> Because it is.
>
> But, it's no more dangerous than driving a car. It's probably less
> dangerous in terms of overall health risks. I don't know the stats.
> There'll be stuff on the BV website about it probably.
>
> Most people don't have a clue about statistics or risk. They watch
> TV shows aimed at idiots (ACA, TT etc), they read the pictures in the
> stun-herald and they don't stop and think much. They're the ones who
> say when you mention you go SCUBA diving that they'd be afraid of being
> eaten by a shark.
>
> I have a new coaching client who is *shitscared* of riding on the road.
> I'm not sure yet how to deal with this aprehension he has. At least
> he's prepared to give it a go though. But, as a road rider I get my
> fair share of close calls (and I choose where I ride pretty carefully!)
> and I can more than understand the perception of danger. It *is*
> dangerous being unarmoured near cars traveling at speed such that if
> they hit you, if you're lucky you get away with major injuries.
>
> The world's full of people who sit on the couch and watch idiot TV,
> buying the image of the car breezing through a country road in the
> adverts, and then sit in their car and watch the traffic jam grow
> around them and whine about how the government should fix the roads and
> make petrol cheaper.
>
> Bugger them, ride yer bike!
>
I was nervous when I started riding, but now I commute to work past the
Victoria Market, across the top end of the CBD along Victoria Pde and then
turn left up High St to Kew. I certainly watch the traffic, but there's no
fear involved. I keep at least a metre from the gutter, exercise a little
give and take with regards to traffic flow and get nearly no aggravation.
I'm reminded of a cute little story I read a while ago about a farmer who
was, for whatever reason, taking his leisure leaning on his gatepost when a
car with a couple in it pulled up and asked for directions to the next town.
Once they'd got the directions, they asked how friendly the people in the
next town were. The farmer asked them how they found the last town in that
respect and it turned out that the reason they were asking was that the
people in the last town were rude, unhelpful and generally horrible. The
farmer shook his head sadly, informed them that the people in the next town
were just as bad and sent them on their way. A bit later, another car pulled
up and asked the same questions (one of those days, I suppose). Again the
farmer asked them what they thought of the people in the last town and their
faces lit up. Oh, the people in the last town were lovely. Helpful,
courteous and remarkably obliging. The farmer smiled and told them that the
people in the next town were every bit as nice. In other words you tend to
get what you expect, by and large. I get the occasional aggressive ********
in a Commodore or obliviously self-centred 4WD driver but for the most part,
I really do enjoy my commute.
