and
they often fail to empathize for others on the road
to start the change
we need to make a change
I try to be more concious of my actions when behind the wheel
I try to treat others how I would like to be treated
sure I like to beat the next car off the line
win pole position
pass the ineffiecient and ignorant drivers
but.... this is done at no one's expense and without breaking the law
effeciency... not high speed
as a cyclist I am very concious of other cyclists on the road
I know where to anticipate them
and
when I encounter a cyclist I often exhaggerate my safe behavior
treating the cyclist how I would like to be treated
giving the cyclist the space that I would like to be given
setting an example for the cars following behind me
this set of actions transfers to runners, joggers, walkers, and people moving about the streets
I am always looking ahead to the intersection expecting the people to step off the curb
when I approach a point where the bike path intersects with the road
I slow and give the people crossing the right of way
as I know how dangerous it can be to cross at these sections of road
it takes nothing for the car driver to slow, stop, and go
the seconds of waiting for someone to pass can be made up on the next straight away
running down the pregnant mom in the cross walk does not get me their any more quickly
nor does it give me any joy
my point...
cyclist need to think about cyclists not just when on the bike
but also when in the car
the same goes for runners, rowers, or whatever
if each subculture showed respect for everyone in their own subculture
then extended that respect to other similar subcultures
well... the roads would improve incrementally
it is a simple "pay it forward concept"
so simple
now how do we get this message out?