[SDCBC] Anyone notice the commentary in the Union

[Serge Issakov]

On Dec 13, 2007 6:02 PM, Abulifia <abulifia1 at cox.net> wrote:

>  Considering the 'tude/hostile, aggressive driving exhibited by ::MOST::
> motorists towards anyone on a bike or on foot, not to mention the idiot
> factor as evidenced by the eternally distracted who are busy yakking on the
> cell phone, the Complete Street Movement will need more than luck in getting
> this program off the ground.  It's going to take a complete and total
> ::PARADIGM:: change of society, and I, quite frankly, don't see that
> happening.  The U.S. is not bicycle and/or pedestrian culture and won't be
> until gas is $10.00/gallon.
>

MOST motorists exhibit hostile attitudes and aggressive driving towards
bicyclists and pedestrians?

IMHO, this kind of negative hyperbole about the San Diego cycling
environment is misleading and contrary to the interests of cycling advocacy.

Whether riding to work in heavy/fast commute traffic, out on a training
ride, or doing a recreational ride with my daughter in tow on the
trailercycle, the only appopriate way to describe how often I encounter
hostile or aggressive-towards-me motorists is *very rarely*.

To the extent that our behavior influences how others treat us, and our
beliefs influence how we behave, believing that "most motorists are
aggressive/hostile to us" is a self-fulfilling prophecy.  This is because if
you really believe it, then you must ride as if it is true, which is likely
to encourage such attitudes about us.  That is, you are likely to ride in a
defensive manner, which can manifest itself in inappropriately conciliatory
behavior that encourages the meatheads to take advantage and get hostile or
aggressive (e.g., riding too far right and thus inadvertently encouraging
close/aggressive passing and being overlooked by crossing traffic ahead of
you).  Feeling defensive can also result in chip-on-shoulder behavior and
acting in openly annoying ways, perhaps feeling justified about your f-you
attitude towards motorists  (after all, the best defense is a strong
offense).  What's common to all this is an underlying "us vs. them" belief
and attitude.  Such an attitude is difficult to disguise, and it's detection
is virtually inevitable.  "They" can smell it, and react accordingly.  If
you don't believe it's a cooperative environment out there, then you're not
going to act as if you believe it is a cooperative environment, and so they
won't treat you cooperatively.

The good news is that opposite belief, *most motorists act appropriately,
safely, reasonably and respectfully around cyclists*, is also a
self-fulfilling prophecy.    That is, if you really believe this to be true,
and act accordingly, you will find that it is true.  Well, it works for me.
Since I believe it's a cooperative environment out there, I act as if I
believe it is a cooperative environment, and so other drivers, almost
universally, treat me cooperatively.

Serge















-- 
NOTE: Any opinions expressed above are mine and not necessarily shared by
any organization in which I am involved.
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