Purely anecdotal but I’ve noticed a consistent and significant change of behaviour on the roads.
just to contextualise, I’m a firm believer that poor driving needs to be challenged where appropriate, but considerate driving also needs to be recognised too; my personal experience is overwhelmingly positive. I tend to make a point of a wave or thumbs up if a driver waits patiently for a few seconds behind me and gives me plenty of room when passing. I’ve noticed (since lockdown) that this is now being returned with a wave/thumbs up in the rear view & often a blip of the hazards (lorry drivers tend to give a couple of toots when they’ve passed).
So what’s happening???? More drivers also cyclists perhaps, or people just being a bit nicer to each other?
Interesting thread idea and contributions. A good read, thanks.
Consideration and patience have generally worked well for us and this is mostly acknowledged with a toot, hand wave, thumbs up, or hazard lights. There's an idea there of sharing positive behaviour and respect.
Some will though, with a stony face, never acknowledge a courtesy: I get the distinct impression there are drivers who find the idea of a bicycle giving way, or seemingly
having any say in traffic decision making, to be unappealing/ invalid.
We've found regional variations too: the density of population and road use, alongside a cultural inclination/ disinclination to be open and friendly*, are also likely to be factors in the exchanges that we have on the roads. It's been undoubtedly worse the further south we've been in terms of aggression, close passes, and a pitiful lack of patience. Yet, we're not going to be intimidated or fazed.
Over the weekend, Kent Council have commendably installed several 20mph zones in the town where we live - we'll see how that affects things and how it is controlled - new speed cameras?
* Having been in London and the South East for the last 10+ years, it was a lovely reminder that there is a different world (outside of the SE) when recently hearing someone from Yorkshire say "We talk to strangers and look people in the eye."
edit: 'We talk to strangers and look people in the eye' doesn't do well down here. Or as this person eloquently put it : 'Once I had lived in Glasgow I thought Edinburgh people were very standoffish and unfriendly (then I moved to Kent and found that Edinburgh people were not unfriendly).'
. Boris might have the best of intentions with his active travel campaign but it's going to be a hard thing to achieve, as it's going to require a radical changes in many people's lifestyles. I've noticed that the number of what you might call 'newbie cyclists' I see on the road seems to be significantly down from March/April.
