Driver politeness to recumbent riders.

[toglhot]

In my years of riding bikes, both recumbents and normal, I've found drivers are quite rude if you're on a normal cycle, ever after the minimum distance was passed into legislation. On the other hand drivers are incredibly polite to recumbent riders, so much so they will stop and allow you to pass even though they have right of way. I've only come across one driver who abused me on a recumbent, even though she had right of way she stopped for me and waved me through. I refuse to budge if I don't have right of way for obvious reasons. Boy did she get upset.

On another occasion a guy stopped in front of me and asked if I was alright, 'you know,' he said 'is there something wrong with you that makes you ride such a machine'. I had a good chuckle over that.

I always feel safe on a recumbent trike, drivers notice you, give you loads of room, enter into discussions, give way and so on. I've even had them stop and offer assistance with a flat tyre.

[human909]

Interesting.... I suppose you are a curiosity and most people are reluctant to be overtly rude to a curiosity. To an average road user lots of drivers readily get frustrated being held up. Even more so if you are part of a marginalised group like cyclists.

Probably not too much different if some body was blocking a country road while moving stock across it. I'd imagine that a driver would stop and wait patiently. Have the same thing occur with cyclists (even if it is a sanctioned event), and you get irate drivers. Sometimes to the point of bullying their way through the stream of cyclists. (Saw this on a the Alberto Paulon memorial ride by a lady in a big SUV.)

[Cheesewheel]

In my years of riding bikes, both recumbents and normal, I've found drivers are quite rude if you're on a normal cycle, ever after the minimum distance was passed into legislation. On the other hand drivers are incredibly polite to recumbent riders, so much so they will stop and allow you to pass even though they have right of way. I've only come across one driver who abused me on a recumbent, even though she had right of way she stopped for me and waved me through. I refuse to budge if I don't have right of way for obvious reasons. Boy did she get upset.

On another occasion a guy stopped in front of me and asked if I was alright, 'you know,' he said 'is there something wrong with you that makes you ride such a machine'. I had a good chuckle over that.

I always feel safe on a recumbent trike, drivers notice you, give you loads of room, enter into discussions, give way and so on. I've even had them stop and offer assistance with a flat tyre.

I also have similar experiences, although I find you do tend to attract more excited screams from cars. I don't think it has anything to do with increased respect. It is more to do with novelty, eccentricity and marginalization. Ordinarly, (problem) drivers think cyclists are nuts. When they encounter a recumbent, they think they are really nuts, so offer a wide berth so they can get a good gawk.

[John Lewis]

I have found the same by and large.
On the trike I get the impression that some of them see you as disabled in some way.

In the case of my velomobile it is I'm sure the novelty factor.
The biggest problem is with drivers who are trying to take a photo of me or otherwise not watching the road ahead.

In six years I've only had two negative experiences. The first was probably on meth or something and the second was a truck driver. Not sure what his problem was.

[Mububban]

Maybe they're more polite because you are so low o the ground, they understand 100% that if they hit you, you're going under their vehicle and it's game over for you, and for them. As opposed to an upright regular bicycle, which they may perceive as being much survivable if they knock you off.

[zebee]

I commute on my trike. I will get yelled at at least once a week. Usually on the ride home. I think people are more aggro then.

That's more often than they yell at the two wheeled recumbent. The two wheeler is a little faster on the flat, definitely slower on the hills, but of course not as wide.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I get pretty well nothing but support from drivers. It seems that everyone loves a unicyclist. And a unicyclist sits tall and is highly viible.

But a trike, even sporting a flag, is easily hidden by other vehicles until late. And a startled driver sometimes will respond to their surprise with a bit of abuse. So, while anything different can elicit favourable reactions, I am surprised that it would be universally so.

[Baalzamon]

I noticed that I was given much wider berth with a recumbent trike as well, as well with my 2 wheeler. Problem with that one now is starting lol.

[zebee]

The trike doesn't have a flag. It has an H frame of white pipe with those "safety wands" (orange with reflectors on the end) sticking out either side.

Before I put the frame on people gave me a wide berth as I obviously disappeared behind their own bonnet when I got too close. Now I ride in more traffic I put the frame on to make it more visible when people had to get closer. The frame is lit up at night. On the whole I don't think not being seen is the problem....

I think the yells are more about the traffic. Before I was mostly on bike paths and very quiet roads. Now I'm on busier roads that tend to get used as rat runs. So I get more impatient people. On the two wheeler they feel passing is easier, the trike makes them move more out so the impatient entitled ones get upset about that.