“Hooting, flushing and yelling are almost commonplace for cyclists in traffic”

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First, the rider from Sandnes Cycling Club was cut down by a motorist from behind, before the motorist stopped to scold and make threats to Langhelle and his teammates who were on the trip.

Every cyclist traveling on the road has experienced dangerous situations as a result of motorists’ behavior. Frequent overtaking, breach of duty, honking, washer fluid and yelling are some of the things that are almost commonplace for cyclists in traffic.

Fortunately, things are usually going well. On the other hand, the case of Are Olai Langhelle is very unpleasant. The Sandnes cyclist escaped serious injuries, but describes a fear of getting back on the bike in traffic. The case is a reminder that you are never completely safe as a cyclist.

Because even though the vast majority of motorists you meet along the country road are good at paying attention, there are unfortunately far too many who are impatient and furious.

The aggression from motorists towards cyclists is so widespread that a cyclist who trains almost every day will encounter angry and dangerous motorists several times a week.

Active road cyclists deliberately add training sessions to roads where there is little traffic to avoid as many situations as possible with motorists. This was also the case on the training trip to Sandnes Cycling Club in Denmark.

It is therefore incredibly disgusting to read that the club met a keen motorist on a very low-traffic road. It should be the case that when you are out cycling and hitting motorists, you should be sure that the motorist is behind until it is safe to drive past at a good distance.

It is not that difficult. It’s about breathing with your stomach, lying back with good clearance, and waiting until it’s clear before driving past. It’s actually very simple. If you do not have the patience for it, you are not suitable to have a driver’s license.

The collision in Denmark is not unique. I know of several cyclists who have either been hit themselves, or tried to be hit. In addition, there are the countless dangerous situations where so little is needed before things go wrong. I have many hours on the bike in Oslo and the surrounding area. I have stopped being surprised when I meet angry motorists who create dangerous situations.

I am a relatively experienced cyclist, both in competition and training contexts. I dare not think about how disgusting it is for cyclists with less experience than me.

Be patient, breathe with your stomach, enjoy the sight of other people being active

All dangerous situations I have encountered on the road in the context of training are caused by either inattentive or aggressive drivers. A change of attitude is required among the small but dangerous minority of motorists who expose cyclists to danger.

I really hope that Are Olai Langhelle recovers quickly after the violent collision in Denmark – both physically and not least mentally. It can not be easy for Langhelle and his fellow cyclists in Sandnes Cycling Club to get out into the traffic after such an incident.

For that to happen, my call to all motorists out there is as incredibly simple as this: Be patient, breathe with your stomach, enjoy the sight of other people being out in activity, and wait until you can drive all the way to the opposite lane before you driving past.

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