Cyclists don’t need to feel less entitled. They just need to be more aware, and less combative.
Last week, CBC Radio host Stephen Quinn published a satirical news story about cyclist entitlement. In the piece, he referred to a made-up study that claimed 81 per cent of Vancouver cyclists using bike routes “feel more entitled than ever before.”
Quinn used the piece as a way to highlight and complain about abominable cyclist behaviour (such as riding on the sidewalk and not stopping at stop signs), and I couldn’t agree more: This type of behaviour needs to stop.
But I don’t think cyclists should feel less entitled. I think the entitlement is a good thing. Cycling as a mode of transportation has been marginalized by car culture for far too long. Our city and our highways were not designed with cyclists in mind. That we now have world-class cycling infrastructure shouldn’t be seen as a gift or a privilege, but rather a necessary part of a sustainable city. A bikeable city should be the baseline.
Admittedly, cyclists should be more aware. I see many cyclists who are unaware of road rules, and the fact that once their tires hit the street they are considered a vehicle. Surely there’s a way we can remedy this. Perhaps an online certification?
Finally, us cyclists being less combative would be nice for everyone, but it’s not our responsibility alone.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m on my bike, on the road, I feel vulnerable next to huge, heavy, speeding cars. My senses are heightened and I’m easily on edge. This puts me in a reactive state, where I feel like I need to defend what little space on the road I have.
In this heightened state, I’m prone to inwardly curse pedestrians who cross the road when I have the right of way, or cars that cut me off. And I can’t say I know a remedy for this, other than to take a deep breath – or for people to stop cutting me off.
Follow @tessavikander on twitter, email [email protected], use #viciouscycleyvr to share your biking woes.
