With winter here be safe, kind and respectful on our roads

This week's column in The Kerryman newspaper.

Michale Commane

Is there a violence/toxicity out there that is new or has there always been anger on the streets?

Anyone who drives car, truck, motorbike, cycles a bicycle or an e-scooter must be aware of a frightening anger in most people’s heads and hearts; but there is also a wonderful goodness and kindness out there too.

Last Wednesday I was cycling along a road with cars parked on both sides. The road is too narrow to have parking on both sides. There are apartment blocks along the road; obviously poor planning that necessitates too much parking on the public road.

When cycling I stay a good metre away from the footpath, I’ve been advised to do that by safety experts. It makes complete sense. And it is something all cyclists should do. 

Last week schools were back open, it was 8am, rush hour, traffic was heavy. I could hear a car behind me; I knew from the sound of it that it wanted me to get off the road. I also knew that I was cycling my bicycle in a correct and safe manner. 

It was clear from the sound of the car that the driver expected me to move in. When the opportunity arose for the car to pass, all I could see and hear was the window of a big car open and a man shout obscene expletives at me. And did he scream at me. Fortunately I kept my cool, continued to cycle and said nothing. But I can tell you I was shaken. What must that man’s behaviour be at home or at work? 

Two days later, on the same road at the same time, I sense there is a car behind me, but on this occasion I didn’t feel threatened. I can see it in my mirror. We get to the traffic lights. A woman is driving, I knock at the window, she looks concerned, opens the window with a quizzical look on her face. I thank her for her careful driving; immediately her face lights up and what a smile I get. 

Before the light changes to green I get a chance to tell her what happened me earlier in the week. The empathy and joy we shared with each other at that moment was better than winning the Lotto. I cycled off with a smile on my face and since then have told many people about the two incidents. Maybe the woman too mentioned it to her family or friends. 

Somehow or other I can imagine the man in the big car stayed mum about it. He probably has no problem criticising cyclists for their bad behaviour on the roads. Perhaps I should not say that as I know nothing about him, maybe he was simply having a bad moment when that happened and he vented his anger on me. 

We never know what’s going in the head of another person. That’s why it’s so important always to try to treat the other person with kindness and respect. I find myself something of a hypocrite in saying that as I don’t always behave in such a manner.

Please, with winter here, don’t just be safe on our roads, be kind and respectful too.