Originally Posted by
Maelochs
Drivers have always been oblivious .... I have seen drivers forget they were driving in stop-and-go traffic .... basically, stop, wait fifteen seconds, hit the gas, and forget in three seconds they were driving and hit the car in front of them. Brilliant.
I have had that happen to me. Totaled my car.
Cars pulling out of driveways and side streets without looking is common and always has been. Cars not seeing things they don't expect, also. Ask any motorcyclist.
I don't see any of that being worse.
In fact, I find cycling safer, as many drivers have become accustomed to "Share the Road" messages. As Wolfchild notes, back in the day it was,. "You don't belong here and whatever happens, you deserve it." Throwing things at cyclists or swerving "just to scare them" was also acceptable behavior. Things are a Lot better---IMO.
Irrespective of the advances in transportation departments making inroads (no pun intended) toward making roads safer for cyclists ---- Then take all of the obliviousness and drivers' "non-acknowledgement of bikes" from the past... Can you say that you're actually safer in light of cell phones and crazy electric locomotion coming out of the woodwork?