Column: No winners in battles between drivers, cyclists

Listen, I get it. Driving can be frustrating.

Add a group of cyclists into the mix, and the frustration can erupt into a volatile situation.

The encounter between cyclists and drivers can escalate into damaged hoods, shattered glass, twisted bike frames — and in the worst cases — lost lives.

I see these things as a cyclist. And I see them as a driver.

A recent, widely seen Facebook post featured a Charlotte driver who was reportedly driving in a threatening manner around a group of 30 cyclists last Wednesday.

One of the cyclists in the group confronted the driver, whose daughter was also in the vehicle. The driver posed for a photo, giving a smile and two backward middle fingers. The picture has been shared thousands of times.

That’s a conflict I’ve experienced from both sides.

There’s a major difference between being responsible for my own safety and having to play defense because I don’t trust drivers.

I never ride without paying respect to the laws of the road — they keep me safe.

Of course, not all cyclists play by those rules.

But let’s put this simply. My life is worth more than the 30 fewer seconds it takes you to get where you're going.

I often encounter cyclists while driving. And sometimes, when they veer into the middle of the road, it tests my patience.

But in those moments, I try to forget about the inconvenience.

That’s because I understand that no matter how frustrating it can be, in the battle between cyclists and cars, the cyclist will lose every time.