When I'm riding, I always feel fully alert to my surroundings, but when driving I really don't feel this nearly as much. I believe cycling has made me a more attentive driver, but there's so many people out there that just seem to be asleep at the wheel. Who knows if one day one's gonna drift off right into me. I guess when you're cycling, you're looking out for the potholes and whatnot? What do you think?

I know exactly what you mean. I think about this too. I try to take comfort in the fact that when I'm commuting it's at times when others are too, and like me they just woke up and hopefully haven't been hitting the sauce yet. ;)

hitting the sauce? in the morning? I'm just saying it's weird how you're so aware and in tune when biking. You're watching for potholes while knowing a car is coming up and making sure you're well on the right. Never really drifting off and running off the road, etc.

I am pretty certain that cycling has improved my driving habits.

I've apparently almost fallen asleep while riding, insomuch as I've gotten to the destination unable to remember any details about large portions of the route, or even which route I had taken.

Not good.

I've apparently almost fallen asleep while riding, insomuch as I've gotten to the destination unable to remember any details about large portions of the route, or even which route I had taken.

Not good.

Talk about good skills with a bicycle

If I'm cruising along it can be like that, but most of the time I'm pushing myself. The aching in the legs lets me know that I am on a bike, I am hauling, and I am having fun.

The fact that all humans have a tendency to get "inattentive" is why it behooves cyclists to do things out there to get the attention of drivers. It is why riding off to the side and out of the way in traffic where we are easy to ignore is often undesireable, especially when approaching and crossing intersections.

It is why riding off to the side and out of the way in traffic where we are easy to ignore is often undesireable, especially when approaching and crossing intersections.
http://deephousepage.com/smilies/yawn.gif

Ohh man, at least once a week and often much much more I have to snap myself back to reality while riding. Particularly bad is the ride home. I often spend the first half of the ride working out the last thing I was stuck on at work, and the second half watching the birds. Sometimes I just pull over and stop to let whatever is going on work itself out before I continue. One of the best reasons for using the MUP is that I can allow my attention to wander a little.

Since my collision avoidance *skillz* have probably never been tested while I've been "asleep in the saddle", I think it's safe to assume they are non-existent.

If somebody does something stupid while I'm riding on auto-pilot, I'm a sitting duck.

Just like when driving...

...Actually, when driving, I pretty much always feel like a sitting duck.