Become a better driver: ride a bike!
19 Oct
His quads ache each time he leans into the pedals. He’s focused on keeping his line as straight as possible until he turns in for the apex of the next turn. He’s tucked low to minimize drag, and is starting to feel his shoulders cramp up from the long ride. This is his ride every day, and he’s a more efficient driver than you are.
On a bicycle, your muscles push along every foot you travel. Your body is the primary source of drag. You feel every grade change, bump, and crevice in the road. No longer are you simply the brain, giving instructions second-hand to your wheels as to how fast they should go and controlling your steering through a complex rack of gears. You are a part of the vehicle.
Why it’s different
Along with this increased awareness of the vehicle that carries you, the danger to yourself is higher. You’re smaller and less stable than cars. A strong gust of wind or a patch of sand have the potential to throw you violently to the ground. Minor traffic accidents can quickly turn serious or deadly. Although the vehicle you’re controlling is much less dangerous to others, it has much more potential to get you hurt than a car would. Our basic survival instinct dictates that our awareness level increases, and we pay more keen attention to our environment.
Results
A bicycle will actively train you to seek the path with the greatest economy of motion. Because you’re powering this bicycle, you’ll be more aware of how economically you’re driving it. You’ll see improvements in your acceleration, braking, steering, and even coasting techniques. All these same principles can be applied to driving a car, and s an added bonus, it’ll help you get/stay in shape!
Start today!
I happen to be a relatively active bicyclist (to/from work, and most of my shopping is done by bike), but mostly just because parking is expensive and the bike is a faster way to get to work than by car. If it makes sense in your situation, start commuting! I promise after a week you’ll start to see changes you could make to your driving habits that will save you wear, tear, gas, and frustration. I read quite a few sites daily about bicycling, and recommend:
http://therecord.blogs.com/take_the_lane/ (warning, this one gets a little preachy sometimes)
They’re all great resources for anyone interested in bicycles. Sometime soon I’ll write a bit about my bike and problems I’ve run into (like my fractured patella I won when my bike spit me out a couple weeks ago).
No comments yet