Pedaling for Patriots

So I was thinking a lot about common courtesy yesterday on our ride. Being on the W&OD trail on a Saturday is always interesting. There are more walkers, more bikers, more strollers, babies and children. That means that for those of us in training, we have to slow down and be more cautious than we are during the week when the trail is “ours”. Unfortunately, there are a few who come out and ride as fast as possible, as if they own the trail and everyone else is in their way.
Saturdays also bring out people who are not entirely clear about the rules of the trail. Stop signs mean you must stop, look both ways, and cross when clear. Some inexperienced riders – along with those speed demons – disregard the stop signs and cross regardless of traffic. This leaves drivers frustrated, angry and generally unhappy with bicyclists. This causes ALL bicyclists to get a bad reputation. But, drivers need to slow down at bicycle crossings and be a little more cautious as well.
Yesterday we were at a crossing which usually has very little traffic. (The road dead ends about 100 feet from the crossing.) A group of young riders (middle/high school) did not stop at the stop sign just as a car was nearing the crosswalk. The expletives that the driver yelled will not be reprinted here, but suffice it to say they were many of them. Yes, the group was in the wrong but was that reaction really necessary?
All of this caused me to dwell on a recent email I received from the pastor of Floris UMC, Tom Berlin:

“We neglect basic acts of courtesy that the Bible calls “kindness.” Kindness includes kind words, patience, showing respect to others no matter what they do for a living, avoiding degrading language, being helpful and thinking of the needs of others as well as our own agenda. Christ followers are called to a life of gentleness. This is often confused as wimpiness. Gentleness is not getting rolled over. It is having the strength to be polite in conversation because you are in control of your emotions and do not have to have everything your way. It is having the courage to apologize when you are wrong. It is having the good sense to communicate in ways that are functional and polite rather than rude and anonymous. Gentleness is the capacity to care for others as you care for yourself. It is a quality that parents should be teaching their children by both word and action. Life is often out of our control. Gentleness and kindness are God’s gifts to us so that we will remain in control in such times. This is my encouragement: let’s be civil to one another as a way to show the world how Christ has influenced us. Let’s be kind. Let us be gentlemen and gentlewomen.”

So if you’re a bicyclist that needs to go fast, perhaps you should find a road that’s clear of families and people out for a leisurely stroll. Otherwise, you need to slow down and share the trail. And if you’re a driver, the next time you’re out and see a bicyclist, please slow down and give them a little room. And maybe a little wave. We’ll be sure to do the same!