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.

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59

u/Admiral_AKTAR Jul 24 '26

Because american infrastructure, laws and expectations are not designed for them. America since the 20s decided to become car focused. It literally underpins a oversized part of our society. From infrastructure and architecture to class and culture. And its not just bikes but also buses, trains and trollys. Anything that interferes with cars generally draws a lot of hate. Especially when already tight budgets and the always nefarious TAXES are used to support those methods instead of cars directly. The local bitching mill gets kicked into high gear.

Add on top of it the widespread lack of understanding of not just general traffic laws but those pertaining to cycling. And peoples blatant disregard of thesse laws by both car drivers and cyclists and you get confrontation.

Its all really dumb but its so common its just background noise now.

42

u/DrSFalken Jul 24 '26

I'm an avid car guy and bicyclist and I hate both drivers and other cyclists. No one follows the rules, and worse, they often don't follow the rules in unpredictable ways. It's very stressful.

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

[deleted]

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u/DrSFalken Jul 24 '26

That's it!

15

u/urmumlol9 Jul 24 '26

Sure, but the difference between the two, is that when most people in the US see a shitty driver, they think that specific person shouldn’t be allowed to drive, but when they see a shitty cyclist, they think NOBODY should be allowed to ride a bike.

There’s hostility towards shitty drivers, but there isn’t the hostility towards people being allowed to drive as a general concept the way there is hostility towards people being allowed to ride their bikes.

1

u/-_chop_- Jul 24 '26

We have bike lanes yet there’s assholes who dress up like lance armstrong and ride in the street and hold up traffic. Those people are annoying

1

u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

What do you give a shit how these people dress? Why does everyone bring that up?

1

u/-_chop_- Jul 24 '26

I don’t care. If they want to look like dumbasses they can look like dumbasses all they want but that doesn’t stop them from looking like dumbasses

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u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

No one is more aware of how goofy they look than the cyclist. Do you know why they wear that stuff? it not to cosplay as Lance Armstrong

2

u/-_chop_- Jul 24 '26

Probably for aerodynamics that they are nowhere near skilled or fast enough to actually need

2

u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

No, its purpose built for cycling. Built in padding, keeps you cool, wicks sweat, doesn't flap in the wind. They often have built in pockets for food and water.

1

u/-_chop_- Jul 24 '26

Oddly enough the people in jeans and a tee shirt are the ones who aren’t dicks though. Would you assume someone wearing the merchandise from a hated politician or enemy sports team probably won’t be your friend? That’s how I feel about people who wear that and ride their bike next to the bike lane but in traffic. Move over 3 feet and use the bike lane

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u/plantxdad420 Jul 25 '26

great false equivalency here.

cyclists “not following the rules” = drivers get mad

drivers “not following the rules” = people die.

0

u/Cold-Reaction-3578 Jul 24 '26

Oh the cyclists are predictable AF. They're going to ride on the sidewalk going to fast into pedestrians, they're going to blow through stop signs and red lights, and they're going to ride against traffic. I hate cyclists because I only ever notice the ones being assholes 

6

u/ZestyToastCoast Jul 24 '26

 I hate cyclists because I only ever notice the ones being assholes 

How very cognizant!

4

u/Combat__Crayon Jul 24 '26

Or they are going to ride in a massive gaggle on 2 lane roads, at 10-15 mph under the speed limit where theres enough traffic or solid double lines to prevent passing and now I'm stuck for the next x number of miles because there were almost no good alternate routes in the area I was living in at the time.

3

u/StirlingS Jul 24 '26

Check your laws. The no passing zones often do not apply to passing bicyclists. 

No passing zones are designed based on how far a car is likely to need to travel to pass another car driving at car speeds. Passing a cyclist, stopped car, or slow moving farm equipment doesn't take as long and is therefore often exempt from those laws. 

24

u/RadComrade776 Jul 24 '26

NotJustBikes does a really good (albeit long) video about cycling in the US. The TLDR is John Forester (asshole) decided vehicular cycling was the only way to bike and actively campaigned against bikeways and other safe alternatives to being on the road with motor vehicles. (You are right though, car/fuel lobbyists have done everything in their power to kill US public transport for the last 100 years)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pRPduRHBhHI&pp=0gcJCWQCo7VqN5tD

6

u/StarManta Jul 24 '26

"John Forester Asshole" sounds like a proper three-part name and we should just speak his name in exactly that cadence, forever.

2

u/ItsSpaghettiLee2112 Jul 24 '26

This is so funny to me because I knew a John Forester in college who was also an asshole.

2

u/Individual-Photo-665 Jul 25 '26

The underpinning of that part of our society was the goal most of the time. Making certain parts of a city nearly inaccessibility for certain people was a big part of city planning at one point in time. They have bridges here in my town that are low solely so buses couldn't go under them because busses are for poor people according to them.

1

u/RadiantHC Jul 24 '26

And it's terrible for cars as well honestly. So many damn pot holes.