General Cycling Discussion - Encounter With Bizarre Drivers

Had my 9yo out for a ride yesterday. Usually if I am without children I ride the parkways around here. All have paralelling Multi-Use-Trails, and since we are still working on his "Road" skills and awareness we were using the MUT, instead of the road. In all my years riding I have rarely seen this happen so yesterdays ride was even more bizarre in that it happened over and over and over again.

We did a 10 mile out and back crossing through 12 intersections. 3 of the intersections had the standard push the button wait for walk signals. It was the other 9 where the "incidents" happened that have left me dumb-founded.

We would pull up to the edge of the road to cross, and look both ways for cars coming. As the cars approached the intersections, they stopped and would not proceed until we had crossed safely in front of them. The cross roads had speed limits between 35-45 MPH, but these people would stop completely and wait for us to cross even though there were no stop signs or traffic lights regulating they do so. Sure there were a couple who didn't but I would estimate 75-80% of them did!!

I have always instructed my sons when we get to intersections NOT to trust the signals, the crosswalks or the drivers, and to be sure they look the drivers in the eyes to make sure the drivers knew they were there. But this just through me for a loop. If it had only happened once I would have been fine, PLUS they even stopped from both directions a couple of times. We both made sure to include a "thank-you" wave to the drivers who stopped.

With all my negative experiences with drivers, and all the posts I have read, I felt compelled to share yesterday's Bizarre experiences.

Was this in an alternative universe. :)

Just a guess, but it might have been the trailer that caused the drivers to behave the way they did.

Dan

This is probably a good example of when to use judgement to override the rules. I know it's important to teach kids the rules of traffic, but an example such as this can be useful in teaching him how to react intelligently and safely to unusual and unexpected cicumstances.

Was this in an alternative universe. :)Funny you should say that, I felt like it was an episode of the Twilight Zone.

Dan, No trailer involved, 9yo is a biker boy!! Perhaps it was the cold weather and our full-face masks that were frightening them!! Only other thing I could figure is that they were all bikers wishing they were crazy enough to be out on the trail like we were, but what are the chances of there being that many bikers in their cars.

Dave, you are ABSOLUTLEY right, 9yo was looking at me and saying, "Dad, that car is stopping" and I would say, make sure your looking him in the eyes, and don't assume he's stopping till he has. I also used the opportunity to point out to him that even if that car stops, it is possible someone could come over the hill or around the curve and pass right by him so be cautious. He was just as puzzled as I was, to see this phenomena and on one ride he had one idiot nearly clip him pulling into his driveway, so I know he is just as much a skeptic as I am when it comes to drivers.

The little guy actually likes riding with me more than my older son the fair-weather biker does, and will go at night or cold days when his brother would rather be home. He's done quite a few road miles with me, but still isn't mature enough to be safe on unknown roads like where we were so we stuck to the trails.