Share the Road!

For those that know me, you know I cycle.  It's a passion that was passed on from my darling hubby. I recently received the raddest bike from him as a gift and I've been putting the miles in whenever I can (and the weather cooperates).

Cycling is so therapeutic.  It takes me places physically and mentally that a car just can't.  However, it can be incredibly dangerous as well.  I stick to the road, so far, and that tends to make it even worse as I'm dealing with cars/trucks.  I live in a town that is not well educated on the "share the road" movement.  They hear that and think strictly motorcycles.  If the only knew this applies to bicycles as well I would have a lot fewer close calls.  

I can't even count the amount of times the hubs and/or I have been... 

1. Honked at.  Do you realize how scary this is when a vehicle comes from behind at 60+ mph and you're not expecting it?  It's LOUD & frightening...enough to make a cyclist wreck.  
2. Cussed and/or yelled at (awesomeness & classy)
3. Driver giving you ZERO extra space. "Hey buddy, you're going 60 mph in a VEHICLE, do you realize what draft that produces?  When you give me zero space I become a kite in your draft"
4. Stuff thrown at us.  Luckily this only happened once to me and it hit my helmet.  What is wrong with people?!

It really is as simple as this...

1. Treat me as another vehicle
2. It's okay to pass a cyclist, with CAUTION!  see #1
3. Think of it this way, if you saw a cop and/or car pulled over on the side of the road, you give them the lane, correct?  Give me the same courtesy.  Yes, I ride close to the road.  There is a very good reason I do! (but I won't bore you with it)

You see, cyclists have the right to the whole lane!

I do encounter a lot of very polite and courteous drivers that do the right thing but it's the ones that don't that could one day ruin an entire family's life, as well as their own.  Stepping off my soap box now but I'll leave you with this...