Survey says that 73% of women who have a safety concern related to bicycling named "distracted driving" as the concern.
In conversations (that are generally one-sided) with "well-meaning" (re: busybody) coworkers and acquaintances, not a one has asked if I was afraid that a distracted driver would slam into me. No. The fear that they try to transfer from themselves to me is that of being attacked by a stranger. According to the same survey of female cyclists, only 13.1% named stranger attacks as one of their concerns.
In the February issue of Bazaar, Liza Minnelli is quoted as saying, "Keep moving. Always be a moving target. [...] Marilyn Monroe taught me that." Those who have concerns of being ambushed might calm themselves by keeping those words (completely out of their context) in mind.
Eeek... I just started road biking, err about a week ago, and I think everyone I have talked to has given me some horror story about a friend of a friend getting hurt by someone driving a car. Maybe it's the unfamiliarity of Mobile, AL drivers with their own biking community... I'm not sure. But it really freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteI'm training for a tour from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC and blogging about it, so that I'm less likely to chicken out. I would appreciate any advice you can give!