A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
- Pax
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A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Pax » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:27 pm
I’ve been reflecting on how rarely I have “close calls†or d!ckheads giving me trouble on my commute (emphasis on “my commuteâ€, not my weekend rides).
I think that the main reason is that most drivers are OK…they don’t want to harm us any more than we want to get into harms way.
However I think that there is more to it than that. I think that there is also a bit of “conditioning†of the drivers going on.
Explanation: I travel at roughly the same time every day, and by the same route most of the time. I ride fast, confidently and assertively but not aggressively (left that behind years ago) ie I look like I know what I am doing, and that I believe that I belong on the road. Importantly, I do lots of waving a “thankyou†gesture & acknowledgement to drivers who give way, make space, give eye contact or act in any kind of bike aware way…even if they are just following the rules of the road.
I’m working on the theory that positive reinforcement is powerful. I’m also working on the theory that every driver who remembers me in a positive way is more likely to treat riders in general (and hopefully me) with more respect, or at least with tolerance and awareness.
Some people think that thanking people for just obeying the rules is counter productive. I don’t agree. There is heaps of evidence that positive reinforcement works. Frankly it also just feels good to give someone a smile and a thankyou wave. It makes the ride more enjoyable and reinforces to me that there are heaps of drivers out there who aren’t out to get us.
Thoughts???
- Kalgrm
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Kalgrm » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:48 pm
Cheers,
Graeme
---------------------
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
- sogood
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby sogood » Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:35 pm
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
- Mulger bill
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Mulger bill » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:35 am
For mine, a wave or a finger is given (to all road users) as required. I'm glad to say that Skybus aside, the vast majority get a wave.
Shaun
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby njg02 » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:23 pm
Great post! I feel safer already, no matter which route I ride. I think the clincher is looking as though you know what you are doing, whilst being courteous doing it.
Neil
- goneriding
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby goneriding » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:58 pm
Cynical thumbs up for general bad/dumb behaviour (i.e. roundabouts).
Semaphore and verbal emphasis for outright stupidity (i.e. roundabouts)!
- rustguard
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby rustguard » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:41 am
- Pax
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Pax » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:10 am
I think there are two levels to this approach too. There is the general impact of trying to be a positive presence on the road in general but there is also the more focussed positive presence on my (or your) specific route at a specific time every day:
ie on the commute you are very likely to be dealing with the same drivers day after day (because they are in a commuting routine just like you are) so over time you interact multiple times with that group: they get to recognise YOU as a positive presence, outcome = greater acceptance and safety on that route at that time for you (plus hopefully the wider impact too...though at a more diluted level no doubt)
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby m@ » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:30 am
Conversely, it's almost always the same cars that overtake dangerously in about the same place every morning. If only they'd set their alarm ten minutes earlier they wouldn't be in such a rush
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby MustangSally187 » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:33 pm
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby eucryphia » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:50 pm
Absolutely 100%Pax wrote: I’m working on the theory that positive reinforcement is powerful. I’m also working on the theory that every driver who remembers me in a positive way is more likely to treat riders in general (and hopefully me) with more respect, or at least with tolerance and awareness.
Especially avoid any nonsense around trucks...
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Morty » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:19 pm
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby hartleymartin » Sat May 02, 2009 4:17 pm
http://raleightwenty.webs.com - the top web resource for the Raleigh Twenty
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Sun May 03, 2009 11:31 pm
I've also started to talk to the !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!, rather than just screaming obscenities at them. Of course, this won't work with the real !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!, but I'm rethinking my definition lately. For example, the other evening a guy came through at a roundabout that I was on. I was in the middle of the lane and had to swerve to avoid getting hit. We both stopped, he apologised and said he didn't see me and instead of jumping through his window and beating the crap out of him I told him that mistakes like that end up with me being dead and I was just trying to get home to see my family, just like him. It actually had an impact on him, and I felt better about it too.
David
- Pax
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby Pax » Mon May 04, 2009 12:37 am
Had a good experience of this a while back, a bloke shouted out of his window as his g'f drove past me...scared the cr@p our of me, I caught up with them at the lights and asked him if he was just a bit embarrassed...to his credit he said "yep" we had a bit of a chat and off we headed...no idea what the outcome of that will be in the long run, hopefully goodbigfriendlyvegan wrote:+1 to what's been said.
I've also started to talk to the d***h***s, rather than just screaming obscenities at them.
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Re: A strategy to improve safety on our regular routes
Postby misterhorsey » Mon May 04, 2009 10:10 pm
A few weeks back a car pulled out of a parking space causing me to brake very very hard. I also yelled out 'Watch it!' before I actually knew what I was doing. As I collected myself I was standing right outside the driver window. Driver looked very shocked and apologetic. I just kind of looked at her, didn't really know what to say myself, and just kind of raised my hand in acknowledgement.
She knew she'd done wrong. And didn't need anyone to point it out to her.
I've only been commuting for a only little while. But finding it almost like a daily psychological game. If you shout at drivers, even when they are in the wrong and know that they are in the wrong, it will simply get their back up at you. It makes it easier for them to justify their bad driving/lack of care. If you are polite to and respectful to them, it makes it so much harder to dismiss you as a cycling maniac and hopefully will make them more aware of your presence.
As for the crazy drivers, I'm not sure if anything will get through to them.
As for the crazy cyclists...
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