Getting back on the roads after a long winter is a great feeling. Sun on your back...wind in your hair...and the unexpected blare of a car horn in your ear that almost makes you ride off the road into a ditch. 

It's a complicated springtime ritual. Cyclists return to the roads in droves and motorists aren't quite sure what to make of those spandex clad beings riding next to them, behind them, in front them. Misunderstanding their rights and responsibilities on the part of BOTH cyclists and drivers often leads to conflict, unfortunately.  

Roads aren't just for cars, of course, but we need to think like drivers as we ride. Too many people who ride bikes seem to think they are immune from the rules of the road and that it's all right to weave around cars or cut in front of them. The cars will stop, right? Yes, usually, but why risk your life to test the thesis? A collision between a car and a bike is bad news for everyone, but especially for the cyclist. 

Drivers are supposed to watch out for cyclists, but give drivers a break and try to cycle sensibly. Follow the rules of the road, be visible, be predictable, anticipate conflicts and always wear a helmet.