Final answer:
Motorists should treat bicyclists as any other vehicle, respecting their space and movement. Understanding relative motion is key when sharing roads, as in busy environments like New York, where paths are complex and interwoven.
Step-by-step explanation:
Motorists should regard bicyclists as they would any other vehicle on the road. This means respecting their space and ensuring to follow all the rules of shared roadways to maintain safety. When a bicyclist is in motion, whether they are moving in the same direction as the motorist, opposite the direction, or even appearing to be stationary relative to the motorist, the bicyclist must be considered with the same awareness and caution one affords another car.
For example, if you're standing on a sidewalk facing the road and see a bicyclist passing by toward your right, in the reference frame of the bicyclist, you would be moving to the left. This highlights the importance of understanding relative motion and positions, which are crucial when sharing the road. Cities like New York are good examples of environments where drivers and walkers must navigate their paths considering others, which includes bicyclists, demonstrating the complex, often zigzagged paths taken by those sharing the road.