Let’s be honest. It would be nice if as cyclists, we could just ride our bikes in peace and not have to concern ourselves with whether or not any given motorist is aware of our needs and rights on the road.

It would be nice, but it would be naive, and even risky to assume.  It behooves all of us who ride bikes on roadways to care about what every motorist’s level of understanding of our right to also be there is .

An article from bicyclinginfo.org, reminded me that most of the time, when drivers act in a manner that is questionable, it is out of ignorance rather than malice – an important distinction to make.

"Whether they deserve it or not, motorists tend to get a bad rap among cyclists. But poor behavior on the part of motorists is often simply a response to misbehavior by cyclists or an ignorance of cyclists’ needs. When educating motorists about cycling, one should approach them with respect. Respecting motorists is the first step in awakening them to the need to safely share the road with cyclists and pedestrians."

“The more motorists know about cycling safety, the safer streets will be for everyone on them.”

Read the entire article here.