Originally Posted by
noimagination
I have to say, not all of this corresponds to my experience. In my area, I see improvement in the attention that drivers (particularly young inexperienced drivers) devote to their driving, especially towards cyclists. There are always the self-absorbed idiots, and I agree that the level of distracting factors (both within the vehicle and without) is much, much greater than when I learned to drive. Also, the traffic is much denser and faster than when I learned. I think that all of this forces drivers to pay more attention.
I do see the occasional pack of drivers imitating the "Fast and Furious" type of driving, but that is exclusively on limited access highways while I'm driving. The kids driving rice burners, around here, are the easiest group to get along with when I'm riding. I've had only one experience with a close pass from a rice burner in the past, what, 15 years since that first (idiotic, imo) movie came out? And I've not been subjected to any other harassment (horn blowing, yelling, brake-checking, etc.) from this segment of the driving public.
Overall, where I ride, I feel slightly safer riding now than I did when I started out 30 years ago, mainly because the huge increase in cyclists over that period has made drivers more aware of us. I'd rather share the road with an aggressive driver than an oblivious one. I have not noticed a big increase in distracted driving, though I mostly ride on roads that are not conducive to driving and texting (generally lower traffic, narrower, hills/curves/bad sightlines). The most frequent indication of driver distraction that I've seen has been drivers failing to proceed when a red light turns green. The most disturbing trend I've experienced over the past 30 years or so is an increase in aggressive driving on the weekend, when people are rushing around trying to get things done (e.g. shopping, kids to soccer, going to garden center, etc. etc.). Fortunately this is greatly reduced during the months when school is out, which corresponds to the months when I tend to ride the most.
However, this is strictly applicable to where I ride. I could understand that if one rides on long, straight roads with shoulders that you might see a significant increase in distracted driving.
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The majority of my cycling was work commuting... plus long weekend rides... on the long weekend rides, to areas that were more remote, no, I was not often bothered by distracted motorists... but then again if one were a distracted motorist on winding mountain roads, I would think the Darwin laws would quickly apply.
When commuting however, and mixing with high speed traffic on urban multi-lane arterial roads, it was quite obvious that motorists often were just not paying attention... were merely pointing the car and playing follow the leader. When I took walks along parts of the same route I commuted on, it became quite obvious to me what was happening... I could see motorists paying attention to cell phones vice the road... the delays at green lights, the sudden jerk back into the lane when a slight curve occurs, and the phones/devices in hand or stuck to the dashboard... all quite visible to someone standing on the side of the road watching.
This quote from you... "and I agree that the level of distracting factors (both within the vehicle and without) is much, much greater than when I learned to drive. Also, the traffic is much denser and faster than when I learned. I think that all of this forces drivers to pay more attention..." is where we agree and disagree... traffic is indeed heavier, faster and there are more distractions... but I really do not see drivers paying any more attention... I see just the opposite... I'd honestly like to think they are looking out the windshield more and driving better, but as I have observed while walking... this just isn't happening.