Dr. Walker pointed out there’s something more than the fact that bicyclists are a minority among a majority of car drivers that leads to the conflict between the two. He contrasted cyclists with vegetarians saying that although vegetarians are also a minority among meat eaters, it is unusual for vegetarians to receive death threats, while cyclists receive death threats all the time from irate drivers. He postulated that the ire of car drivers might be due to the competition for roadspace.
He had once felt cyclists have a perfectly good transportation network called roads, he said, but he’s changed his opinion. He now feels separated bike routes are needed. Cyclists perhaps should not be treated as just another road user because the threat is so unequal.
Perhaps most importantly Dr. Walker described his research results which made plain the fact that many drivers just don’t understand what it is like to be a cyclist. Whereas they can imagine themselves as a pedestrian – they’ve been pedestrians – they usually haven’t experienced the fear of a cyclist as a vehicle roars by too close or too fast; there is a lack of empathy.
Many motorists, he found, can’t quite imagine why a cyclist would even be on the road in the first place. Though cyclists explain their choice of ride based on convenience, exercise and a joy in the activity, Dr. Walker said in one study he found that bus drivers considered cyclists as people too cheap to pay bus fare.
So what does this tell us about how to end the war between cars and bikes? Certainly it supports the continued expansion of bike lanes and especially segregated bike lanes. But building hard infrastructure is expensive and in some cases it even stirs up more anger among drivers.
Perhaps in addition a cost-effective approach might be a long term public information effort. Getting non-cyclists to understand why cyclists cycle, and to understand what it feels like to be a cyclist might make a difference.
Understanding that cyclists are not competing for road space, but in fact, increasing road space by not driving might help too.
The Ontario Driver’s Handbook helps people prepare for their driver’s test. It does instruct prospective drivers on sharing the road with cyclists.
Imagine though if understanding why people bike and what it feels like to be a cyclist were part of the requirement.
Latest posts
Ottawa Eco Awards 2024 - Recipients Announced!
The 2024 Ottawa Eco Awards celebrate outstanding individuals in the Ottawa community who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to environmental stewardship, sustainability leadership, and climate action. We have been thrilled with the nominations that we have received from Ottawans for our second Ottawa Eco Awards, and we are heartened to learn about the local eco champions who inspire you.
Ecology Ottawa delegates to the Environment and Climate Change Committee on the Rain Ready Ottawa program.
Ecology Ottawa was at the City Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee on April 16, 2024, to talk about the Rain Ready Program. We’ve provided our delegations below and you can also watch the recording.
Members of ECCC invited to webinar on incineration
On April 8, we invited members of City Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) to attend a webinar on incineration. This webinar is timely: Council is considering incineration as an option for dealing with Ottawa’s waste, since staff has warned Council that the Trail Road Landfill—which currently receives the majority of Ottawans’ garbage—will fill up soon.