Why car drivers (almost always men) make it their mission to look as menacing as possible just to reach a red light a full seven seconds earlier will forever be beyond me.
Today it got bad. The intersection blocked, the light changes. Four more vehicles, including two long vans, drove straight through the already-red light and into the middle of the whole pile-up. Pedestrians? Can't cross anymore. Cyclists? No chance.
For what? For absolutely nothing, other people were put in danger. Is that how you, dear drivers, want to be treated yourselves out there in the world? Because it's exactly your crowd that complains about disrespectful cyclists. Why? Because your disregard makes us that damn angry, that's why!
Behind a bike, you maybe lose a few seconds of your time. Under your cars, we lose our health — and, more and more often, our lives.
When I switch over to the driver's side, which unfortunately happens more often than I'd like, I take special care around anyone not sitting inside a steel weapon. I brake, I slow down earlier, I drive slower, I yield. And every single time I do, I end up at the next light next to the ones who have to barrel through without a shred of consideration.
So, how about it? A peace offer: every time you show us consideration, let us live, give way to us unprompted, we'll say thank you — and in return, for every thank-you you get, you do it twice more. You'll see, you'll still get there just as fast, just in a noticeably better mood!
Courier El Niño #02 belongs to CROW Courier, which replaces delivery vans with cargo bikes.