Originally Posted by
Biker395
I read somewhere that the difference between humans and great apes is the ability to put ourselves in another person's position ... to see things the way they see them. It's a higher social capacity. And unfortunately, I think it isn't really all that universal among humans.
So I have a different theory. Human tribalism. We respect and will share with people "in our tribe" ... people who are like us. In the road context, that means people who use the road more or less the same way we are using it ... and it excludes people who are using it differently. We have a HARD time seeing things from the perspective people in the other tribes.
I agree. However, in the past few years it appears that while the majority of motorists are absolutely neutral with regards to a person on a bike. A large chunk of what's left are enthusiastic supporters of people riding bikes and a very small fraction are, shall we say, lesser apes. I think as more people ride bikes and more people have members of their family and friends (tribe) who ride we cease being the "other".