Dear Drivers,

Don’t hug the white line, even if the person on the bicycle is all the way on the other side of a wide shoulder. If you hug the white line, it looks like you don’t have control of your vehicle or don’t know where you are on the road. It looks like you are not paying attention and might do something rash at any minute. There is no reason to hug the white line. If you feel like you need to hug the white line, you are probably driving too fast to control your car and need to slow down.

Pass if it is safe to do so. Don’t follow slowly for a long distance if there is room to pass. It makes me think you are getting ready to commit some sort of act of road rage.

If it is not safe to pass, don’t. There is a pedal next to the accelerator. It will slow your vehicle down temporarily until it is safe to pass. The few seconds you lose slowing down to make sure you pass safely is not going to add anything to your travel time because you will easily make it up down the road.

There is no need to honk. Your car, truck, bus or semi is not as quiet as you think. I heard you coming before you saw me. Like you, I also have a rearview mirror. So even if I didn’t hear you, I saw you.

If you shout something out of the window to a person on a bicycle, chances are you are going too fast to be understood. I am going to assume you are complimenting my legs. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,
A Touring Cyclist