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Old 10-09-07 | 11:58 AM
  #18  
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chephy
Two H's!!! TWO!!!!!
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 12
From: Toronto, ON
I started cycling on roads before I started driving, so yes, a lot of my driving skills transferred directly from biking experience. I am more aware of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists than your average motorist, I bet. I treat every blind crest or turn as if there is a cyclist or jogger right past it, so I always make sure I can stop in the space I can see at any given time. I give cyclists plenty of room (though I encounter them so rarely, that I really don't get why drivers are so pissed off about cyclists... how often do you have to pass one if you don't venture downtown in your car? once a week? what's the big deal then?) I'm always prepared for a left hook at an intersection and never assume the way is clear even if I have the ROW.

There are also some bike habits that are not the best for driving, but get transfered to car driving anyway. Sometimes, for instance, I'll make a left turn into the curb lane rather than the inside lane... I generally tend to favor the curb lane while driving, even in situations when other lanes might be faster. And I always have to look at a map if I'm driving somewhere, since I have lots of biking routes in my head and no driving routes (I hardly ever drive)... and I can't drive the biking routes because of the shortcuts and MUPs.
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