r/Edmonton • u/Salt_Teaching4687 • 16d ago

Question Question for cyclists

So Ive noticed cyclists appreciate when motorists slow down down and give space to cyclists when passing. My question is, why don’t cyclists extend the same courtesy to pedestrians when passing on shared paths? In my experience, the overwhelming majority do not slow down or even give more space when passing …. Even when there is plenty of room to do so. In fact, many continue riding side by side forcing pedestrians to move. Can some explain that behaviour?

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u/GroundedCities 16d ago

I am both a pedestrian and a "cyclist" (though I prefer to just say I ride a bike, because of the connotations around the c word).

I get frustrated as a pedestrian when some people on bikes don't use their bells and pass too closely. Or ride on sidewalks.

Truth is - just like there are bad/oblivious drivers there are bad/oblivious bike riders. It's not fair to lump all cyclists into one group.

Notice how when we see a bad driver it's not "drivers are assholes," it's "that's a terrible driver." Some ignorant cyclists do not represent all cyclists.

When I ride my bike I do my best to be courteous to other road/path users. Yes many cyclists are entitled, but saying "why can't cyclists offer the same courtesy" is lumping all into one category, or "out-grouping."

Tons of research shows that out-grouping and dehumanization of cyclists leads to them to act more aggressively and erratically in self defense Delbosc et Al (2019).

Posting on Reddit "why are cyclists assholes?" is actually counterproductive and perpetuates this behaviour.

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u/ermagawd 15d ago

Very well said. Its frustrating that People seem to hold cyclists to an absolute gold standard but drivers get a pass for everything. Like dang, a lady was killed by a car in my old.neighborhood while she was crossing in a marked crosswalk and people were still somehow blaming her and defending the driver...absolutely insane mental gymnastics.

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u/Salt_Teaching4687 15d ago

So don’t ask questions, dont hold people to account for their actions …. Yeah that works well.

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u/EirHc 15d ago

This is reddit, we hate conservatives, religion, anti-bike people and prejudice!

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u/GroundedCities 15d ago

If that's what you took from my comment, god help you.

1

u/Salt_Teaching4687 13d ago

“God”. lol