English | 
Chill…
Sometimes it feels as if Austria’s bike paths are a war zone. Weekend warriors are bitterly fighting for sprint points, German bicycle tourists try to win through sheer numbers, and the remaining space is taken up by families where the parents too would be better off on tricycles… and the air is thick with aggression.
It doesn’t even take cyclophobic car drivers, pedestrians living in their iPod universe or invisible dog leashes – once spring arrives, this happens all by itself. On the overcrowded bike paths, the tiniest annoyance is enough to provoke a torrent of amazingly creative abuse…
But of course nobody is exempt. Some cyclists consider themselves immune to all danger and make a point of running red lights or taking up as much space as possible. Others may be physically present on a bicycle, but are mentally in an entirely different universe thanks to modern MP3 technology, and partake in road traffic in an essentially unpredictable fashion. Neither approach sits very well with car drivers, who are understandably annoyed by the nonsense they have to endure on the roads, and they seek a little revenge by driving the tiniest bit more aggressively. And ultimately, everybody is thoroughly pissed off.
But, despite the claims of many a cyclist, it’s not entirely their fault. Maybe not as much of the road cyclists (who are usually the first to be blamed), because they know how to share the road in a sensible manner. In my opinion, it’s more the occasional cyclists who would profit from a little more reflection on how they are acting in public, and how a sensible coexistence could work. This may start with trying to stay to the right side of the road and perhaps paying at least enough attention to not be surprised by oncoming cyclists in the last possible moment.
People with insufficient cognitive abilities to achieve this feat should consider a tandem (with a more mentally acute person in front), or maybe swapping the bike for hiking boots. But in no case should they try to put the blame on the cyclists they failed to see coming on a 300m straight road, barely missing a frontal crash – and then immediately called names that would make a sailor blush.
But: none of this is new to the all-year cyclist. He has seen it all a thousand times, and bears it with buddhistic patience and a smile. Because the next winter is inevitable, and then all the bike paths will be ours again.
