In his letter, Jeff Holmes asks “I’d like to know what special powers of observation they have that I, in my car, don’t,” (“Stop pandering to cyclists” Jan. 14). It is clear he rarely rides a bike. The fact is that a person on a bike has much better “powers of observation” than a person in a car.

Cyclists have unobstructed sight lines around them, while people in cars have pillars, a roof, and other obstructions. Car windows are surprisingly smaller than they appear once you're inside. And cyclists are very close to the farthest extents of their vehicle and can see down the street without protruding four feet out to gain a similar view. Cyclists also hear street sounds better than someone in a car, so they can better hear what they cannot see. Cyclists also have a good sense of road conditions from tactile feedback they get from their bike. They can tell when it's slippery, bumpy, off-camber or inclined. Car drivers are insulated from this by their suspension and power steering.

Finally, cyclists cannot "disregard stop signs," as Mr. Holmes claims. They must treat stop signs as yield signs and give the right-of-way to any vehicles already at a stop. I encourage Mr. Holmes, and everyone, to get out on a bike sometime and become aware of the differences.

Robert Nobles, Portland