The Wheel American Family explores living by dutch bike with three children. In this installment, the kids point out that it takes friendly drivers to make Portland a biking mecca.
A few days ago my eldest son, Kael, turned to me on our commute home and said, “Have you ever noticed how nice the bus drivers are?” I asked him what he meant. Kael went on to say, “Whenever we are at a super-duper busy street, they always stop to make sure we can pass.”
He’s right. They do. This is especially true when we are trying to cross Killingsworth. The traffic is so steady that a space rarely occurs. But just wait for the timely Tri-Met bus and we’re off. I spent the next few days attuned to my son’s observation and it was clear—the drivers in city vehicles are marvelously nice. Do they take a driver’s courtesy course to get employed by the city of Portland? I wonder.
Following are some examples of friendly moments that make the jungle more livable.
Image: Flickr/CreativeCommons
It’s about transportation. Everything with wheels getting along, moving along. The urban landscape has been described by many as a jungle, creating images of harsh conditions, random movement, and a variety of creatures competing for existence against a backdrop of chaotic noise. I ride through this urban jungle every day. I am one of the creatures. One creature of a small pack of people on bikes, surrounded by more powerful cars. Every day I interact with dozens of drivers. My experience has been one of overwhelming courtesy among everyone on the road.
But then again, I set out to get along and maybe that is why I do.
Here is a slice of Seeing Eye-to-Eye that happens to me weekly: (1) the car at the traffic signal, waiting to turn right, sees me and waits until I pass rather than gunning through; (2) the driver at a 4-way stop lets me go first regardless of how we timed it; (3) a motorist slows and creates a large cushion before passing me; and my favorite (4) when crossing on those busy streets where the traffic just never seems to let up, the person who stops and creates a situation that allows me to cross traffic.
Caveat: I am usually riding a long, atypical bike (Bakfiets) and have children (who are totally cute) with me so people may be more apt to stop. But I find similar situations when I am on my one person bike.
There is a great video on Streetfilms where Streetsblog’s editor-in-chief Aaron Naparstek asks Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon, 3rd District and head of the Congressional Bike Caucus) how bicyclists can be more involved in policy change. Blumenauer responds “Doing a good job in their (people on bikes) community . . . It has a galvanizing effect.”
Blumenauer is referring to building up the infrastructure and reclaiming the streets. However, I want to take these words, and the profound idea behind them, and apply them at the people level.
As people, let’s do a good job for our community. Let’s be a community of people who bicycle, drive, walk, skip, hop, or mosey. It is not an Us/Them situation.
When interacting on the road, stop and take a deep breath before pursuing the all too easy negative. Being purposeful and productive takes more time, but the results are superior. When a person is not going to listen, getting angry will only give that person more cause to hate. In fact, it validates their thinking in a weird way—see, I am correct in my thinking because that guy on the bike was a jerk.
This week, create a positive interaction with those you meet. You can give the head-nod-of-appreciation, or make eye contact and smile at the person in the car next to you. That little bit of humanity will create a better road. Try it.
Whether it is 2 wheels, 4, or 3, we are all on the road for the same purpose—to get somewhere. Let’s all make it possible.