That IS a good answer, Sean! Actually, you have just described exactly the way I bike, too. (Except I had not thought of waiting for a natural break in the traffic – that’s a good idea.)

I like to think of good mannered biking as winning them over, one motorist at a time. I even thank them when they do things that are merely required by law, such as stopping at a stop sign and waiting for me to go by, rather than just speeding straight through to avoid having to wait 5 seconds for my bike to pass. In such instances I think of it as rewarding good (albeit legally-required) behaviour, and in this way trying to encourage good driving … and also I really appreciate it, as I do encounter a fair number of motorists who will break the law rather than be delayed by a cyclist – for example, by jumping the line at a 4-way stop, rather than letting me take my turn in the correct sequence.

However, I agree with you that there are an amazing number of motorists who will stop even when they do NOT have to. My wife and I just returned from a ride to Vancouver and back, returning on the CVG. At almost every one of the roads without lights, motorists stopped for us. Restores my faith …

That’s a good question, and I wish I had a good answer. Right now the best I can suggest is to not antagonize motorists.

I try to do this by actually stopping at stop signs, at least when other cars are present. I smile and nod at drivers who stop to let me through to acknowledge their kindness (it’s amazing how often they do this even though they have the right of way). If a motorist and I are both waiting at an intersection for the other guy to go first I wave him through. And I try to be predictable by doing things like signaling turns and moving into the traffic lane gradually when I have to go around parked cars.

Last year as I was heading downtown on the Adanac bike route I pulled up to Clarke drive and hit the button to change the lights. At that moment a huge semitrailer was approaching the intersection and there was a raucous burst of squealing and shuddering as he fought his rig to a stop. I thought “so much for all the gas I saved by riding my bike today”… That taught me to wait for a natural break in the traffic so I can cross without stopping anyone, or at least try to avoid hitting the light when it will stop a bus, semitrailer, or a big pack of cars.

That’s my best suggestion. I’m not sure if it’s enough to counter the inevitable rogues of the road, but it surely can’t hurt.

You could be right, Sean – given how much the Critical Mass rides enfuriate some motorists (although I definitely think their fury is out of all proportion to the 5-minute delays …)

Any ideas on what that carrot could be?

When I first heard about it a few years back I wanted to join a Critical Mass ride, but I never found the time. Now that it’s betting such bad press I really don’t want to be a part of it.

It seems to me that most Vancouverites are now well aware of cycling issues, and much of the credit may well be due to Critical Mass. But I think the time has come to switch from using a stick to finding the right carrot.