A month prior, I pedalled up the hill to my fitness session, a weekly occurrence. My primary mode of commuting for various activities such as work, nightlife, shopping, meetings, and to visit friends has been cycling since the young age of 10. Over the years, from adolescence in Manchester leading to adulthood spent around cities in Britain and mainland Europe, my trusty two-wheel friend has been my constant companion. Even though I have occasionally owned a vehicle for weekend escapes, I am typically seen on the saddle of my bike.
This specific day, the arduous climb through the southern regions of Co Dublin seemed surprisingly smooth. Motorists making a left turn chose to wait for me to pass, instead of hastily overtaking and then cutting across my path. At the roundabout, nobody forced their way past me. Arriving at the gym, the sombre whispering made sense of the unexpectedly cautious behaviour of the drivers on that particular route that day. A young woman had tragically died earlier.
Others have commended my courage to pedal around Dublin, questioning if it’s alarmingly risky. But the reality is that cycling isn’t inherently dangerous, once you have mastered balancing and directing the bike. The peril lies in the dynamic between drivers and cyclists, often to the detriment, and sometimes the untimely end, of the latter.
In my experiences, most close shaves have been the result of drivers not noticing me, despite my small stature being highlighted with hi-vis and lights. They either neglect to look properly, or they only see “a bike”, disregarding the person aboard just like them, with an equally human body. Moments of carelessness or sudden surges of hostility from drivers could potentially leave my children motherless. Driving demands acknowledging and respecting the presence of others.
This issue boils down to a matter of power and visibility, of acknowledging whose lives are important. It’s a tiresome task, to realise and remember the presence and significance of each individual, but it is crucial when wielding power and, thereby, responsibility – and power is rarely perceived as clearly as when operating a vehicle. The slightest carelessness, such as not glancing at the left-hand mirror before manoeuvring, or neglecting to account for my possible divergent path around a pothole, can have fatal consequences for me.
There are drivers who appear to derive pleasure from inducing fear, however, I am hopeful that the majority are simply unaware of the way their actions can affect others due to being cocooned within the safety of airbags and impact absorption zones. I would gladly advocate for cycling in cities to be included in the driving exam curriculum.
A number of surrounding countries, despite similar climate or population conditions — not Britain for the most part — don’t label bikers as “courageous.” Instead, they discourage piling on high visibility clothing or blinking lights to highlight the presence of cyclists to drivers. Instead, these cyclists, in their vulnerable human bodies, ride alongside vehicles not treated as potential hazards but simply as other road users. In these countries, kids cycle to primary school and even the elderly move around towns pedalling, often without helmets.
Notably in Dublin, a significant proportion of cyclists are couriers, who put their lives on the line for a modest wage, delivering meals to individuals who are unable or unwilling to step outside. It’s hardly a surprise that these cyclists adopt a more risk-prone approach to cycling due to the nature of their job which necessitates speed for survival. As per my own observations, taxi drivers often tend to be the most hostile, likely due to the pressures of their own job which shares bike and bus lanes, demanding briskness in their service.
Other cyclists comprise youngsters underage to drive, students seeking to save money and anyone preferring an open-air, physically engaging commute over slow and claustrophobic buses. In Dublin, once we dismount from our bikes, most of us are not especially defenseless, but as we cycle, we lay bare ourselves to the literal and figurative conditions of this city and the intimidating nature of the driving culture is quite frankly more concerning than the weather itself.
Personally, I cycle due to the enjoyment, liberty and velocity it provides, but most crucially, I do it because I wish for future generations to breathe clean air and for everyone, presently, to live in a world where every person on the street is seen and respected.