This is a phenomenal article. Thanks! As a US-born cyclommuter in London, I can say there is very little in the way of infrastructure - a bone is thrown here and there - and rival cycling special-interest groups are fighting for the best way to get people out cycling (while the politicians ignore them). The message we gather from Portland, Minneapolis, Manhattan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Seville ... build it (properly) and they will come. And driving minds will change concomitantly.

This is a phenomenal article. Thanks! As a US-born cyclommuter in London, I can say there is very little in the way of infrastructure - a bone is thrown here and there - and rival cycling special-interest groups are fighting for the best way to get people out cycling (while the politicians ignore them). The message we gather from Portland, Minneapolis, Manhattan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Seville ... build it (properly) and they will come. And driving minds will change concomitantly.

This is a phenomenal article. Thanks! As a US-born cyclommuter in London, I can say there is very little in the way of infrastructure - a bone is thrown here and there - and rival cycling special-interest groups are fighting for the best way to get people out cycling (while the politicians ignore them). The message we gather from Portland, Minneapolis, Manhattan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Seville ... build it (properly) and they will come. And driving minds will change concomitantly.

Not to detract from Simonetti's effort, but his commute isn't *that* improbable. In San Francisco, there is a group called SF2G that boasts several hundred members who ride anywhere between 30 and 60 miles one way to jobs on the Peninsula or in the South Bay, some riding 3-5 times a week. www.sf2g.com

The author describes the attitude many cyclists have that they have to choose between the door-prize of death and riding so far out that they'll be hit by overtaking traffic. But the door-prize is far more likely to result in death than being struck from behind, and it's far more prevalent. What's a cyclist to do. Wear a glasses-mounted mirror, like the Take-A-Look mirror made in Colorado! Ride in the middle of the lane where you can be seen. Only pull over when you see a car approaching.

I cyclommute 2-3 times a week in Tampa Bay. From Odessa I pedal 23 miles to Downtown Clearwater. Are motorists getting used to seeing me? Each commute seems safer, maybe 98% give wide berth (3 ft law), but that leaves approx 40 drivers ready to run me off the road! To bad FL law enforcement can't be as creative to protect the most vulnerable road users as they are to protect those who hit them! Last week a cyclist was severely injured by a drunk driver, police have blamed the cyclist. Real

Tom, thanks for a terrific article. I'm a DC commuter & love it. One question for you. I've ridden the Hudson Greenway several times and find that amazing. Wondering why it's controversial.

In explaining hostility between drivers and cyclists, Vanderbilt hints at but does not explicate what might be called the Tea-Party factor: the fact that folks resent elites, defined as groups who are perceived to think they're better than everyone else. I suspect many drivers assume cyclists feel superior because they're in better shape than drivers, use a transportation mode that is more environmentally friendly than an automobile, etc. In many cases there may be some truth to the assumption.

In explaining hostility between drivers and cyclists, Vanderbilt hints at but does not explicate what might be called the Tea-Party factor: the fact that folks resent elites, defined as groups who are perceived to think they're better than everyone else. I suspect many drivers assume cyclists feel superior because they're in better shape than drivers, use a transportation mode that is more environmentally friendly than an automobile, etc. In many cases there may be some truth to the assumption.

In explaining hostility between drivers and cyclists, Vanderbilt hints at but does not explicate what might be called the Tea-Party factor: the fact that folks resent elites, defined as groups who are perceived to think they're better than everyone else. I suspect many drivers assume cyclists feel superior because they're in better shape than drivers, use a transportation mode that is more environmentally friendly than an automobile, etc. In many cases there may be some truth to the assumption.

Fantastic article! A must read for every driver! My non-profit, Bike Fort Collins, has felt that to lump all cyclists into the same social category doesn't do anyone any good. That's why we created the "You Know Me, I Ride A Bike" campaign. Our aim is to strip the mask off the cyclist and show the driving public that we too, are people, just like you. You can see the images at http://bikefortcollins.org/clubportal/ClubStatic.cfm?clubID=1895&pubmenuoptID=32641. We share this campaign too.

Thanks for this article. I am totally inspired to start riding my mountain bike the 18 miles I have to go to work. I have a paved and pea-gravel bike trail that go from my home directly to my work and have just been too lazy to use it!

Great article! Although he hints at it (drivers think cyclists are 'losers' and are glad to not be one of them), Vanderbilt does not recognize the class issues that affect some motorist-cyclist relations. Although perhaps less pronounced amongst spandex-clad roadies on carbon bikes, those who bike because they have no other option (especially in public transportation-challenged cities like Los Angeles, where I live) must also bear the brunt of drivers who think of themselves as superior.

Article is awsome, I am 17 and I commute my single speed road bike to my high school every other morning at 5:30am to make it to lift weights at school, some times I feel like I never get a break but thats what it takes to get past mental barriers. *Some times you just gotta do what ya gotta do.

GREAT article! PLEASE include more articles like these, and less of the "fluff" that you often publish! Articles like THIS ONE are the only reason I still subscribe to your lists/look at your magazine! Molly: Your comments about the class and economic status issue ring true here in Boston too!

I would like to see an article on conflicts on mountain roads. Living in the CO foothills there are a lot of conflicts. Many of the roads can accomodate the large number of cyclists. However, some are very narrow and steep with a lot of blind curves. Drivers risk getting hit if they move outside their lane so they can't give much room to the cyclists. As hard as it is to take some roads can't handle both cars and cycles and should be made car only like some trails are hiker only.

Some roads which cannot support both cars and bicycles should be converted to bicycle only roads

Great article! Being a Dane, who loves cycling and living in Rio Brazil, it is a big challenge to ride your bike in the daily traffic. But great to see, that many places are copying the Danish/Dutch attitude to cycling: fun, cheap, healthy, and a great way to stay in shape AND commute to work! Keep it up!

I have been a cyclist as long as I can remember. As a surgeon who has done trauma, I have never seen or heard of a fatality when a cyclist hits a parked car, or a car whose door opened in their path. I personally have had 5 patients killed by cars moving in their same direction. They were either run over by a faster moving vehicle or they were pushed off the road. Whatever the law, it is safer to stay to the right as far as possible - moral victory is no consolation when dead.

Yes, we really need to improve the relationship between cyclists and drivers in this country, and work is needed on both sides. This article does a nice job emphasizing this. Cyclists must work on getting riders to follow similar riding rules and should aim to help get more people onto bikes in their communities for any and all purposes. Drivers need to become more compasionate and better educated on avoiding cyclists. We have a ways to go, and infrastructure will not solve all our problems.

Conversation with antagonistic drivers has led me to believe that they 1) resent the implied holier-than-thou posture assumed by anyone straddling a bike seat and 2) view bicyclists as law-scorning road hazards (citing their apparent unwillingness to stay in the bike lane etc.). 1) is no excuse for trifling with a life. As for 2), I'd like to point out that bike infrastructure is usually a poorly designed after-thought. As mentioned in the article, on the road, bikers often face two bad choices.

I commute a daily between 16 and 25 miles/day per day (rain excepted, but I live in SoCal so...), but I have relatively simple conditions, i.e. bike lanes, shoulders, bike paths. I have a reasonably bike friendly city (Valencia, CA) and have never even had a close call in four years. I wish others could share such luxury! The stories of angry drivers are troubling. My worst incident was getting the finger once...now if I could just keep from crashing my MTB...

I live in small town in the East Bay Area of San Francisco region Northern California. Bikers are a heavy presence in my town including cycling clubs. In my town, the cyclists give off the "Holier than Thou" status as others have mentioned in responses. Is it a prerequisite to adorn a cycling shirt as the Pro's do in the Tour de France? I often wonder...and why do masses of bikers ride outside the bicycle lane and intrude into the automotive lanes?

Moreover, as a runner and athlete I am not anti-cycling. In fact, I cycle as part of my regimen but not on the streets. We have excellent paved trails but our cyclists seem to eschew these trails because non-cyclists use them; and perhaps because they can't travel at their blazing speeds!

I drive a car everyday and ride my road bike at least three day's a week. I will never understand why four wheeled vehicle drivers don't give two wheeled vehicle more space? It takes only seconds to allow the cyclist to clear oncoming traffic and everyone goes safely on their way!

I wrote the book: Bicycle Commuter's ULTIMATE Survival Guide. Check me out on Facebook. You can order the book on my web site of the same name (add .com) I commute to NYC on a regular basis, am a licensed NYC tour guide and give custom one-on-one bicycle tours for cyclists of all fitness levels.

Can't get past the first line. I ride AND drive a section of MacArthur Blvd in DC that is touted as a roadie paradise and when I'm behind the wheel cyclists routinely ignore road signs, ride 2 and 3 abreast on a 2 late road with a 1 lane bridge and have the audacity to act like it's their world and everyone else is a squirrel. No, sorry. Not how this works. When I ride I manage to get my cardio in without pissing people off. I'd be happy to give Vanderbilt a class on this next time he's in town.

If I could get all cyclists to do just one thing to ease tensions between motorists & cyclists, it would be WAVE. I took this habit up years ago & credit it with having very few problems on the road. It acknowledges the drivers while at the same time reminding them you are a person too, not just an obstacle. Wave to cars coming up behind you. Wave when they are deciding whether to turn left in front of you & when they do something right. Its an easy way to promote better relations out there!

I do not hate cyclists nor am I an aggressive, hostile driver; I think the hostility in interactions stems from fear as well as anger over close calls - and being yelled at by cyclists who think the car was deliberately targeting them. I think cyclists do not realize how hard they are to see and predict. Dark clothes, no lights, no reflectors; worst - they ride in driver's blind spot or dart quickly out of sight. In the last year I have seen 1 cyclist give a hand signal to move left across lanes

RR: I'll poke along on your multi use path if you're willing to walk instead of run. ( I miss running,but can't any more,) BarbR7: I drive too. SOME cyclists are as you say. That's bad for all of us. I was hit by a truck on a sunny day while wearing a fluorescent vest, while riding straight and having right of way . At night I'm lit up and reflectorized. I try to be predictable. Most drivers are ok. Some are dangerously ignorant or oblivious. A few are hostile. I've been attacked.

I guess I also ought to mention that a fair number of drivers are quite nice. Almost any time I have a flat tire or fiddle with my bike for a few minutes, someone stops and asks me if I need help.

I have a blog called "carfree American" which profiles other commuters, I like this article. The more people bike to work, the more non bike commuters will be "aware" of us, and then accept us as the norm. Thanks for writing this article!

Roads are built to allow transit. 99% of the taxes that pay for those roads are paid by people who want to use it with a car. I'm happy to share it with cyclists. But when groups of cyclists clog up roads because they want to use it much as others would a basketball court or bowling alley, for excercise or entertainment, I find that very frustrating. No less frustrating than being stuck behind a car that chooses to go 20 in a 45 because they think roads are a good place to text.

At the end of the day, two things seem self-evident. Drivers need to understand and respect the vulnerability of a cyclist and cyclists need to understand and respect the primary purpose of roads. This should not be that difficult for either 'group' to understand.

At the end of the day, two things seem self-evident. Drivers need to understand and respect the vulnerability of a cyclist and cyclists need to understand and respect the primary purpose of roads. This should not be that difficult for either 'group' to understand.

Jeff M., MD: an MD should know better than to argue by anecdotal evidence. According to the best available studies published by the Federal Highway Administration, you are exactly WRONG. Check it out yourself: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/pedbike/96104/ Overtaking crashes are quite rare (8.6% of crashes). And riding to the right will not prevent them -- many of those 8.6% occurred on shoulders and bike lanes. Taking the lane works. It's not moral -- it's fact.

Cyclists DO "understand and respect the primary purpose of roads": transportation. Motor vehicles do not have sole or primary right to the roads.Many states, including where I live, require motorists and cyclists to SHARE the road; equal rights to use is implicit. Historically, motor vehicles have only been around and had claim to roads for 120 or so years - relative newbies! Motorists need to get over the belief that they have a better/stronger/more important claim to roads than cyclists.

Ok, I would apply my tax comments only to roads built in the last 100 years so as to avoid confusion with an earlier time period when horses were predominant. I would also reference the subsequent comments I made regarding the need of both 'groups' to understand each other's needs.

Vernon, BC. here. Loved the article. I commute 16 miles each way by bike 9 months of the year (we have winter up here). I feel safer out on the highway among the pro truckers than in town among the slow-reflexed seniors with poor eyesight / stiff necks. I ride north/south down a valley with mountain views and along a lake. The scenery, fresh air, and sense of well-being that comes from the exercise high & the knowledge of the other health benefits outweigh the risks. PoC

@RR, I'd like to address 2 points you made. 1. Cyclists not using the bike lanes: I don't know how the bike lanes are designed where your problems occur-- but most bike lanes are too narrow to be useful (or safe), and their narrowness denies cyclists of their right to use the road like motorists. Cyclists have a right to 8ft of lateral space, just like motorists (motorcyclists, scooterists, and car drivers alike). But many motorists have a problem with that, seeing cyclists as inferior. ...

... 2. Bike trails: Trails don't accommodate bicyclists transportation needs. And the development of these trails seems to give motorists the belief that cyclists no longer need the roads. A cyclist's choice to use public roads rather than a trail path is similar to a motorist's choice to use the same roads rather than an interstate highway to nowhere.

@SFT- nobody questions or qualifies the reasons why a motorist might be using the road, the way you did with the groups of cyclists ("because they want to use ... for excercise or entertainment"). Motorists are assumed to have a legitimate reason for use, but cyclists are not given the same respect. (This seems like the "modism" that was described in the article).

@RR, I'd like to address 2 points you made. 1. Cyclists not using the bike lanes: I don't know how the bike lanes are designed where your problems occur-- but most bike lanes are too narrow to be useful (or safe), and their narrowness denies cyclists of their right to use the road like motorists. Cyclists have a right to 8ft of lateral space, just like motorists (motorcyclists, scooterists, and car drivers alike). But many motorists have a problem with that, seeing cyclists as inferior. ...

@RR, I'd like to address 2 points you made. 1. Cyclists not using the bike lanes: I don't know how the bike lanes are designed where your problems occur-- but most bike lanes are too narrow to be useful (or safe), and their narrowness denies cyclists of their right to use the road like motorists. Cyclists have a right to 8ft of lateral space, just like motorists (motorcyclists, scooterists, and car drivers alike). But many motorists have a problem with that, seeing cyclists as inferior. ...

The majority of cyclists do not abide by the rules. When their route takes them into the country, on curvy, two lane 55 mhp roads with no passing, the group, travelling not one behind the other, but in large groups across the entire lane, hold up traffic by going much slower than the posted speed. A motorist will suddenly come upon the group around a curve and has to slam on the brakes to keep from running into them. The driver honks cuz he can't pass and gets the finger from the cycists.

@clearh2os, A group of cyclists, taking up an entire lane, is doing the exact same thing as a single motorist. The only difference is the speed of each. And whether they're traveling single file or not, a passing motorist must change lanes to pass safely (and legally). Taking up the whole lane or only part of it has the same effect. If it were a farmer driving a tractor at 10mph, I don't think anyone would have a problem.

The posted speed is an upper limit, not a requirement.

The driver honked because he's rude, intolerant, and feels superior.

I commute with all 3, bicycle, motorcycle and car when necessary. Our bike lanes in South Florida are dangerous in that they end abruptly sometimes and give bikers no escape route. We have a couple of "scenic" two lane roads that are popular with bicycle clubs and group riders. These people are unusually rude and invasive in taking the whole road. Impeding traffic is crime, I believe. Other areas seem to blend pretty well, but we also get snowbirds who think ANYONE on the road is in their way.

It is unfortunate that so much tension exists between cyclists and motorists. Most of my experience on a bike has been in settings offroad, so I would greatly appreciate any knowledge on this issue--In my city, cyclists are often cited as disobeying rules of the road (running red lights/intersections, riding on sidewalks, etc.) I am under the impression that cyclists are afforded the same privileges as motorists, with the same responsibility of following traffic law. Is that correct?

How funny! I commute from Pound Ridge into Downtown Stamford! I gotta hook up with this guy! (You have to understand, I grew up in Pound Ridge. It's barely a blip on anyone's radar and I probably know 90% of the people who live in Pound Ridge.) I thought I was the only one who commuted to and from there! (I now live in a neighboring town, but I'm at the bottom of a valley with horrible hills and even worse drivers, so I drive 3 miles and leave my car in Pound Ridge and ride to work from there.)

Bike commuter here. My defensive efforts: 1) Cargo shorts over lycra shorts. Bingo, I'm a regular guy, not a Lance wannabee. 2) Dayglo yellow jaxcket (Pearl Izumi) or vest over my lycra tops. ALWAYS! Drivers can see me and also it kills lycra vibe. 3. Bright orange helmet with flashing white strobe attached, even in daylight. 4. Old beater frame with expensive drivetrain. Again, regular guy. 5. Fake flower decorations on basket/rack. I'm eccentric/kooky, not arrogant/self-righteous.

I moved from Toronto, Canada to small-town Italy, full of cyclists of all stripes (ok,no hip couriers), from those on heavy old bikes riding with umbrellas to 'serious' cyclists. I too am one of those crazy roadies, and I thank my lucky stars I found this hidden paradise. Even when drivers are cranky, it's clear the culture is different. Articles about bike accidents NEVER blame the cyclist, even implicitly. Not because we're saints, but because we're vulnerable and engaged in a respected sport.

One commenter mentioned that cyclists should wave. Here's my anecdote. I sometimes have to ride a section of I-84 in a commute. I wear a mirror and can tell when a semi is approaching. I always try to wave when the driver moves to the left lane to be courteous. They don't have to, because I'm way over on the shoulder. I think 80% of the semi drivers do this, if they have room. Maybe 50% of the car drivers do it. I think I may have built a rep with semi drivers with my waving.

I loved reading your article. Yes, your writings on the social psychological aspects of driver vs biker gives a great perspective. Concerning the topic of surviving while road bicycling, I have a post that lists my survival tactics (as well as my readers) http://myworldfromabicycle.blogspot.com/2010/08/bike-safe-my-survival-tactics-for-road.html If anyone can add helpful items please add them to my comments and I will add it to the post's content. (maybe save someone some skin).

I loved reading your article. Yes, your writings on the social psychological aspects of driver vs biker gives a great perspective. Concerning the topic of surviving while road bicycling, I have a post that lists my survival tactics (as well as my readers) http://myworldfromabicycle.blogspot.com/2010/08/bike-safe-my-survival-tactics-for-road.html If anyone can add helpful items please add them to my comments and I will add it to the post's content. (maybe save someone some skin).

This article is a great piece for all vehicle drivers to read. Cyclists are not lesser citizens but people who enjoy the healthful benifit of exercise. As a bike rider myself there is one other factor for riding a bike on the road and that is the fact that there is an accumulation of trash, (broken glass, plastic items, metal, rocks, etc) that can cause a flat or a fall as so many times during a ride I must avoid this litter and move closer to the center of the lane instead of the far right.

As roads are resurfaced of built new they should have a bike lane dedicated to it. The side of the road should be cleared of trash like the roadway is cleared (broken glass, trash, rocks, etc)

I believe many drivers DO resent cyclists. We're in shape, we're elitist, they are jealous, we take over the road, whatever the reason may be, real or perceived, there is something about seeing someone cycling on the road that bugs the hell out of drivers. I have been a casual cyclists for many years, but recently started to seriously roadbike for a few months now. The more you ride the more you encounter serious a**holes. The more people get out there and bike the better for all of us.

What do we humas call an airplane that falls out of the air and kills? it is an "airplane crash" and everyones first assumption is that it is "pilot error" as the cause. But for the 70,000 plus fatal cars that leave the road we are calling ALL these incitents "oh it was an accident". No folks, it is a wreck, a crash and it is the person behind the wheel the resonsible party for causing the wreck. We give license to people getting behind the wheel of any vehicle to kill with absolutely no regard.

Regular bike commuter here. A few observations. 1. Avoid being on the road at 6:50-7:00 and 7:50 - 8:00. That's when all of the people who left for work at the last minute are driving furiously to be not late for work. They have zero patience then. The other 50 minutes are much safer. 2. Young drivers, for some strange reason, think they must keep moving forward, even if it means squeezing between you and oncoming traffic. They can't seem to ride behind you for a while.

What about drivers of the biggest vehicles who are the ones seemingly most negligent or hostile to cyclists. Woman with an Escalade kills a Senate candidate (as noted in the article), and did not notice the bike was pined underneath? For me in Oakland, CA my cycling experience and involuntary conversations with metropolitan bus drivers are the most alarming I have ever had in my life. They drive the most miles, yet drive some of the biggest vehicles, and are overtly hostile to cyclists.

I have been a bicycle commuter ever since my first job at 14. 10 years ago now. As I now have everything possible to make my trip safely I still encounter lesser humans with no regard for my life or their own actions! We all hear it: Sidewalk etc., Get out of the road! etc. But I often think... If you wouldn't drive your car through this ( whatever it may be pot hole or glass or what have you) why the heck would I ride through it on my bike? People need to be more reasonable. I am not a threat!

I started commuting on my bike as a way to improve my skill for triathlon racing. Despite Hawai'i hosting the Ironman World Championships, many of the roads are not designed for cycling. Still, I rode 2 hrs to and from work without incident. I just moved to Durham and my commute dropped to 15 minutes. Yet, within 2 weeks, I was hit. Shaken but not hurt, I considered not riding again. This article gives me confidence to keep pedaling. Thank you.

After cycling in south and central Fla my whole life (and even during my time in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer), I finally gave it up for surfing. I found myself finishing bike rides filled with road rage at all the stupidity and life-threatening encounters with mean-spirited and unaware drivers. I now surf. People ask me if I worry about sharks and I tell them I'd rather swim with the sharks than ride with the public! (and am more relaxed and happy after a surf session)

As a semi-serious cyclist living in the same Metro area described in the article,I know all too well the dangers of NYC cycling. However,a secondary threat,that can have tragic consequences for cyclists,are walker/joggers who face the traffic yet, don't yield to those who are more vulnerable. One such encounter I had last year escalated to a club brandishing,epithet spewing,tirade. Cops came but only confirmed the claim that they don't know cylists' rights laws either.

I have been pleasantly surprised lately about how few problems I have been having with cars in Boston. There are always going to be two extremes, which are the minority, bad drivers and bad cyclists. Although they are the minority, I think they cause 100% of the problems that cause both side to frustrate with. Most drivers are very aware of the vulnerability of cyclists. It only takes one bad driver to make us have a very bad day. BE SEEN and THE RULES OF THE ROAD APPLY TO EVERYONE

As a bike commuter and driver, one of my soapboxes is the lack of re-education of drivers. Why is it that I need 30 hours of continuing education credits to renew my acupuncture license, but there is no CE needed to get a drivers license? Meanwhile, acupuncture has never killed anyone, but driving a 1 or 2 ton car kills thousands every year. Isn't it time, as Tom pointed out in the article, that we start requiring drivers renewing their license to be up-to-date on new traffic laws?

I no longer commute as I have retired.however I did commute for 18 years starting in 1992. During that time the drivers have become much more respectful on the roads in Victoria BC. I believe this is because the local police have begun and continue to do a ride for Cancer Cure called Tour de Rock. This has raised the profile of cyclists and changed the perception of the police Officer on the road and the average citizen on this Island. Thanks to all the participants in Tour de Rock. You

Like many I've had the occasional near miss, and even an accident or two. Thank goodness nothing to bad. My gripe is with the police. Jan 1, 2010 I was riding home at the end of good morning ride, When I was attacked by a passing car. Teens who tossed a full beer bottle out that car at me. The bottle was filled with urine, and broke in the center of my back. I got the license number, and to date the police have done nothing. It took about 2 months to heal up. Didn't stop me though.

I've been an urban cyclist in Calgary, Alberta, since 1974, and a fairly serious bike tourer since 2003, including tours or day trips in 23 states and seven provinces. I think there's been a great improvement in motorist-cyclist interactions, at least in the places I've been, and most of it has occurred quite recently. I attribute this to the fact we are moving towards the critical mass where people expect to see bikes on the road. Both serious "lost-time" accidents did not involve cars.

"However,a secondary threat,that can have tragic consequences for cyclists,are walker/joggers who face the traffic yet, don't yield to those who are more vulnerable". As an avid walker/jogger who's had countless cyclists swear at me and even throw elbows as they fly past, this statement strikes me as absurd. Cyclists do realize that walkers are *more* vulnerable than them, right? Walkers/joggers have the right-of-way, and for cyclists to treat walkers like cars treat them is pure hypocrisy.

Having read this material, I have learned for myself a lot of the new. Thanks http://www.collegeboard.org/

Having read this material, I have learned for myself a lot of the new. Thanks http://www.collegeboard.org/

This is one really great article - loaded with common sense, fantastic research (and links) and wonderfully woven around that New York megacommute. A couple od salient points: Cities should definitely reach out to Portland, OR to develop better pro-cycling infrastructure, laws and policies. Police departments really need to develop and increase bike patrols, including a compulsory bike patrol period for all officers every few years.

Where did you get the statistics for Florida's cycling injuries/fatalities? I'm putting together a slideshow to present to my city commission.

Good read as always...In the UK if rider are caught on the pavement or jumping lights they get points on their driving license..IF being the word. The bigger point of interest is what the is tipping point when more people ride to work/shop/play as fuel is now £1.35 in the UK ($2.00) a litre - there are more people onthe roads on bikes. But what is the equation - distance vs saving vs showers/lock ups at work vs cost of fuel? more bikes = more awareness = safer all around - I hope

It's the Bermuda Triangle of Cycling: L.A. to N.Y. to Miami. The North West is good. Don't call me superstitious just wise.

"Florida Girl" confirms my Wisdom that Life's a Beach away from the roads where life's a bitch... But does she know about the Beach Cruiser? She doesn't have to face the sharks!

People talk about cyclists as if we were all ONE SPECIES. No we are not. Elite cyclists --usually riding in colorful packs-- set the bad reputation for all. This is the species that we need to feed: HUMBLE CYCLIST DOING ERRANDS OR COMMUTING. Let's call it BIPEDAL HOMO SAPIENS, where bipedal refers to the pedals and sapiens to being smart. Elite and bipedal species don't even relate to each other. What's the point of them launching an SUV to launch a bike?

This is classical class struggle: the Fat Ass vs. the Fit Ass, and the Fat Ass wins every time by sheer size. When will the Fit Ass rise up and do something? Don't ask me what can it but TAKING THE LANE in a coordinated manner may take us somewhere short of communism.

CORRECTION: "Don't ask me what can it be, but TAKING THE LANE in a coordinated manner may take us somewhere short of communism."

I do support TAKING THE LANE all the time. There's only one way to go and that's over my dead body.

I have ridden a bicycle in spandex (or knitted wool) for for 41 years & have been hit by a driver making a right turn from behind; by a driver making a left turn from in front (my right of way); clipped by rear view mirrors from behind; had car doors opened in front of me; been forced off the road on to the shoulder/ditch/curb more times than I can put a number on; I have been hit by thrown objects and referred to as a hood ornament. I own four cars and I pay a hell of a lot of taxes.

Tom - reading about all the right hooks and other hazards, I could clearly picture where Mr. Simonetti was riding - off there to the right in the bike lane ghetto. A lot of good information on defensive cycling to help him here: www.cyclingsavvy.com and here: www.commuteorlando.com

Fabulous article, well written. I would like to read a similar article regarding the relationship of pedestrians and cyclists. In the town where I live, it is illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk and we do have lots of bike lanes. Unfortunately, as a pedestrian, I am often in conflict with cyclists riding on the sidewalk. I admit, that I too ride on the sidewalk, but when I do, it is to avoid a hazardous road condition and I always defer to pedestrians. When I encounter them, I stop.

"Statistically, some studies show cyclists running more red lights than drivers—for a number of complicated reasons, whether to conserve momentum, to get ahead of traffic and be more visible, or, more profoundly, perhaps because their out-group status leads them to act that way." This outgroup status is clearly a factor: Most traffic lights don't change for cyclists. Now, suppose all the traffic lights in a city stopped registering cars at intersections. The rate of cars running red lights would, predictably, skyrocket.

Thank you for such a great and enlightening article. This should be a mandatory read for everyone on the road.

Well written article. I commute about 40 weeks a year, 100 miles/week in Tulsa, OK. Over the years I've noticed increasing awareness and tolerance by drivers. Riding on public streets about half of my commute I've concluded that many of see each other daily given that most folks are creatures of habit. They know when, where to look for me and we work together. Bad events are infrequent, 2-4 times are year and are usually limited to a horn blast or something yelled out the windows. Ride like you belong, be predictable and be seen, most of which is accomplished by simply following the traffic laws that apply to the bike and the car.