Actions by Nice Drivers...

[K'Tesh]

Ok, now it's time for representing the positive side of motorists.

We've all had our bad times. Now it's time to celebrate the nice actions of those who with which we share the road.

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

PS: Props to Klixi who provided the idea for the thread and to Haven_kd7yct who provided the title of the thread

[K'Tesh]

Today, while I was riding slowly on the sidewalk, against traffic (which is completely legal), I encountered a LARGE red pickup. It is the kind of vehicle that I've had so many bad experiences was approaching from my left, I watched as the guy stopped at the sign. I was quite surprised that he actually motioned me thru.

Thanks!

[Haven_kd7yct]

Thanks, K-tesh, for starting this thread.

This morning, while riding to work, I had quite a large number of right-turning cars wait for me to pass before turning. And they all used their turn signals.

Some of them hung back behind me, some of them pulled up alongside me and then dropped back. All of them indicated that they saw me.

Keep smiling, people! It doesn't cost anything.

[beelnite]

Been having good experience with those little in road circles on SE Lincoln lately. Folks have been hanging back vs. attempting to race me to the bottleneck. It's nice.

Stopping at the Stop signs... almost daily a driver will voluntarily give up his/her right of way to me. Sometimes I refuse and smile. This is maybe too nice of a gesture on behalf of the drivers!

[flying_dutchman]

A nod and wave for nice behavior is cheap and easy. It says thank you and it allows motorists to be part of our cycling coolness.

[Schrauf]

One time I was flashed by a pretty girl in a car. Does this count???

[K'Tesh]

Was riding to KFC on Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton... I was on the sidewalk (no bikelane, lots of traffic), not going too fast. I noted a driver Silver SUV coming out of the Radio Shack/KFC parking lot...

He spotted me, checked behind him, and backed up... Me, I just pulled into the Radio Shack parking lot, so his move was unnecessary, but appreciated!

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

[scoot]

Riding N on 4th Ave downtown this afternoon, went through an intersection with nobody behind me and just as I got through, my pannier jumped off (stupid user error). I heard it and had rolled probably 20 feet beyond it before I stopped, turned and saw it lying there, all forlorn and ridiculous, with a line of traffic coming up behind it. The driver in front of the line just stopped and waited while I whipped around, parked the bike and darted out to grab it. I gave a sheepish, sorry wave and he nodded a friendly, understanding reply and not a single car in the line behind him even honked. It was a whole big, stopped line of nice drivers. I love this town.

[Haven_kd7yct]

DJasonpenny, I'm not sure if it's drivers' attitudes changing or if it's just that people are noticing and posting about positive actions.

It also might be a product of where people are riding-- I'm down here in Tigard (I'm lucky enough to live and work in the same city-sorta- with a 5+ mile commute), and I really haven't had many problems with the drivers here.

Although, with gas prices so crazy and everyone looking for relief, I like to think that the drivers are seeing us cyclists in a new perspective-- as the smart ones!

I like to point out positive things to people; this site tends to get so negative when it comes to motorized road users, and that doesn't help the non-motorized revolution. No one likes a smear campaign.

[wyeast]

The "hazards" thing - it's not too uncommon for a car to yield out of turn (for example, to allow a car pulling out of a driveway) - I do this sometimes, particularly if it seems like the road is busy and the person would have to wait a while for a clearing to pull through.

The blinking hazards thing might be that driver's way of saying "I'm stopping for a reason, don't just pass around me on the left" as will sometimes happen when you stop for a pedestrian crossing the street. Someone pulls around you and WHAM, nearly hits the very person you were trying to allow to cross.