Sharing the road: Why drivers and cyclists must learn to coexist

As a cyclist who has logged thousands of miles on the road, I’m keenly aware of the hazards of riding alongside two-ton automobiles on a busy urban thoroughfare or in a winding canyon.
Fortunately, I’ve had few close calls. And of the ones I’ve had, some were my fault and others were the driver’s. But I’ve also had people behind the wheel honk their horns or profanely yell at me for no apparent reason as I pedal in the bike lane or on the shoulder. Despite the common yellow signs that say “Share the road,” we haven’t quite learned to share.
One thing I’ve noticed that seems to particularly upset drivers is when cyclists ride side by side, especially on a narrow road. While I agree it’s safer to ride single file, drivers’ honking from behind or screaming as they pass too close makes it less safe. Many states have laws requiring motorists to give cyclists at least three feet when passing regardless of where the riders are on the road. A few require drivers to completely change lanes when passing a cyclist if there is more than one lane heading in the same direction and traffic conditions allow the motorist to change lanes. Some locales permit bikes to use the travel lane as a car would. I try not to be a nuisance and I expect the same from drivers.
The death of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, while out for a bike ride near their childhood home in New Jersey, on Thursday evening serves as a tragic reminder of the hazards of riding a bike on the street. The brothers were riding bikes around 8:19 p.m. on a county road in Oldmans Township — a community in southern New Jersey near the Delaware River — when a Jeep Grand Cherokee attempting to pass two slower-moving vehicles hit them, according to New Jersey State Police, per CNN. Police arrested Sean Higgins, 43, in connection with the incident.
“Mr. Higgins stated that he had consumed approximately 5-6 beers prior to the accident,” according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday in Salem County Superior Court. “Mr. Higgins explicitly stated to the effect that his consumption of alcoholic beverages contributed to his impatience and reckless driving, which resulted in the motor vehicle accident.”
Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” the 31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets forward and seven-time All-Star was heading into his 11th NHL season. Gaudreau and his brother were to be groomsmen Friday at their sister’s wedding.
A car-bicycle accident in 2021 left retired NBA player and Utah native Shawn Bradley paralyzed.
This is how Sports Illustrated described the crash:
“Just before he exited a roundabout, a few blocks from his home in St. George, Utah, Bradley says he took note of a Saturn sedan parked on the shoulder of the two-lane street ahead, knowing that he would have to zag left if the driver’s door opened. Hugging the right edge of the right-hand lane, he says he signaled a move farther into the lane as he pedaled up a slight grade, cruising at 12 mph.
“In a Dodge minivan just behind him, a young mother was hustling to pick up her child from school. Bradley, who avoids naming the driver to shield her from public scrutiny, says she bumped him from behind as he drifted left to avoid the Saturn — his Garmin GPS shows that he instantaneously accelerated to 17 mph — which propelled him toward the parked car. The shifter on his right handlebar caught the Saturn’s rear flank and jerked his front wheel sharply to the right, pulling the bike to a sudden stop and sending Bradley’s colossal body skyward.
“Bradley tumbled over the trunk and the driver’s side of the Saturn, and he landed headfirst on the asphalt, his helmet cracking under his 300-odd pounds. (Police say the driver continued on but returned to the scene later. Never charged with a crime, she says she gave Bradley enough room when passing him.)”
In 2022 in Utah, an impaired driver struck and killed California brothers Matthew Bullard and Adam Bullard as they rode in the annual Spring Tour of St. George. A jury convicted Julie Ann Budge of two counts of automobile homicide criminal negligence DUI and reckless driving. She was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
Those kinds of stories are painful to hear.
In 2023, the number of Americans riding on roads or paved surfaces totaled about 42.2 million, according to Statista. That’s a slight drop from the year before but with the proliferation of e-bikes, there seems to be more people than ever on the street, at least where I live. By comparison, there were around 288.5 million vehicles operating on U.S. roads in the fourth quarter of 2023.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 1,105 cyclists died on U.S. roads in 2022, a 13% increase over the year before and accounting for 2.6% of all traffic fatalities. An estimated 46,195 were injured, an 11% increase over 2021. Most fatalities (83%) occurred in urban areas and 29% at intersections.
Bicyclist deaths are highest during the summer months between June and September. Failing to yield the right of way is the biggest factor in fatal bike crashes, followed by bicyclists not being visible, NHTSA says.
Pickup trucks followed by passenger cars were the most common vehicles to hit cyclists, according to a report using NHTSA data compiled by The League of American Bicyclists.
Safety, pardon the pun, is a two-way street. NHTSA offers guidelines for both cyclists and drivers:
Be focused and alert to the road and all traffic around you; anticipate what others may do, before they do it. The quicker you notice a potential conflict, the quicker you can act to avoid a potential crash.
People on bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as people behind the wheel of a vehicle.