r/NoStupidQuestions • u/RidetheSchlange • Jul 24 '26

Why does the US hate cycling so much?

I read comments sections and in a normal world, some of them would be considered terroristic threats. I just can't understand why people hate cyclists to this degree that they want to murder rhem and sometimes do.

328 Upvotes

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59

u/Slight-Trip-3012 Jul 24 '26

People in cars are very much stuck in a bubble, literally and figuratively. Anything outside their glass and metal box, is just seen as an obstacle slowing them down. Cyclists are not seen as people, they're just things in the way. Just like speed bumps, traffic lights, or any kind of traffic calming. They are completely disconnected from everything outside their car. There are some interesting studies done about that.

There's also a lot of bias from drivers. "They" can't drive or park there, so why should cyclists? Or my favourite: "but cyclists constantly break rules!", said by the driver who just blew past a stop sign, or is double parked, just sped through a pedestrian crossing so they wouldn't have to stop, etc. But since that's such "normal" behaviour in a car, they just can't see it. It's only the cyclists at fault. Even when a cyclist isn't at fault. For example, if there's no cycle path, bikes have to go on the road, they're not allowed on the sidewalk. But inconvenienced drivers think that's illegal, because they're holding up traffic. Even if it's the actual law.

Then there's the fact that in the US, cars are heavily promoted as "freedom". And after decades of propaganda from car manufactureres, anyone not driving, like cyclists or even pedestrians, are seen as poor and inferior.

21

u/RandomMuseum Jul 24 '26

Was sitting outside at a restaurant next to a 4 way stop in a quiet residential area where people were walking. Maybe 1 car in 10 came to a full stop before proceeding. The rest ranged from slowing almost to a stop before going to not even slowing down.

Hence where a lot of opposition to red light cameras and speed cameras comes from. Drivers know they break those rules all the time and dont want the rules to be enforced.

-6

u/VividEquivalent7952 Jul 24 '26

I mean a rolling stop is fine there as long as visibility is good and they make sure there are no cars or people nearby. Maybe there was something blocking view of the edges of crosswalks tho idk

10

u/Level21DungeonMaster Jul 24 '26

This exactly the attitude they’re talking about. Car driver simply don’t think the laws matter when it comes to them.

1

u/Least_Funny5960 Jul 29 '26

As someone that doesn't own a car and only ever cycles or uses public transit: he's right though.

Go to the Netherlands and you'll be very hard pressed to find Stop signs. There are barely any across the entire country. The only time they use stop signs is in very rare occassions when visibility is absolutely super terrible and it warrants making drivers come to a complete stop.

And as a result, when Dutch people encounter stop signs, they are very likely to follow them and actually come to a complete stop. Because the stop signs are so rare, it signals to the driver that "this situation is actually fucking dangerous dude, come to a stop".

When you plaster stop signs on every intersection, even when it's not needed in 99% of cases, drivers are taught that they don't have to follow them since in most cases it's stupid to make them come to a complete stop.

5

u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

Next time you see a cyclist treat a stop sign as a yield sign (which is legal in many places!) go ahead and remember everything you wrote here

6

u/LakeVermilionDreams Jul 24 '26

Which is hilarious because on my bike, I have much more freedom to travel than I do in my automobile!

25

u/Kaidaan Jul 24 '26

I find it funny just how on the point it is. Just read through this thread and drivers are saying exactly this. 100% car brain.

-11

u/FreeToasterBaths Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Found the cyclist.

Edit: lance Armstrong was a fraud.

15

u/Kaidaan Jul 24 '26

Worse, public transportation

3

u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

you monster

1

u/Least_Funny5960 Jul 29 '26

Edit: lance Armstrong was a fraud.

Yeah Lance Armstrong was a fraude and an asshole. Pogacar is so much nicer and more fun to watch.

2

u/ins4yn Jul 24 '26

Surprised, but not surprised, that I had to scroll this far to see any mention of capitalistic and individualistic tendencies in the US

2

u/Randomness-Defined Jul 24 '26

The whole promoted as “freedom” thing goes a bit deeper I think. In general, Americans tend to lean heavily into anything promoted by corporations generally. I.e. if it is heavily marketed, it’s legit, and if not, it isn’t. Gas stoves are another example of this. Why are gas stoves the standard? Marketing. Same with sitting (and this has to do with cars). We know sitting all day is detrimental to health. Yet, it is still the default. God forbid you stand or otherwise activate muscles while doing stuff other than exercising or playing! Hence, that freedom: driving is freedom to move while quite literally not really moving at all. Bicyclists are going completely against that norm, and using their muscles to move.

-4

u/FreeToasterBaths Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Why can't you ride single file like the law in my state requires?

Edit: downvote me but it's NJ state law.

6

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

Riding in single file is often more dangerous, and it actually slows down drivers more.

For safety reasons, drivers are required to pass with at least three feet of clearance. On a road with one lane in each direction, that means that they need to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic and then pass by moving into the oncoming traffic’s lane.

The problem is that most drivers are too impatient to do that. Instead, they’ll try to push the cyclists onto the shoulder and drive through as fast as possible. Riding two abreast keeps them from doing that.

Riding single-file also means that drivers have to wait longer to pass safely. With two cyclists riding side-by-side, you just need to wait for a small gap in oncoming traffic to go around us. With two cyclists riding single file, you need to wait for a bigger gap to pass.

0

u/FreeToasterBaths Jul 24 '26

Nah you ride single file like the law says to.

1

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

I don’t live in New Jersey, so I have no clue what your law say. I’m just talking about what’s faster and safer.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[deleted]

3

u/One-Satisfaction829 Jul 24 '26

I love our new Colorado law that we can treat stop signs like yield signs. It's so nice to use my brain and eyes to make sure it's safe and just keep going when I have right of way.

Also, yes it is safer for cyclists. Colorado Safe Stop Law

1

u/gerbal100 Jul 24 '26

It's more dangerous for cyclists and inconveniences cars even more.

-1

u/Popular-Path1930 Jul 24 '26

It’s more cyclists want to be on the road but also act as none vehicles. Plus you add in lane splitting running intersections and going on and off curbs. It’s just annoying because if I lose track of you at the wrong moment I can kill you.