Does cycling make you feel better about your driving?

Not long after I started riding bikes regularly, I noticed that I swerve the car around manhole covers and feel myself pulling up on the steering wheel when I cross railroad tracks.

I also noticed after I had a collision with a car on my bike that I became better at spotting trouble before it happened whether on bike or in the car.

Cycling has improved my defensive driving by making the vulnerability more real.

And recently, when I drive, I feel more vulnerable than I do on a bike. The roads I venture onto are markedly different when I'm in a car from when I'm on a bike. What I'm finding interesting is the roads I don't like to be on when I'm riding a bike are the same ones I don't like to be on when I'm in a car.

I think the explanation is I've grown accustomed to my low stress bike rides. I'm now spending about the same amount of time on a bike per week that I used to spend in a car per week, but the stress level is way lower. Removing the constant stimulation of a trip down the interstate during rush hour allows me to see the stress of high-speed driving for what it is: something we can train ourselves to push out of our consciousness, but the toll on our bodies occurs just the same.

I'm actually happy that I notice my stress level increase when I'm in the car. It makes me feel well-adjusted.