Tales of a cycle commuter: Just pretend I’m grandma

I try to ride my bike to work as often as I can throughout the year.

In the summer, I see a few more cyclists out for exercise or commuting. But there’s never enough bikes on the road to be a constant presence, and therefore, give drivers time to learn how to share the road.

It’s called critical mass, defined in the sociodynamics field as “a sufficient number of adopters of an innovation in a social system so that the rate of adoption becomes self-sustaining and creates further growth.”

For cyclists, this means that drivers expect to see bikes while they drive around town. And they have the experience and training to know how to behave safely and respectfully.

Not everyone does. So, here’s a trick. Pretend the cyclist is an senior driver, maybe even your grandma. You don’t have to yell at Grandma when she drives slower or pass her in a huff of exhaust or a roar of the engine. But you do need to give her the respect and space to get where she is going.

As a cyclist, I do my best to stay by the curb — which often means I am riding through broken glass, fallen tree limbs and rain runoff. But I know I will be safer off to the right.

I do not ride on the sidewalk. I have had people scream at me from their cars “Get on the sidewalk!” But, no. I won’t. Actually, it’s illegal. Cyclists are not considered pedestrians by law, mainly because we have wheels. Also, drivers anticipate even less a cyclist darting across an intersection from a sidewalk then in the road.

I try to keep a reasonable distance between my bike and parked cars. It’s hard to see if there is someone in a parked car who is about to open their door and accidentally hit a cyclist. As a driver, I try to remember to look out my side-view mirror and over my shoulder before I open my door.

That said, to keep enough space between my bike and an potentially-opening car door sometimes means I am riding in the center of the lane. Drivers find this annoying. I get that. Slowing down can be frustrating, especially because we all have places we would rather be. But according to Pennsylvania law, a cyclist doesn’t have to stick to the far right of the lane. We can ride where we deem is the safest. If that means the middle of the lane, so be it. Keep in mind, drivers, that it also is legal for you to cross the double yellow line to pass a cyclist.

But let’s go back a minute to passing a cyclist. Pennsylvania law also requires that drivers give at least a 4-foot berth when passing a cyclist. The majority of the time — and by majority, I mean 65 percent or so — I believe this happens. It happens especially when the first car of many gives a wide berth — drivers tend to mimic the line of the car in front of them in order to avoid things the other driver might see that are not yet visible to those behind them.

I really appreciate the space, and for a few reasons. It makes me feel safer, because I know the driver sees me and is aware of me; it’s really frightening to be passed by a vehicle going 45+ with just a few inches between you. But mostly, I appreciate the respect.

In most relationships, given someone space isn’t a good thing. But when it comes to sharing the road, space is key to a good relationship. Obviously, because it keeps everyone alive. But also because it shows respect. Space means the driver sees me, has taken the time to accommodate for my presence and acknowledges my rights as another vehicle on the road.

That is, I have the right to get where I am going without being hit, injured, harassed or killed. So do you, driver.

That’s why I wait at red lights, stay to the right when I can and try to cut in line at an intersection.

So, just pretend I’m grandma. I move a little slower, accelerate a little slower and need my space.