Motorists – DO NOT honk at cyclists! Share the road.

This has to be my biggest pet peeve as a frequent cyclist, especially when I bike to and from the gym. In California, it is ILLEGAL to honk at cyclists, telling them to get ‘off the road’ and harassing them in other ways. There is no need to honk for an ‘alert’ since the person on the bike can hear you. The honking from close proximity especially, can startle the cyclist, make them swerve and really get into an accident as has almost happened with me–a self-fulfilling prophecy. I almost want to invest in a honk myself to honk right back or throw something at the person’s windshield for almost causing an accident.

ALL ROADS ARE BIKEWAYS unless otherwise stated. A cyclist has as much right to the road as a motorist, PERIOD. If there is no bike lane, do not expect the cyclist to ride on the sidewalk–Again, that is illegal in California. Additionally, a motorist should not drive and may NOT park in a bike lane as that forces the cyclist onto direct traffic. Seriously, stop acting like you own the road and move your gas-guzzling tonnes of steel over.