R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Bicycles vs. Vehicles in San Mateo

was the article headline published June 23, 2012 by for Patch.

The title alone was enough to cause a stir in the comment section. Beyond one's opinion of the title was a deeper trend I find troubling - the topic of cars versus bikes on the roads locally has become polarizing.

Many of the comments were only from one side or the other. Few looked at the issue from both sides. The attached poll asking readers if there is growing bike rage on the Peninsula proved my point.

Almost twice as many said "Yes, bicyclists seem to think they own the road, never obey traffic rules, and I can understand driver anger. Yes, I get mad." than the option "There will always be aggressive bicyclists, just like aggressive drivers, so we need to back off, chill out, and focus on driving defensively.".

I regularly drive a car and drive a bike to work. I do mean "drive," as "riding my bike" implies a lack of responsibility for what the bike does with me passively atop it. I have an all-too-real view of both sides.

I too was frustrated by side-by-side riders taking up an entire lane as I drove down Canada Road to visit a friend in Woodside yesterday. I will admit to laughing when the driver in the car in front of me turned on his or her windshield wipers while passing the offending cyclists (having to pass by going into the oncoming traffic lane). The bikers were sprayed with window cleaner, yet it never crossed their minds to perhaps go single-file on the road instead of three side-by-side.

I was wrong for laughing and am embarrassed to admit I did. I would be VERY angry if this ever happened to me, as I ride in my work clothes rather than a spiffy lycra get-up. The driver was wrong (and I in the following car for laughing).

This is road rage.

I ride a specific two-mile route to work, having previously tried the shortest route and found it to be too dangerous to travel on a regular basis. I have had to amend my route to allow for some safer crossings.

After reading some comments on the above article, I must admit to not realizing just how much my trying to stay safe (and many of the other riders) irritated my neighbors in their cars.

To be specific, let's take riding east on 20th Avenue. I ride from Isabelle across El Camino to Palm Avenue every morning. I ride with the flow of traffic as far to the right as is safe.

As I approach El Camino, the road is not wide enough for a car and me. If cars are already stopped at the signal, as is the case most days, I am forced onto the sidewalk to use the crosswalk. Or, I can wait behind the line of cars and usually not make the signal. Fine.

I have waited for the next green only to be repeatedly honked at because I am blocking the car behind me from making a right as traffic allows before the signal changes to green.

So, dear driving neighbor - pick one. You don't want bikes darting on and off the sidewalks, yet you don't want us in the lane either.

Trying to be respectful of the pedestrians and drivers, a rider must vary how they ride when in commute traffic. Even in a small urban community like San Mateo.

And most of us are trying.

In the first month of biking to work, I have been yelled at for using the crosswalk, honked out for being in the lane at a red light, and although I want to think I was imagining it, swerved toward by the same driver two days in a row.

I liked to think they were texting while driving rather than just having fun scaring an older woman on a bike. The reality is, I purposely changed my route to avoid them because it worked. They do scare me.

Driving in a car, no matter how small, you are surrounded by a huge metal shell. Driving my bike, I am surrounded by air. In any conflict, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to know which will win.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not saying there aren't bicycling scofflaws that irritate the living daylights out of me, too. I am saying that if we each showed some respect to our neighbors - yes, neighbors, because that is who is riding/driving - then the entire issue becomes a non-issue.

The City can put all the time and money in the world into improve our biking here in town, but without simple respect for each other, it is to no avail. 

What do you think about Denise's perspective on the matter? Share your opinion in the comments below.

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