Today was the 2nd time this week I was told, by a driver, I was difficult to see. Both times I was riding my ICE T trike. It is by know means small. It sits a bit higher as it is a touring model and I do ride with flags. It's not much smaller than a Mini Cooper or a Smart car. What really upset me today was while riding down Prodelin Way in Millstone (one of the most unfriendly cycling roads I ever came across). An older women drove up beside me will I was doing 12mph, rolls down her passenger window and proceeds to tell me how difficult I am to see. She is telling this to my face, while driving, holding up traffic behind her, and obviously not paying any attention to the road ahead. I said thank you and prayed she would move on before someone got hurt.
It seems to me the problem is not that I am difficult to see, it's that drivers are not paying enough attention to the road. They are driving big gas guzzling SUVs that they can hardly see over the hood, talking or texting on their cell phone, putting on make-up, eating, lighting a cigarette or racing to the next light. I have been an avid cyclist for over 20 years. I have had more close calls on 2 wheels than 3. I don't believe motorists are out to kill cyclist. They just want to get as close as possible to scare the shit out of you so you will stay off "their" roads. Riding a trike does not give them that ability to safely judge how close they are so they have to give you a wider berth. I'll take a trike on the road and feel safer than any 2 wheeler.
"Preaching to the choir"
KEEP RIDING!!!
1 comment:
I heartily agree with everything you wrote, had one idiot come straight up the wrong side of the road at me the other day!
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