What has cycling done to your driving skills?

[Globalti]

I cycled well before I ever drove but motorcycling taught me the quick check over the shoulder before pulling out and that has saved me from several possible nasties on the motorway over the years when cars have been in my blind spot.

 

[I like Skol]

Perhaps the otherside of the discussion should be what has your driving experience done to your cycling skills?

I sometimes see cyclists do things that just scream non-driver. Being a high mileage driver up until just recently has given me an insight into the way traffic flows and what tricks individual vehicles/drivers can/do suddenly pull. This also pays dividends when picking road position and lines through complex junctions and roundabouts.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Positive: I give cyclists more room now than I did before, they get the whole lane most of the time now. Negative: I have a tendency to go into the bus lane on my commuting route before remembering 'Doh, I'm in the car'.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I sometimes get my wife giving me a puzzled look and asking "why are you going so slowly?". It must be a result the cycling because I haven't yet had any urge to go and buy a trilby and a pipe.

 

[akb]

I am a much more calmer, assertive drive now having been commuting since April by bike. Could even stretch to say that if I have to drive to work, I hate sitting in traffic and get irate too. I treat all cyclists with respect and only over take when safe to do so. I used to not car where I over took cyclists; sometime this was pretty dangerous. So I guess that has changed for the better.

The missus actually likes being in the car with me no when I am driving. I think she feels much calmer herself!

 

[hotfuzzrj]

Yes to all the above; giving cyclists more room, shoulder checking much more, slower motorway speeds (nothing to do with the 3 points I received last year :-( )
BUT.... I now also shoulder check when walking....!! I must look pretty mental hehe

 

[gb155]

Learning to drive , as a cyclist , has given me a whole new view, both in the car and on the bike

Just the other night I noticed how little I could see in the dark in my n/s mirror when a cars lights were shining in it sat in traffic , gave me a while new perspective when I'm filtering on the bike

 

[Mullerstraße]

Excellent post!

I have found that when I am in the car (rarely now) that my view of the road is a lot poorer than when I am on the bike. I am at a much higher vantage point on my bike and I believe I can read the road better from this position.

On the positive side I am far more patient and have a greater appreciation of my speed, I now understand how quick I am actually going at 30mph.

 

[calibanzwei]

Going to start driving lessons next year - I think the road 'savvyness' I've learned over the past year will count a lot towards my attitude and confidence. The aim is to pass within having 12 lessons

 

[Hip Priest]

Going to start driving lessons next year - I think the road 'savvyness' I've learned over the past year will count a lot towards my attitude and confidence. The aim is to pass within having 12 lessons

I passed first time after 10 lessons when I was 19 [/smug]

 

[mumbo jumbo]

Motorway driving - no change.

Town driving - complete change. One of my first jobs was driving for a car hire company which involved getting cars from A to B, often needlessly against the clock on account of crappy management, so as not to disappoint customers. Looking back, I learned many bad habits. If my cycling self today encountered me back in those days I'd be yelling obscenities and making plentiful hand gestures. Today I'm a boring old fart. Pretty scrupulous about speed limits and very wary of all other road users / risks. I do have an occasional aberration though but never around cyclists who get exemplary treatment

 

[mumbo jumbo]

I passed first time after 10 lessons when I was 19 [/smug]

Ten?! I did it in 8

 

[calibanzwei]

I'll be 32 - gimme some leeway

 

[tyred]

I felt the need to fit cages and straps to my clutch pedal.

 

[Piemaster]

I'm generally a lot calmer and patient, less inclined to 'push on'. Could be an age thing as well and a realisation that it actually makes little difference to journey times how you drive in a car. On a bike I really don't like being held up in traffic but can put up with it in the car.
I think some of the appreciation of cyclists needed has rubbed off on my wife and some other relatives too.

Downside is I'm now more aware of poor cycling (rlj, pavement cycling, salmon cyclists) and it annoys me no matter what form of transport I'm using. I don't do it and don't like it tarring me with the same brush.