Seeing Things

I was waiting for an appointment the other day when I struck up a conversation with another woman in the lobby. She noticed my bike helmet and the conversation quickly turned to a discussion of cars versus cyclists.

It was just on of those casual conversations you have with a stranger in passing. After voicing the usual complaint about cyclists never stopping for red lights she added that she just “was not looking for cyclists.”

I started thinking about the word “looking.” Do drivers only see what they are looking for? And are they only looking for other cars? Which would mean, to a driver, a city intersection looks like this:

Seeing Things: Driver's POV

But when I bike through an intersection I am not looking for anything. I am seeing everything. If I were to travel through same intersection at the same moment I might see something like this:

Seeing Things: Cyclist's POV

But I probably see every street like this because I have to compensate for what the drivers are not looking for.

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52 comments

  • zoe morosini February 24, 2012  

    Very well done! I agree with your interpretations and, by the way, they’re lovely drawings. I don’t see as much as you do even when on my bike–although I try, but I believe I notice more than most drivers do. When I do drive, I don’t notice as much as when I’m on a bike. When cycling, the immediacy of my surroundings makes me more aware of all the individual people and things inhabiting the area. Inside a car I’m physically and emotionally separated from my surroundings, which gives me a sense of invincibility as well as separateness. After I’ve cycled several days in a row being in a car feels weird and confining.

  • Invisible Visible Man February 24, 2012  

    Bikey,
    May I call you by your first name?
    I’m very impressed by this because I’ve not long ago started a blog about cycling called the Invisible Visible Man which starts from the premise that, although I’m nearly 6′ 5″ and weigh 240 pounds, when I put on high-visibility clothing and get on a bicycle people seem to see me less. The original post explaining the conceit is here: http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.com/2012/01/invisible-visible-man.html.
    Given that I’m a writer rather than an artist, however, I’m much more impressed by how you can draw the phenomenon, rather than I can write about it.
    My wife (the Invisible Visible Woman) was also very impressed with your blog when I showed it to her.
    My general mixture of alternately rantings about cycling/ reflections on beauty on a bike can be found here: http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.com/
    Keep up the good work. You’re great at capturing the sheer fun and excitement of being out and about on a bike.
    Invisible.

  • steve February 24, 2012  

    Part of the problem is that bikes are hard to see. Not because of visibility, but because of the blind spots created by car design. The size of the pillars and the almost useless side mirrors make if difficult to spot smaller objects that are not right in front of you.

  • Robert Linthicum February 24, 2012  

    My Groundhog Day conversation:

    Them (acquaintance who drove by me last week as I was cycling out of town): “I can’t believe you ride out there, every day, in all that speeding traffic. Aren’t you afraid?”

    Me: “Not really. Did you have any trouble seeing me?” (I have very effective lights and flashers, fore and aft–cost more than my bicycle.)

    Them: “No, not at all, in fact I was going to mention how bright your lights are. I saw you a mile away.”

    Me: “OK, good. Have a nice weekend!”

    I mention this because this sort of conversation always ends that yes, I am highly visible and “seeable”, but many people who never cycle sometimes believe that motorists might see me but still plow into me. While I can imagine a drunk or someone dozing off doing that, I am bemused that it’s not uncommon thought that someone driving a car would suddenly lose control or coordination and plow into me from behind.

    I just don’t fear that eventuality. While I know cycling with cars can be risky, these are calculated risks.

    (Bikeyface is great!)

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