Newburyport Rail Trail

Negative Attitudes Toward Cyclists in Newburyport Need to Change

This morning a woman driving an SUV called me an asshole. I was on my bike, turning left. I had arrived at the intersection of Washington and Boardman streets before her, used my hand signal to indicate my intent, and turned left. I nodded my helmeted head to her in thanks for obeying the stop sign. She looked down from her perch in the big blue box, shook her blonde bob, and swore. Then she hit the gas and roared downhill.

I’d like to say this was the first time my bike and I were targets of scorn. But it wasn’t. Once, on Byfield’s Church Street, a guy in a Dodge Ram truck hit the accelerator just inches from my side, sped ahead, then stopped, shouting “Fuck You,” and raising his middle finger. Even on the Clipper City Rail Trail, even when I warn pedestrians with a cheery “Hi there! I’m on your left!” walkers can be snarky.

In fairness, plenty of drivers grant me wide berth and defer at crossroads, and plenty of moms with strollers and joggers say thanks when I alert them of my presence on the Rail Trail. They don’t want to be hit any more than I want to hit them.

But all one need do is peruse social media to read angry missives about cyclists. Risk-takers. Rules-of-the-road averse. Pavement hogs. When a 68-year-old cyclist was struck by a mini-Cooper on High Street last summer, Facebook comments included, “Sad this happened, but bikes don’t belong on the road,” and “Maybe the cyclist wasn’t paying attention.”  Others wished him a speedy recovery, but the vibe was clear: in the battle for pavement, cars rule.

As with any debate, germs of truth burrow on both sides. In this case, cyclists are guilty of many accusations. They often zip through yellow, even red, lights. Sometimes they ride on the wrong side of the road, or on sidewalks. Many don’t use hand signals to indicate turning or stopping. But let’s face it: physics sides with cars. How can you argue with 3,500 pounds of metal compared to my road bike, which I can lift with one hand? What about box trucks, the source of at least two fatal bike accidents in the Boston area this summer? It is little wonder that many cyclists are turning to off-road bikes. Riverside Cycles in Newburyport does a brisk business in gravel and mountain bikes; customers claim that they have grown increasingly fearful of drivers.

The irony is that we live in a wonderful area to explore on a road bike.  What can beat cycling the canopied lanes of West Newbury, Groveland, and Merrimac on a sunny fall day, the foliage glistening? Or maneuvering through a cluster of wild turkeys at the Indian Hill Reservoir? Or pedaling early on a July morning beside the Merrimack River dotted with kayakers and fishing boats, the steam rising from the water?

And while there’s nothing wrong with off-road cycling, exploring woods and logging roads by bike, why must we choose? Why can’t road cyclists feel as safe on Washington Street as mountain bikers do in the Georgetown-Rowley State Forest? Studies have proven that the more cyclists on the road, the more aware are drivers. I would like to think that if road cyclists persevere and proliferate, tolerance and perhaps even mutual respect will evolve.

I’d like the North Shore to follow the trends in other urban areas by adding more, not fewer, bike lanes. Maybe divide the bike lanes in high traffic areas with physical barriers, such as wands. I’d love to see parents launch more bike trains, a European trend in which kids and parents bike to school, picking up more kids and parents along the way. I’d like to see more bike racks around town. I’d like to see the city launch a public bike share to make cycling accessible to all, from visitors to locals who don’t have bicycles.

There will always be, I suppose, the car-centric, the people who believe their rights dominate, just as there will always be cyclists who believe that they have the right of way. But, as in most cases, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. And swearing at cyclists isn’t going to get us there.

Sue Hertz
Newburyport Resident

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Comments

11 responses to “Negative Attitudes Toward Cyclists in Newburyport Need to Change”

  1. Cavan Dunn Avatar

    Well said Sue!

  2. Well said Sue !!!
    I’m a bike riding Newburyport resident as well. Have dealt with ALL that you have written here.
    So sad that we just can’t seem to get along on the roadways… ☹️

  3. Jamie Welch Avatar
    Jamie Welch

    My feelings exactly, Sue!

  4. Well said Sue and totally true.
    So many entitled people driving while texting and cutting people off.

  5. Here here Sue! Cyclist are people too! I ride trail and road because I too enjoy all that you describe- scenery, fresh air, community, exercise! Nothing beats cruising the backroads and city trails on my 2 wheeled steed! I have come up against nay sayers and grumble grousers similar to those you describe. Depending on my mood, I either smile and wave hello, or shake my head and wonder at how improved their sorry disposition might be, if someone introduced the art of cycling to them. Cycling enhances the day to day. Feeling down? Swing a leg over your bike and take off. Because you have to concentrate when you’re riding- where you go, when to turn where to turn , slow down speed up, stop/go, you’re always thinking one step ahead & watching the other guy- it takes your mind off whatever it was that was bothering you when you started. Shedding city streets & heading to a back country road, you can relax (some )and enjoy the ride. That’s when the magic begins as endorphins kick in. Riders high is real. It’s the great leveler. Biking brings better physical health & peace of body, mind, spirit. You can’t help but be in a better mood after a ride. And it doesn’t have to be an all day event. Even a short bike ride brings positive things into your life. And, it’s cheap. Don’t need a million dollar bike, just a safe one. Saves on gas- pedal to work, school, library, errands…I agree with you Sue. Tolerance of one another is key, because rude people suck. Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot. Rider driver awareness, share the road, all of it- because bikes rock! More the merrier in my book!

  6. What a great opinion piece! Well written and fair. Totally agree with the sentiment.

    My experience on the Clipper City bike trail is that as you get closer to the waterfront, and more pedestrian traffic, the walkers get more impatient with bikers. Until the path gets widened, or multiple lanes put in (probably not in my lifetime), maybe its up to us bikers to yield the trail on the waterfront to walkers and just avoid it – or dismount and walk our bikes through it based on pedestrian traffic. Disappointing for me as a biker, but just realistic – especially during the tourist season.

    As for the other sections of the trail, I have found that a pleasant bike bell works best – although admittedly many walkers now sport earbuds and wouldn’t be able to hear a Mack Truck air horn behind them at full blast…

    Keep on riding! and walking….

    1. Hi Jack. I also ride the rail trail, often, and love it! Walking it is awesome too!
      I’ve got to say that I’ve never had a bad experience on it as far as negative interaction with peeps goes. That said, I do approach with a giant smile and a fairly loud announcement “ coming up on your left”. I’ll say it twice and if there’s no acknowledgement I give an extra wide birth and slow as I pass. I always try to wave or say hi as a good ambassador move, because I don’t want walkers to dislike bikers. Most often the walker(s) after a quick beat, will move to the right a step to signal they’ve heard me. Some even say thank you, in earnest.
      Like you, I try to avoid the central portion of the downtown trail during peak hours because as you say, it’s too busy & not worth the hassle.
      But I will never stop using the full trail. I ride responsibly and always think of whoever else is on the trail enjoying it at the same time. I don’t carry an attitude of “ mine not yours” but rather “ isn’t this great we have this awesome trail to use and enjoy?” I approach or pass fellow trail creatures using body language that suggests “I’m here with you not against you”. And always gleam a smile.

      Rail trail is the perfect launch pad for crisscrossing my way around town. I hop on and off at so many portions as cut throughs, I feel like a kid again cutting through backyards and fields as I made my way home after school so many years ago.

      I hope cyclist don’t stop using the rail trail. There’s plenty of room for all. An awareness of place on the trail combined with some tolerance for others is all it takes.

      Thanks to Sue, for putting this topic out there .This conversation continues to be ongoing, as it should be. Education and awareness are key, because I think some people out there just don’t know how important cycling is, to so many people in the community. It is a way of life.

    2. Charlie R Avatar

      Jack,
      Thanks for saying this, “maybe its up to us bikers to yield the trail on the waterfront to walkers and just avoid it – or dismount and walk our bikes through it based on pedestrian traffic. Disappointing for me as a biker, but just realistic – especially during the tourist season”.
      As you are aware as a user of the rail trail, there is signage regarding walking your bike on the boardwalk.
      I am an avid walker, with no ear buds and aware of my surroundings. I applaud the bikers who ring their bell, say “on your left” or give some notification that they are approaching. There is plenty of room for all of us on the rail trail and roads. A little common courtesy would go a long way by all.
      Happy biking.

      Charlie

  7. Sadie Ide Sinkler Avatar
    Sadie Ide Sinkler

    People are just evil sometimes. Signage needs to shame them into behaving. We need better signage. The rotary needs in big painted lettering on the road stating ’25 mph’.

    Somerville has embraced cyclists to the point where you can’t drive through efficiently at all. They started with signage and lights.

  8. So well said Sue! I like the “More is More” suggestion—let’s get more bikers out there.

  9. We’ve cycled all over the world but unfortunately do everything we can to avoid High Street, especially where the bike lane ends as you move closer to State Street. Even though the traffic is relatively slow, many cars are too impatient to wait even for a few seconds.

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