It’s easy to lose—at least temporarily—50% of your vision and all of your hearing. Really! Just climb into a car and begin driving. Your vision will be restricted to the band of sight provided by the vehicle’s windshield and side glass—and as for your hearing, it’ll be restricted to the whine of the kids and the groan of the engine.
I make the point of hearing and sight loss to emphasize the advantage that cyclists have over motorists in being in-touch with their environment and responding accordingly. Often cyclists disobey the law by not fully stopping at stop signs or making what appears to be an erratic manoeuvre. I’m not about to condone or justify such activity. Traffic laws are in place to protect us all and to maintain a sense of order and semblance on our otherwise chaotic streets—no argument there.
I will however emphasize how, in many ways, I’m a safer driver when riding my bike than when driving a car. It all comes down to the senses. In a car, the driver is isolated from what’s occurring in his/her external environment. A vehicle is a barrier between drivers and the many critical events taking place outside their cocoon of steel and glass. Not so on a bike.
On my bike, my senses are heightened just as they are for anyone playing a sport or engaged in rigorous exercise. I hear better, see more and react quicker—no question. The heightened awareness enables me to hear birds chirping but more importantly, cars approaching.
So much of road riding is auditory. Hearing the whine of tires communicates where the vehicle is approaching from, how fast its travelling and whether it’s slowing down or speeding up. It’s quite remarkable what an attuned cyclist can perceive based entirely on sound. I’m sure there are many cyclists out there that would back this claim.
In addition to enhanced hearing, my vision on a bicycle is completely unimpeded. Not only that, I’m positioned at the leading edge of my human-powered vehicle. Unlike a car driver sitting some six feet or more behind the leading edge of his/her vehicle, I sit at the front of mine.
To appreciate the advantage in positioning, imagine how improved your field of view would be if your head replaced the hood ornament at the nose of your car while approaching a busy intersection compounded by poor sight lines. It’s like peeking around a corner before poking your body out when playing hide-and-seek.
I’ll finish this rant by reaffirming my position that traffic laws apply equally to everyone, and by stating unequivocally that no one is more opposed to reckless cycling than I am. However, bear in mind the next time a cyclist safely rolls through a stop sign that he or she is in a heightened state of awareness, and immersed in an environment that supplies an abundance of communication sounds and sights unavailable to a motorist.
I make the point of hearing and sight loss to emphasize the advantage that cyclists have over motorists in being in-touch with their environment and responding accordingly. Often cyclists disobey the law by not fully stopping at stop signs or making what appears to be an erratic manoeuvre. I’m not about to condone or justify such activity. Traffic laws are in place to protect us all and to maintain a sense of order and semblance on our otherwise chaotic streets—no argument there.
I will however emphasize how, in many ways, I’m a safer driver when riding my bike than when driving a car. It all comes down to the senses. In a car, the driver is isolated from what’s occurring in his/her external environment. A vehicle is a barrier between drivers and the many critical events taking place outside their cocoon of steel and glass. Not so on a bike.
On my bike, my senses are heightened just as they are for anyone playing a sport or engaged in rigorous exercise. I hear better, see more and react quicker—no question. The heightened awareness enables me to hear birds chirping but more importantly, cars approaching.
So much of road riding is auditory. Hearing the whine of tires communicates where the vehicle is approaching from, how fast its travelling and whether it’s slowing down or speeding up. It’s quite remarkable what an attuned cyclist can perceive based entirely on sound. I’m sure there are many cyclists out there that would back this claim.
In addition to enhanced hearing, my vision on a bicycle is completely unimpeded. Not only that, I’m positioned at the leading edge of my human-powered vehicle. Unlike a car driver sitting some six feet or more behind the leading edge of his/her vehicle, I sit at the front of mine.
To appreciate the advantage in positioning, imagine how improved your field of view would be if your head replaced the hood ornament at the nose of your car while approaching a busy intersection compounded by poor sight lines. It’s like peeking around a corner before poking your body out when playing hide-and-seek.
I’ll finish this rant by reaffirming my position that traffic laws apply equally to everyone, and by stating unequivocally that no one is more opposed to reckless cycling than I am. However, bear in mind the next time a cyclist safely rolls through a stop sign that he or she is in a heightened state of awareness, and immersed in an environment that supplies an abundance of communication sounds and sights unavailable to a motorist.