A few of my friends have
completely sworn off bike-riding on roads. One too many shoulder
brushes with the side-view mirror of a recreational vehicle. One
too many dives for the ditch. They can’t take it anymore, and who
could blame them? Some are threatening to give up walking as well,
since being a pedestrian has become almost as harrowing.
I can’t stand giving in that way, not to mention that by giving up
bicycle-riding and walking, I’m just adding mass to the vehicular
juggernaut. It may not be the healthiest response, but I’ve decided
to take a different tack by devising a multi-disciplinary driver’s
education campaign. I don’t think drivers are by nature malicious.
It’s just that they need a bit of awareness adjustment.
The first plank of my strategy is founded on the tenets of behavior
modification. It entails an aggressive interaction with drivers,
and it includes both reinforcement of good behavior and clear
feedback for poor behavior. For example, when I see a driver in my
bike mirror who slows up behind me and waits for an oncoming car to
pass before pulling wide, I offer an encouraging friendly wave and
a breathless smile. No doubt they feel virtuous and appreciated as
they drive on. I do the same when a car stops for me as I walk into
a crosswalk — just making people feel good about themselves.
I try to do my part, too. I ride on the shoulders of
roads, or well over to the side. I get as annoyed as the next
person by bikers who insist on taking up a lane just so they can
converse as they ride. As a pedestrian, I’m understanding if a car
is too close to reasonably stop at a crosswalk as I approach. No
big deal; I’m fully capable of cutting people some slack.
Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that drivers are often
unaware of the significance of crosswalks. So I’ve taken to walking
boldly out into them as a way to remind drivers. A baby stroller is
especially helpful in this aspect of the campaign. All but the most
oblivious come to a screeching halt for a stroller. Walking next to
obviously pregnant companions is also effective.
It’s
also clear that this lack of driver awareness becomes absolutely
rampant when cell phones are added to the mix. Not only are drivers
blithely out of touch with the world outside their conversations,
but cell phones also seem to cause color blindness, at least on the
yellow and red end of the light spectrum.
When, in spite
of my more aggressive behavior, drivers still don’t pay attention,
I point to the ground to draw their attention to the white stripes
of crosswalks. If their windows are open, I’ll have brief
conversations with them as they speed past. A healthy voice level
seems to help. For the truly heinous offenders, I’ve found myself
capable of other hand signals besides waving.
The second
plank of the educational campaign is all about lifestyle change. It
turns out that leaving cars behind is beneficial on many levels. By
doing my errands on foot or by bicycle, I get lots of productive
thinking done. I also get exercise, without the need of an
expensive health club membership, and I reap the benefit of
community interaction, chatting with friends, teachers and local
politicians that I happen to meet on the sidewalks. Mind you, I
haven’t even gotten to the financial part of the argument, what
with gas prices up over $2 a gallon.
Finally, when all
else fails, there’s my secret weapon for dunces who drive. I’m
waiting for patent approval for what I call The Wake-Up Call Ball.
It’s basically a tennis ball attached to about six feet of bungie
cord, with a ring on the end of the cord to keep it on my finger.
Here’s how it works: The next time you’re a third of the way
into a crosswalk and some under-educated driver goes steaming past,
you whip out the Wake-Up Call Ball and throw it at the side of the
car. The impact isn’t enough to cause damage, but the ball makes a
thump quite sufficient to jolt any driver out of a trance.
One driver at a time. A little behavior modification,
some lifestyle enlightenment, and as a last resort, that satisfying
thump. Pretty soon the streets will be safe again.
Alan Kesselheim is a contributor to Writers on the Range,
a service of High Country News (hcn.org). He writes and walks
— carefully — in Bozeman,
Montana.
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