Stop giving cyclists the 'wave of death'

As a cyclist, I'm one of the most vulnerable people on our roads - a motorist's minor collision is, for me, a lifethreatening event. While there are many things we could do to make cycling on Aquidneck Island safer, such as putting in a bike path along the disused railroad tracks running from Common Fence Point to Little Harbor, there's one thing Island motorists can do today, right now, to save lives. And it's free.

Stop being so nice. Stop giving us cyclists the “wave of death.”

The “wave of death” is a term we cyclists use to describe the actions of well-meaning motorists who wave us in front of them in contravention of the rules of the road. I usually get it on West Main, when I'm turning left onto it from Mill Lane or left off of it at Chases Lane or Woolsey Road. As you recall, West Main is a four-lane road. When motorists stop out of turn and wave me across, they think they're doing me a favor. Unfortunately, they may not see the car coming up behind them in the other lane. They can't predict the actions of drivers approaching in their own lane who, seeing a car stopped in front of them, may change into the previously unoccupied lane without noticing me, the cyclist who's crossing traffic.

If you'd really like to be nice to us cyclists, please just follow the rules of the road and don't give us the “wave of death.” We prefer to wait for a break in traffic - we're probably out of breath and happy for the rest! We'll make the turn when it's safe, and we'll appreciate you for driving safely and predictably.

Oh, and use your turn signal. We can't read your minds!

Alex Ellermann, Middletown