Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unexpected challenges to populations’ health, livelihood, and well-being of communities across the world. The mundane activities ranging from going to the grocery store to traveling by public transport have transformed in order to keep the spreading of the virus under control. As people had to adjust to shifting contexts, which additionally took a toll on mental health, many of them turned to outdoor exercise and mental relaxation to address the stress caused by their completely different daily life patterns (Pedrosa et al., 2020). Bicycle use has skyrocketed over the pandemic as a response to the changing community habits stemming from the pandemic, as suggested in the findings of the field survey carried out by PeopleForBikes (2020), a non-profit organization. Notably, a quarter of bike riders are committing to essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and markets. Therefore, the pandemic has enabled a significant global cultural shift that covered health, lifestyle, and even transportation changes, with the use of bicycles skyrocketing. Thus, in the context of increasing bicycle use, greater emphasis is needed on the level of communication effectiveness between motorists and cyclists.
Relevance to Matters of Communication
The choice of a vehicle by a specific group or a larger population can comment a lot on their way of life, cultural peculiarities, as well as the overall lifestyle. For example, as noted by Barnett Pearce (1989), a kayak is more to an Eskimo than merely a means of getting from one location to another because it tells a much broader story. The context of modernity has been closely associated with the industrial development, and the challenges it brings to people are far more complex. “The vertigo of being a pedestrian in the middle of a busy street filled with large, noisy vehicles” is a metaphor describing the way many people feel in modern world, and communication is essential not only for expressing the feelings but also for effective and meaningful interactions (Barnett Pearce, 1989).
The practices of driving a car or riding a bike have become a part of modern society’s resources, and understanding the way that the different participants of the traffic interact with one another is a commentary on the culture of communication. If there is enough respect for the needs and expectations of either group on the part of another, one may conclude that the communication has reached effective levels. However, the nature of human condition is such that there should be some rules set into place to guide the communication. Any governmental activities set in place require passive participation and commentary from the public (Barnett Pearce, 1989). This means that even with rules set in place, people may interpret them differently in practice, and the levels of their involvement will differ. Thus, even though there are certain rules of conduct associated with road traffic, it remains to be discovered how cyclists and car drivers interact with each other and whether their communication is effective.
Pandemic Effect: Lifestyle
The negative impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not limited to the infectious disease associated with it as there were indirect effects on the lifestyle that the researchers have explored more closely recently. The changes in lifestyle and behavior are notable because they have had a drastic impact on the way in which society began accommodating everyday life during the pandemic. For example, students of both schools and higher education institutions had to attend online classes instead of visiting lectures and lessons physically (Yun et al., 2021). Employees who used to go to the office and interact with one another had to conduct Zoom or Skype meetings (Yun et al., 2021). Going out to eat has become more complicated, with people preferring to get their food delivered home. Overall, the need to stay home for longer and limit exposure to other people meant increased social isolation, which, in turn, led to further lifestyle changes.
Various population segments have responded to the pandemic-related lifestyle changes, although the trend of lower activity and engagement was common for everyone. Importantly, social isolation and the requirement to stay home longer contributed to a significant decline in physical and other meaningful everyday activities, including leisure, social activity, and education (Caroppo et al., 2021). Besides, older adults found it especially hard to adjust to the lockdown measures and reported having cognitive complaints (Caroppo et al., 2021). In children, the collateral effects of lifestyle changes contribute to inadequate nutrition, more time spent behind screens, a lack of discipline due to schools transferring online, and psychosocial difficulties (Caroppo et al., 2021). In general, the common trend in lifestyle changes affecting the population was associated with an increased sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy nutritional choices, as well as higher exposure to online entertainment and digital media. Such changes in lifestyle have contributed to both physical and health consequences.
Health
While most individuals who got COVID-19 tend to recover fully within several weeks to a month, there are long-term effects on physical and emotional health that people continue experiencing even after recovery. Older individuals and those with weaker immunity due to severe medical conditions have reported experiencing long-term symptoms of the coronavirus (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). However, even younger and otherwise healthy people can feel unwell for weeks and even months after being infected (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). Widespread signs and symptoms that can occur on a long-term basis include fatigue, joint pain, problems with sleep, memory, and concentration, shortness of breath, dizziness, as well as anxiety or depression (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). Problems with mood and fatigue have been especially notable because many people recovering from COVID-19 have reported developing chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a complex disorder characterized by severe fatigue worsening after physical or mental activity (Woods et al., 2020). Experiencing extreme fatigue for long periods of time, in addition to social isolation and economic outcomes of the coronavirus, may take a toll on the emotional and mental health of individuals.
Coronavirus, coupled with the resulting economic recession, has adversely influenced the mental health of many people and created additional barriers for individuals who have already been suffering from mental health challenges. According to the KFF report by Panchal et al. (2021), around four in ten adults in the US have reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, a share that has been predominantly consistent and increased from one in ten adults reporting such symptoms from January to June 2019. In addition, the researchers found that during the pandemic, many adults reported challenges with sleep (36%), eating (32%), increases in the consumption of alcohol and other substances (12%), as well as the deterioration of chronic health conditions (12%) as a result of stress (Panchal et al., 2021). Finally, it is notable that mental health challenges affected mothers who were experiencing difficulties associated with school closures and the lack of childcare. Women who have children were more likely to report having anxiety and depression symptoms compared to men with children (45% versus 40%) (Panchal et al., 2021). Overall, both people who have already been struggling with mental health issues and those who have begun experiencing them as a result of the pandemic reported a decline in their mental health state during their time of social distancing.
Transportation
The pressure on organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted from transporting people to keeping the primary transportation system operational with a core workforce to ensure that freight and essential workers continue moving. Besides the more significant impact on the transportation sector, private and passenger transport has undergone some changes. There was a reduction in passenger transport demand as a result of the combination of government lockdowns and the public’s fear of contracting and spreading the virus using public transportation (Sung & Monschauer, 2020). The number of trips to grocery stores or public places decreased as people began to plan them in advance and ensure that they do not go out if there is no necessity to do so. Notably, around a third of people in cities have stopped traveling through public transport because of the pandemic (Fleming, 2021). Comparing the US to European countries, Americans reported that they used public transit services less frequently as a result of the pandemic, while in Spain, around 49% of people mentioned that their public transportation use remained the same or even increased (Fleming, 2021). Therefore, there is a difference in transportation use trends between the US and countries in Europe, especially since, in the context of the latter, public transport is more widespread.
Economic Situation
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic effect on the global economy. The International Monetary Fund estimated that the worldwide GDP decreased by 3.9% between 2019 and 2020, making it the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression (Oum et al., 2022). In the first months of the pandemic, tens of millions of people lost their jobs. Even though the employment rates would start stabilizing, the rates of unemployment remained high throughout the year 2021 (CBPP, 2022). This meant that there was a considerable unmet need among the population near the end of 2021, with around twenty million households mentioning that they did not have enough money to spend on necessities such as food and rent.
At the beginning of 2022, approximately three million fewer people were unemployed compared to the pre-pandemic statistics. The overall financial hardship that people had to endure during the pandemic took a significant toll on the mental health of individuals who feared about their future. It is notable that the economic fallout, even though it was quite widespread across the population, it remained especially relevant among Black and Latino Americans, as well as other people of color (Linkins, 2022). The longstanding effects of the pandemic on the financial situation of the representatives of racial minorities suggest that those who have already been economically vulnerable are more likely to suffer from the pandemic’s effects the most.
Advantages of Riding vs Driving
In a coronavirus outbreak, it is recommended for people to avoid public places not to risk contracting the disease or infecting others. Due to the declining demand for public transportation, bicycles have become the answer to the problem of needing transportation but avoiding going on the bus or subway. The boom in bicycle demand is linked to common sense because it is less complicated to comply with the guidelines on social distancing when riding a bike in the open rather than being in an enclosed environment of a crowded bus or train. Besides, the overall decrease in car traffic due to many people having to stay at home, in addition to temporary speed reductions, makes town and city streets friendlier to cyclists (Sibilski, 2020). Bikes are transportation modes can be seen as zero-emission, which is why they can play a crucial part in reducing the climate impact of mobility.
While bike riding is environmentally sustainable, it has a positive effect on health and well-being, both physical and mental. From the physical perspective, riding a bike regularly helps to synchronize the cardiac rhythm, reduces the levels of stress hormones, improves sleep, and has an overall positive impact on physical strength and well-being (Sibilski, 2020). In terms of emotional health, riding a bike facilitates creative thinking because the uniform movement has a relaxing effect on the brain, thus stabilizing both mental and physical functions. For individuals challenged by stress, anxiety, and even depressive symptoms, cycling can take positive therapeutic forms as it promotes the feeling of calmness and well-being due to the boost of endorphins (Sibilski, 2020). Besides, riding a bike can be an excellent way to ‘zone out’ and think about something positive. In contrast to driving, riding a bike is more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable and could be a good solution for those people who want to combine pleasure with physical activity.
NYC
Pre-Pandemic vs Post-Pandemic Bicycle Access and Paths
For several years before the pandemic, the NYC government worked to create a bike infrastructure that would ensure greater safety of cyclists and motorists by implementing efficient solutions to road sharing. By the year 2018, 1,240 miles of bike lanes were installed in the city, with 66.1 miles completed in 2018 alone (DOT, 2020). There were 480 miles of protected bike lanes throughout New York City, intending to implement a minimum of 50 lane miles of cycling facilities per year (DOT, 2020). The need for increased safety and efficiency of bike lanes is a concern because of the large number of cycling accidents.
The local authorities of New York City were looking to improve the pedestrian and bike access between its boroughs because the infrastructure was quite limited. For example, in 2018, the city aimed to make significant upgrades to the 13 Harlem River crossing connecting Bronx and Manhattan to improve pedestrian and cyclist connectivity (Hu, 2018). The 2015 reopening of the High Bridge showed the great demand for crossings suitable for cyclists and pedestrians over the Harlem River. Besides, the event pointed to many gaps in infrastructure and showed how much work must be done to provide better connectivity between Manhattan and Bronx (Warerkar, 2018). The need to improve the bike and pedestrian infrastructure was associated with the fact that many cyclists and pedestrians hesitated to use crossings because of the dangers related to car traffic.
The need for updating and expanding bike accessibility and paths mentioned in the High Bridge case shows that New York City is not accommodating for such activities as mountain biking, and the greatest demand is on-road biking. However, road biking usually occurs in the middle of a busy city, and cyclists are sometimes expected to perform maneuvers to pass traffic. The paths that are the most accommodating for bike rides are Central Park and Governor’s Island, where there is no traffic and cyclists can enjoy the scenery. Still, cycling is permitted on all main and local streets throughout New York City, even in cases when there is no designated route. In times of lower demand for bicycles, roads without designated bike lanes could be easily accessible. However, with the rising demand for cycling, actions aimed at making bikes safer and more accessible are crucial.
After the largest waves of the coronavirus pandemic, NYC bike accessibility and safety needed to be strengthened. Notably, in the winter of 2022, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) initiated the hardening of bike lanes as a part of the action plan to fortify the city’s most extensive bike lanes protected by delineators (DOT, 2020). The DOT has already completed the hardening of several locations in Manhattan and plans to expand the high-volume protected lanes in the future. The goal of the department’s action plan for 2022 is to increase the safety of NYC’s cyclists in all locations throughout the city because drivers have been particularly disrespectful of people on bikes and blocked critical spaces. In addition, the project will be implemented together with the DOT’s commitment to build more miles of safeguardeed lanes for cyclists, with designs that will be less reliant on the protection delineators that exist today.
Pre-Pandemic vs Post-Pandemic Statistics on Bicycle-Motorist Related Accidents
NYC cyclists are involved in many motor vehicle accidents and statistics show that before the pandemic and during it, the rates of crashes increased steadily in the period before the pandemic. For example, based on DOT statistics on NYC crashes between bicyclists and motor vehicles, there were 754 crashes in 2011, 3,900 in 2012, 3,872 in 2013, 3,981 in 2014, 4,411 in 2015, 4,574 in 2016, 4,378 in 2017, and 5,502 in 2018 (DOT, 2020). During and after the pandemic, the number of crashes involving bicyclists and motor vehicles in NYC was 5,846 in 2019 and 6,343 in 2020 (DOT, 2020). For now, there is no exact data from DOT available on the number of crashes involving cyclists and motorists in NYC in 2021 and 2022.
In the reported accidents, the causes for collisions between motorists and cycles ranged. For example, intersection accidents are common because when drivers are driving or merging with traffic after intersections, they may get distracted and fail to see a cyclist approaching (Reiter, 2021). Besides, on streets with designated bike lanes, motorists that need to make a turn may not notice cyclists coming to an intersection cycling in the lane that goes straight (Reiter, 2021). To reduce the risks associated with causes of accidents, it is recommended to consider the importance of effective communication between all participants in traffic.
Analysis
New York City aims to be highly accommodating to bicyclists and has plans to increase the safety on roads by creating bike lanes that will be physically divided from the primary traffic, thus reducing the risks that traffic poses to bicyclists. With the growth of bicycle use as a result of the pandemic, the city will have to increase its efforts to make cycling safer and more accessible. Protected bike lanes represent an effective strategy for keeping the cyclists of New York safe, making them an essential part of the city’s infrastructure, including the streetscape and the transit ecosystem. The hardening of bike lanes is an answer to helping unclog the high-traffic roads and reduce pollution by encouraging more citizens to travel by bike. Going back to the causes of road accidents between motorists and cyclists, the hardening of bike lanes will reduce the likelihood of motorists running into cyclists at intersections or parking cars on bike lanes and obstructing movement.
As the pandemic showed, safe access to outdoor recreational activities is crucial for the population. In the case of cycling, clearly defined and protected bike lanes along the most high-trafficked areas will make sure that New Yorkers can commute safely. At the same time, increasing the number of cyclists and reducing the number of motorists or public vehicle transport will have a positive impact on traffic decongestion. Thus, the responsible redesign of streets that takes into account the risks to which cyclists are exposed will help meet the increased demand for cycling while limiting the potential danger and obstacles. The considerations of improved communication between cyclists and motorists are essential for enhancing their navigation throughout road traffic. Besides, the nature of their communication can be implicit, and in mixed traffic, the quality of such communication needs to be on a high level.
Pre-Pandemic vs Post-Pandemic Bicycle Access and Paths
Poland is among the countries the citizens of which rely heavily on bicycle use for their commute. The government encourages bike use because of the positive environmental outcomes of cycling. For instance, Warsaw is on the list of ten most congested cities in Europe, with an average daily congestion level of 37%, reaching 65% in the morning and 72% in the evening (Iwińska et al., 2018). Thus, before the pandemic, city governments were dedicated to increasing the accessibility and accommodation for cycling. Between the years 2005 and 2015, cycling in Warsaw alone increased from 0.9% to 3.8%, while the length of cycling paths and lanes increased from 275 km (164 miles) in 2010 to 457 km (283 miles) in 2017 (Iwińska et al., 2018). The bike network density in the city was 0.27 km for 1000 citizens of Warsaw (Iwińska et al., 2018). Besides, the number of parking spots for bicycles in Warsaw increased from 117 to 267 between 2013 and 2017 and was planning to be expanded further. Notably, another 74 km of bike paths were scheduled to be built by 2021 (Iwińska et al., 2018).
Even before the pandemic, Poland had facilitated the expansion of a bike-sharing system that included such services as Nextbike. The aim of increasing bike accessibility throughout the country is linked to the fact that in both urbanized and rural areas, a private car is the preferred transportation method because of its convenience. In addition, researchers indicated that the presence of well-developed cycling infrastructure, such as pathways, would increase the popularity of bike riding (Bielinski, Kwapisz, & Wazna, 2019). Moreover, because many cities and towns in Poland are considered tourist sites, bike accessibility is important for traffic decongestions and offering various modes of transportation to visitors and citizens.
After the pandemic, the popularity of bike-sharing increased further, with local governments promoting the activity as an essential contribution to building healthy, sustainable, and equitable cities. Recent research evaluating Poland’s bike accessibility showed that bike-sharing tends to be more widespread when there is more accommodation, such as bike stations with racks where bikes can be left by riders (Radzimski & Dziecielski, 2021). Besides, after the pandemic, when the restrictions for public places got lifted, bike-sharing increased near shopping malls, cinemas, parks, and bodies of water as people started to use bikes instead of public transport to get to their destinations. However, when it comes to routine commutes, bicyclists prefer using their personal bikes instead of bike-sharing. Overall, the facilities for cyclists in Poland are quite extensive and are planned to be expanded in the future alongside with the growing demand for bike use.
Pre-Pandemic vs Post-Pandemic Statistics on Bicycle-Motorist Related Accidents
Between the years 1999 and 2018, there has been a downward trend in road traffic mortality in Poland, which is an indicator of increasing road safety and the rising awareness of the traffic participants about the need to stay cautious. Traffic legislation and policies were implemented in the country to increase road safety and penalize those who do not comply with the enforced rules (OECD, 2020). However, when it comes to the rates of death of pedal cyclists due to sustained injuries in accidents, between 1999 and 2018, the rate remained similar, with 7.6% and 7.9%, respectively (OECD, 2020). Notably, cyclists aged 65 and older had significantly higher chances of dying as a result of collisions compared to any other age group. In 2017, there were 4,200 accidents involving cyclists, while in 2018, there were 4,712, which is 500 more compared to the previous year (TVP World, 2019). Moreover, in 2018, 286 cyclists were killed in Poland, 66 more compared to 2017 (TVP World, 2019). The police have connected the increase in cyclists’ mortality and the higher number of accidents with the derivative of the fact that there are more cyclists appearing on roads as well as the number of cars.
In 2020, there were a total of 3,768 accidents with cyclists occurred, which was 658 cases compared to 2019 (-15%) (Krawczyk, 2021). 249 cyclists were killed as a result of the accidents, while 3,393 cyclists were injured (Krawczyk, 2021). Drawing from the findings of police reports, the crashes were most likely to be caused by motorists, while the main reason for collisions was the failure to give way while the majority of cyclists died as a result of incorrect overtaking (Krawczyk, 2021). When it comes to 2021 data, throughout the year, people riding bikes were involved in 3,513 accidents on the road, with 33% of collisions caused by the failure to give way (Figaj, 2022). Of the mentioned accidents, 185 cyclists were killed, and 3,179 were injured (Figaj, 2022). Thus, even though the number of crashes involving cyclists and motorists has not changed significantly after the pandemic, it remains a road safety problem that needs addressing.
Analysis
Poland has witnessed a significant increase in demand for bicycle use as a good solution for decongesting the cities with high traffic and increasing the sustainability of both public and private transport. The rates of bicycling have been growing steadily over the years, in Warsaw especially, and the use of bikes for transportation is expected to rise as cities and towns become more accessible and safer for cyclists. Notably, Polish citizens have been shown to enjoy bike-sharing because it does not require bike ownership, can be covered by using digital payment methods, and is becoming widely accessible throughout towns and cities.
As more bike users begin appearing on roads, it is expected that road accidents involving both motorists and cyclists will happen more, which is a challenge that Polish authorities will have to address in terms of making cycling safer. As of now, there are specially designated lanes for cyclists, which are divided from the main traffic with the help of road designations and signs, such as solar-powered bike paths (Perry, 2019). However, in less cycling-accommodating areas, cyclists are expected to stay close to the right curb. Overall, since the statistics on injuries and deaths associated with traffic accidents between cyclists and motorists have remained on a similar level throughout recent years, legislative efforts and activities aimed at increasing road safety are necessary. The analysis calls for the further breakdown of communication between cyclists and motorists on the road, as well as the way in which their interactions affect the safety of traffic.
Analysis of Communication: NYC vs Poland
The interactions between the drivers of automated vehicles and more vulnerable road users such as cyclists are among the most significant challenges of everyday traffic. The way in which those involved in various movements on the road communicate has a direct effect on their behaviors, intentions, and actions, and the reactions to the actions of others (Zhang, Dotzauer, & Schießl, 2022). Moreover, it should be noted that such communication can take implicit forms, which creates additional traffic risks as it includes dynamic information such as speed, distance, and others (Barnett Pearce, 1989). Therefore, the combination of implicit and explicit forms of communication between cyclists and motorists represents the framework of interactions shaping the safety of people involved in traffic. It is expected that the levels of cycling accessibility and the rates of use will influence the quality and effectiveness of communication between cyclists and motorists. Further analysis is aimed at comparing the level of effectiveness of cyclists and motorists in New York City and Poland.
New York City Department of Transportation has been working to safeguard cyclists from the dangers of driving in busy traffic along with motorists. However, some significant challenges remain as to motorists’ behaviors and the lack of effective communication between traffic participants. In NYC, both pedestrians and motorists have expressed their irritation with cyclists because they are often seen breaking the rules, driving into heavy traffic, or getting onto pedestrian areas and cycling there (Basu, 2019). However, this dissatisfaction is often the result of cyclists not feeling safe to cycle on roads with traffic due to motorists’ actions.
Because the New York City streets are very busy, the goal of policymakers is to keep motor vehicles and bicyclists apart so that they do not interfere with each other when driving. It is notable that while this measure is key to addressing safety, it does not consider the need to educate both groups about the importance of effective communication. The predictability of actions is at the core of effective communication, which enables better awareness regarding moving through intersections and other road maneuvers. Notably, there are instructions issues for NYC cyclists on how they can signal their actions, avoid getting “doored” (being hit by an opening car door), cycle near large vehicles, and avoiding hugging curbs. All of the recommendations are concerned with the need always to be aware and predict the actions of motorists in advance, without engaging with much communication with them. There is lacking information for motorists as to how they should read the signs given by cyclists and predict their actions, possibly because of the increasing efforts to divide the two groups physically, so they do not intersect in traffic.
Thus, when it comes to the communication between motorists and cyclists on the road of NYC, there is limited information available. The most significant determinant of ineffective communication is that the drivers of motor vehicles do not consider cyclists as participants in traffic, thus disregarding their need for safety. It is quite common for motorists to park their cars in the bike lane, obstructing bicyclists’ movement and causing them to move into the main part of the roadway and possibly collide (Reiter, 2021). In addition, there are accidents associated with drivers not respecting specially designated bike lanes and may use them to go around cars in traffic, thus posing a danger to cyclists.
In Europe, including Poland, the safety policies aimed at increasing the road safety of cyclists have mostly considered motorists’ speed reduction as a way to harmonize the speed of movement of different road users. However, to reach the precondition of predictability of road users, it is necessary to pay more attention to the predictability of non-motorists and facilitate more effective communication (Chaloupka-Risser & Füssl, 2017). A study conducted on the perceived barriers and facilitators of cycling in Poland suggested that besides the issues with cycling infrastructure, the insecurity that cyclists felt regarding the behavior of drivers was among the core limitations (Iwińska et al., 2018). This finding suggests that cyclists may not always understand the behaviors of motorists and feel unsafe to cycle.
While the trends of increased bicycle use in Poland and the rising numbers of cyclists on roads, research suggests that there are issues in the country’s driving culture that includes communication between cyclists and motorists, which contributes to unsafe conditions for cycling. Notably, according to Iwińska et al. (2018), study interviewees indicated that motorists lacked respect for cyclists and acted rudely towards them. One of the study interviewees called the driving culture in Poland (Warsaw, specifically) “a larger and faster rule on the streets” (Iwińska et al., 2018, p. 297). Another interviewee framed the driving culture as follows, “[…] when I ride the road, everyone, that is to say, drivers, are very unfriendly because [the road] is their place and I am bothering them in some way […] this is simply a city for cars” (Iwińska et al., 2018, p. 297). These quotes from research respondents suggest that the communication between cyclists and motorists is often ineffective because the latter do not consider the former as traffic participants.
Only cyclists with good experience mentioned that throughout the years, they have learned to recognize the signals and recognize the potential threats that drivers pose to them. According to cyclists, riding on the streets always requires concentration and awareness (Iwińska et al., 2018). The focus on safety only was noted as a disadvantage of cycling when comparing it to public transport. Moreover, it is essential to note that failure to give way was the main reason for road accidents between motorists and cyclists in Poland. This is another indicator of the ineffective communication between cyclists and motorists, especially since riders have the right of way. It is important that motorists driving in Poland are more aware of the increased numbers of cyclists on the country’s cities and other roads. Car drivers should take improved care to look at the signs that cyclists give when indicating their movements and ensure that there are no dangerous situations.
Reflection
There is a common theme unifying the challenge in the effectiveness of communication between cyclists in motorists in New York City and Poland. There is a lack of respect and consideration for the safety of cyclists, with motorists not considering them participants of traffic. This leads to cyclists feeling unsafe or having to maneuver between vehicles to overtake cars or pass those that are parked. Even when specially-designated bike paths are present, drivers may disregard them and park on them, thus causing cyclists to get into busy traffic. The overall dismissive attitude of motorists toward cyclists is possibly due to them treating people on bikes as not as relevant as cars, which further complicates the attitudes and the communication on the road.
The efforts of city governments and policymakers regarding ensuring the safety of motorists’ and cyclists’ interactions are limited to building physical barriers that will divide the lanes and ensure that cars do not drive into bike lanes and vice versa. However, the analysis indicates that there are not enough educational and awareness efforts aimed at strengthening the quality of communication between cyclists and motorists. In both NYC and Poland, the upward trend of bike use will continue in the several upcoming years, which calls for the actions of policymakers and advocates to promote the message about the importance of effective communication. The introduction of the latest traffic technologies and solutions may facilitate the improvement of road infrastructure; it is important that there is a mutual understanding about the expectations of safety from the people involved in driving or cycling.
Dividing cyclists from the rest of the traffic with the help of physical barriers is expected to prevent “dooring,” cars parking in bike lanes, as well as cyclists getting into traffic when overtaking motorists. However, the division does not mean that communication will stop. The problem of lack of respect and dismissal of cyclists’ needs requires addressing through education. The research involving cyclists showed that car drivers often show implicit signs of disrespect toward people on bikes. Motorists may overtake cyclists at short distances, break speeding limits, or park their cars in bike lanes, all of which are signs of disrespect and limited awareness of the safety risks that they pose with their actions. When motorists are more aware of the challenges of safety that cyclists experience in traffic, they are expected to increase their engagement in improved communication and be more aware of cyclists’ movements and intentions. The education should be two-way, and cyclists should be given more information on how they should act when drivers are disrespectful or dismissive toward road safety.
Conclusion
The results of the current study on communication between cyclists and motorists may be summarized through four key themes relevant to New York City and Poland. First, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, people around the world began recognizing the benefits of cycling compared to public transport. This suggests that the trend in bike use and the increase in cyclist numbers on the streets of Poland and NYC will continue. Second, there are increased concerns for traffic safety among local authorities, with the need to increase the protection of cyclists on roads and ensure that they are divided from cars. For example, in NYC, bicycle lanes would get protected by heavy-duty concrete barriers in areas of high ridership, a history of non-compliance, as well as lanes located near heavy vehicle corridors.
Third, despite the attempts to increase road safety, the problem of ineffective communication between cyclists and motorists remains. For instance, Polish cyclists who regularly commute in Warsaw indicated that drivers lacked respect for cyclists and acted rudely towards them, blocked cycling lanes, and overtook them at very short distances causing them to hit the brakes. Finally, the ineffective communication between cyclists and motorists in Poland and NYC calls for more educational efforts to facilitate an improved understanding of the concerns of both motorists and cyclists and enable better movement in traffic altogether. It should be mentioned that while there is abundant information on how COVID-19 contributed to changes in bicycle use among city dwellers, there is a lack of research concerning the effectiveness of communication between cyclists and motorists.
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