The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Updated: July 30, 2025 More Than 50 Years on the Bike — And This Still Hasn’t Changed I’ve been cycling American roads for over five decades — from the flatlands of Lubbock, Texas to the brutal climbs near San Diego. And despite all the improvements in gear, roads, and technology, one thing still hasn’t changed enough: Many drivers still don’t know how to safely share the road with cyclists. But here’s the thing — it’s often not due to hostility or impatience. A lot of it comes down to a simple lack of knowledge. Most drivers have never been taught how to interact safely with cyclists. They don’t understand how much space a cyclist needs to stay upright. They don’t realize how a car’s wind draft can destabilize a rider. And they often misinterpret a cyclist swerving as careless, when in reality, we may be dodging potholes, debris, or unexpected crosswinds. Driver’s Education Is Failing Cyclists Young drivers are taught how to parallel park and merge onto freeways. But few are e...

This post has been on my mind for a long time. As someone who’s been riding America’s roads for over 50 years, I still struggle with one painful reality: some drivers hate cyclists —and not because of anything I’ve done. I do my best to be a courteous, defensive, and law-abiding rider , yet I still see the glares, hear the honks, and sometimes feel the danger of a close pass that was way too close. The truth is, some people judge all of us based on the reckless actions of a few. The Reckless Cyclists Who Make It Harder for the Rest of Us Let’s be honest: some cyclists do stupid things . They blow through stop signs, run red lights, weave in and out of traffic, and sometimes ride on sidewalks where they shouldn’t be. And when they do that, they not only endanger themselves—they damage the reputation of all cyclists . I get why drivers get angry when they see this kind of behavior. It’s confusing. It’s dangerous. And it reinforces the stereotype that cyclists think they’re above th...