Originally Posted by noisebeam
Do you agree cyclists fare best when treated as drivers of vehicles? I gather you do, otherwise you would not complain that some drivers don't treat cyclists like other drivers.
Do you agree that if one want to be treated as a driver of a vehicle one must act as one? If not how should one act to be treated as such? What other way can one behave in order to expect to be treated like a driver?
The flip side of the statement is of course: "Cyclist fare less well when not treated as a driver of a vehicle" That seems to be your complaint. You ask for motorist training to help address. Part of educating motorist includes telling them: "Cyclist fare best when treated as drivers of vehicles" Thats is exactly what you are wanting, so why are you so concerned with asking or making a statement that includes that expectation? I don't get it really.
Al
I agree with your first paragraph and the second paragraph.
What I don't like is the empty promise that VC seems to offer... that of the expectation of being treated as the driver of a vehicle. You hit the nail on the head with the bolded statement above. Yet there is nothing in cycling advocacy that does that, so how can we have any expectation of being treated as a driver of a vehicle?
In other words, I do my part, I have an expectation of others doing their part, albeit I remain highly vigilent as my expections are generally only partially met. But the bottom line is for VC to succeed, and gain followers, the full equation must be fulfilled; that means spreading the word to motorists, otherwise we should always expect to "not fare well," in spite of our best efforts.
The whole basis of negative feedback is that if you continue to receive negative responses you stop doing that thing...
If I am being vehicular and constantly receive negative feedback, I am going to seek alternatives... plain and simple. Ignoring the negative does not make it go away. (and ignoring the negative is the only response that has been offered. )