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I am a recreational cyclist and a claims adjuster, so I have had many close calls and have handled claims involving vehicles and bicycles. I believe that cyclists & autos need to share the road and be very aware of each other. As a driver of an auto you need to be aware that bikes are on the road and watch for them. Treat them like another vehicle. You wouldn't cut off a driver coming up on your right if they were in a legal lane, which a bike lane is. You need to look for bikes on the road when you make a left hand turn, just like you would an auto.
As a cyclist you can't do stupid things like run a light, race up and pass a vehicle at an intersection, swerve in and out of traffic. You have to obey the same rules of the road as an auto. That doesn't mean that you can't pass stopped vehicles coming up to & through an intersection, you just have to ride in a reasonable manner.
My biggest issue is I live in a rural area & there are no bike lanes in most of the areas I ride. On some roads there isn't even a shoulder. Many motorist act like they don't like cyclists & don't think they should share the road. I have had doors opened into me, been yelled at to get a car and I have had some drivers go so far as to swerve into me. They simply don't want to share the road.

posted 4 years ago
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