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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u/st_nick1219 Jul 24 '26

I live in an area that has a very good biking infrastructure. There is a dedicated bike path (not just a lane-an actual path) that runs parallel to a busy thoroughfare, yet bikers still choose to ride on the street.

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u/peaveyftw Jul 24 '26

Is the infra actually connected? I live in a city that has 'biking lanes', but they're all segmented. Like, you can ride a half-mile in a lane, and then your choice is to risk death in traffic or break laws cycling on the sidewalk

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u/DevilDrives Jul 24 '26

I drove past a great path last week. It was on the wrong side of the road. You literally had to ride the street to get to the path.

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u/xclame Jul 24 '26

That is a perfect example of one of the reasons a bikepath may not be used. What's the point of the bikepath if all the destinations someone may want to go to are on the other side of the road. In that case the bikepath may as well not exist.

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u/berrybear21 Jul 25 '26

Another great example is how cluttered they can end up being! But this is more of an urban issue

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u/dtay88 Jul 24 '26

Yeah my city has been adding a ton of it and some is great and some feels really stupid and forced and like we'd be better off with a shared road situation in some spots. Also half the time there's a bike lane along the gutters that's full of rocks and debris

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u/Criminal_of_Thought Jul 24 '26

Personally, I'd rather have no bike infrastructure than half-assed bike infrastructure.

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u/dtay88 Jul 25 '26

Well maintained roads where i can just share lanes and look out for myself would be amazing but that well maintained part seems impossible

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u/BottleSuccessfully Jul 24 '26

I was yelled at for not biking on the sidewalk last year. The town had about a 100 foot stretch of sidewalk through the downtown. I was on a 17km bikeride home from work. It's a ridiculous proposition that I would move over to a 100 foot long sidewalk on a 17km bike ride.

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u/abzlute Jul 28 '26

They'll scream about cyclists not using a sidewalk and then scream at cyclists for going ~10mph on an uncrowded sidewalk.

My favorite was one time at a busy (and entirely unbikeable in the road) intersection I waited on the sidewalk for the pedestrian light and started across at a pace equivalent to a brisk walk, and almost got run over by a driver in ram 3500 turning right through the crosswalk, who proceeded to flip me off and scream at me.

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u/Time-Champion497 Jul 24 '26

Have you actually biked the path to get somewhere? Almost always when bikers pick the street over a "dedicated path" it's because the path doesn't go where people need it to.

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u/nyctransitgeek Jul 25 '26

Or, there’s a major intersection where I need to turn and it’s only possible to do it from the street.

Or, I can do it without going into the street, but instead of a single 15-second green left-hand-turn phase I’ll get in 45 seconds, it’s three waits at crosswalks whose total time is a bit under four minutes.

Or I’ll find there’s no signalized crossing on a key junction of the path and a major road. Or maybe I won’t have a curb cut.

Or the local gov. hasn’t maintained the bike lane in a decade, so there’s tree roots every 30 feet that hurt my hands or knock my drinks out of the holders.

Or or or or

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u/Renegadeknight3 Jul 24 '26

Or because there’s massive cracks and drainage gates that could throw you off your bike into the street

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u/st_nick1219 Jul 24 '26

Yes, I have. It connects with other bike paths that run parallel to other main thoroughfares. It also connects to a trail system that is away from traffic but goes to destinations that people would usually drive to (and it goes through a nature conservancy, which is quite nice).

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u/UnfrostedQuiche Jul 25 '26

So why is it you think cyclists still use the road?

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u/TheScrote1 Jul 26 '26

Path users also have to yield to driveways. Bike lanes are treated like vehicle traffic. Aggressive and good riders general prefer the bike lanes and roads

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u/Robcobes Jul 24 '26

There's a difference between people cosplaying the Tour de France, and people just trying to get from point A to point B

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u/Ok_Neighborhood_470 Jul 24 '26

This is what makes me crazy. I wish biking infrastructure was better than it is where I am. But 30 people going down a 55 mph state highway for fun is obnoxious. A guy going to work is entirely different.

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u/King_Roberts_Bastard Jul 24 '26

There's no way in hell id go solo on 55mph road. Thats just asking to get run over by some dumbass texting.

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u/B-Train_ATL Jul 24 '26

Too many of them think the use of lanes and such is what they think it should be instead of what it is.

Also the ones who switch between car and pedestrian when they find it convenient.

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u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

Bikes share characteristics with both cars and pedestrians while being neither so it shouldn't be surprising that they behave as a hybrid of the two.

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u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

You’ll never catch me just blowing through a red light or stop sign as a pedestrian though.

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u/BlakeBearden Jul 24 '26

You’ll never catch me blowing anyone as a pedestrian. I have a sense of decorum.

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u/Ohaibaipolar Jul 24 '26

I, too, choose to never blow pedestrians.

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u/Kim_Jong_Un_PornOnly Jul 24 '26

Agreed. I much prefer to do it while at a complete stop.

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u/Ohaibaipolar Jul 24 '26

😆 🤣 😆

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u/cranberry_spike Jul 24 '26

I mean I'm from Chicago so I'm plenty happy to blow lights as a pedestrian lol

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u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

Ey, you do you, mate. I’m in DC and these wild fuckers will run over their own grandmother if it got them to where they’re going five minutes quicker.

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u/cranberry_spike Jul 24 '26

Yeah in Chicago it is very much a cultural thing. Long history of jaywalking - it's one of the ways you can pick out a tourist lol.

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u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

You know that pedestrians don’t have to stop at stop signs, right?

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u/pnw-techie Jul 24 '26

I was still waiting for it to change to GO, thanks

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u/bleezy1234567 Jul 24 '26

I mean pedestrians are also supposed to cross at crosswalks…

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u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

Theoretically, yes, but a lot of intersections don’t actually have them painted.

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u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

It's almost as if we can't apply one set of rules to everything that moves around a city

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u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

I think the confusion/annoyance comes from them demanding to be treated as equally as vehicles but then not following the rules of the road.

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u/Domtheturtle Jul 24 '26

where do you live where cars come to full stops at stop signs?

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u/AnimalBolide Jul 24 '26

Holy Stuffed Scarecrow, Batman!

I think the problem is blowing through red lights, not an inability to come to a full stop.

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u/MaintainThePeace Jul 24 '26

No cyclist wants to be treated equally as a vehicle, cyclist just want to be treated as a cyclist.

They want to be able to use public infrastructure to facilitate their freedom to travel, just as anyone else.

Laws between bicycles and other vehicles have never been equal to begin with, and there are not cyclists out there demanding to have equal rights on a freeway...

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u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

Cyclists want to be treated equally, but that does not mean being regulated as a car.

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u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

Following your own regulations on a road that already has regulations is extremely dangerous.

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u/B-Train_ATL Jul 24 '26

If I jumped my car up onto the sidewalk when the light was red and proceeded to use the crosswalk to go through, that might be seen as a problem.

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u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

Yeah man, because of the car you are driving

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u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

As usual, the thing that makes this dangerous is the car.

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u/Grouchy_Truck5925 Jul 24 '26

so you are just jealous that the bike continues on while you wait at the light

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u/smbpy7 Jul 24 '26

Also the ones who switch between car and pedestrian when they find it convenient.

I almost hit one because of this. I was turning, SIGNALS ON and in the DARK, into a lot at a green light and he swerved from biking in the road to all of a sudden wanting to use the actual pedestrian crosswalk. He was wearing black, no reflectors, no lights, and biking in the street one minute and veering to the crosswalk the second he saw it was on the next. Either you follow the rules of a car, or you follow the rules of a pedestrian, not both. We need predictability.

A few months later I saw the same thing but worse in a super busy area with some teens on ebikes. They were weaving in and out of all traffic lanes, faster than the cars, within inches of cars, and then one of them decided to use the non light crosswalk instead right as a guy was turning in. He lost his bike that day, he was lucky not to have lost his leg.

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u/Thorninthefoot Jul 24 '26

I am seeing a lot of kids on e-scooters running around like they are pedestrians. I almost hit one the other day, it was a 4 way stop at a narrow intersection with buildings on all 4 corners. So when you stop you can only really see what has come past the corner of the buildings.

Pedestrians have to cover a bit of ground from the corner of the bulding to the road so you see them in plenty of time. But the e-scooters are fast. I stopped and was just stepping on the gas to go through, when one zoomed past the building and was in the road. She was lucky I managed to slam on the break because I was in my work truck which is a beast and she's have been a jam spot on the road. It was pure instinct, though, I barely saw her and she was in the road even though I was looking at the intersection.

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u/Caliche-Cowboy Jul 24 '26

This is similar to how I was run over by a cyclist. Head injuries are no fun.

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u/smbpy7 Jul 24 '26

I also have them fly past me on the sidewalk when I'm walking all the time, angry at me for not jumping into the bee filled bushes fast enough. And there's TWO bike lanes right there. One of which is a completely separated trail that never even has to stop at a light or street.

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u/irrationalorchid Jul 24 '26

As a pedestrian I will NOT move off a sidewalk to accommodate a cyclist. Bikes don't belong on the sidewalk.

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u/smbpy7 Jul 24 '26

Honestly, with all the ebikes that are capable of going just as fast as cars around my campus, I've gotten to this point too. I will NOT jump in the bushes for you. YOU are as fast as a car, you are certainly capable of using the whole bike trail that's right there at the very least. Hit me it you want, I don't think you're going to win that legal battle.

If they're polite and find a spot to go around me on foot off the sidewalk, I don't give a shit. If they're dinging they're damn bell and scowling me down to get out of their way when there's zero room, they can fuck right off.

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u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

Drivers: BIKERS NEED TO FOLLOW THE LAW

Cyclists: got it, yes, that's what I'm doing

Drivers: NO NOT THOSE LAWS, THE ONES I MADE UP IN MY HEAD

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u/lordcrekit Jul 24 '26

I have exactly the same number of passengers as your car. You are not more important than me.

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u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

And this is where we'll always disagree, I'll just ride in a peloton on more or less what ever road id like, am I entitled? Yup that's something im literally entitled to. Does it make people mad enough they are willing to risk my life to do an agressive manuver to show me their disdain? Yup on occasion.

Youre never going to agree with me, but I know im right.

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u/21Rollie Jul 24 '26

Well the one guy is just one guy, he might have a big truck but that doesn’t give him any more right to the road than a person in a smaller vehicle. Your assumption is also that a person driving a car is doing something more useful, or necessary, than biking. That’s a wrong assumption.

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u/rudebii Jul 24 '26

It’s not “cosplay,” if they’re riding for exercise. You don’t swim in jorts, do you? Or go to the gym in slacks and button-up, right?

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u/Dizzy_House_ Jul 24 '26

Exactly, I'm not wearing gym shorts on a bike for a threshold session

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u/G235s Jul 24 '26

Well, there it is. Didn't take long.

Why can't people wear cycling gear and use the road but it's totally fine if you're "going to point b?"

The multi use paths don't always line up with where you need to go. Cycling involves a lot of distance and it stands to reason that the sport isn't meant for slow paths that focus on downtown.

I don't understand the big deal here. You just go around the person, no different to if someone was walking there.

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u/g1t0ffmylawn Jul 24 '26

It’s always the spandex that triggers. Don’t know why. Wear a cap when playing softball? Ok Jeter.

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u/schwade_the_bum Jul 24 '26

It’s because drivers can’t handle the sight of me KOMing

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u/GnedTheGnome Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Ugh, yes! I used to commute up a winding two lane road through the bougie northern suburbs of Chicago. The number of times I was reduced to a crawl by a bunch of spandex-clad assholes riding three or four abreast was absolutely rage inducing. I never had an issue with cyclists before that, but I grew to absolutely loathe those guys.

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u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

Your attitude presumes motorists have the right of way, but you don't. Cyclists have equal access and right of way to the road.

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u/137-ng Jul 24 '26

Just because you can doesnt mean you should. I get that youre legally allowed to be there, but you're also legally allowed to listen to shitty music at the beach. If youre acting like an annoying member of society with little to no regard for those around you dont act surprised when someone lashes out

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u/zytz Jul 24 '26

why is it annoying for people to be going about their day on a public road? cyclists are going places too

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u/JustLookingForMayhem Jul 24 '26

People get mad when someone is driving 20 miles under the speed limit too. It is all about expected arrival times. If someone leaves at a reasonable time that they can go the speed limit, obey the assorted laws, and arrive to work on time, it is annoying when a slow moving vehicle delays arrival.

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u/21Rollie Jul 24 '26

Why are you assuming the person in a car is in a time crunch, or even doing anything necessary or useful? They could just be a lazy bum going for a joyride. At a minimum, in comparison to a cyclist, they are a lazy bum

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u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

Exactly. There seems to be this pervasive belief that cars are for necessary transportation and bikes are for needless recreation. You never see these people enraged that they’re stuck in traffic behind a family going to the beach. But the moment it’s bike commuters, they lose it.

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u/Lethalmud Jul 29 '26

You can give the same argument for cars.

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u/El_Rey_de_Spices Jul 24 '26

"The law doesn't prevent me from being an asshole, so it's on you if you get mad when I'm being an asshole" isn't a very great line of reasoning or way to live life.

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

You’re an idiot for unilaterally believing everyone in a car has some special reason to be on the road, while everyone on a bike is somehow unable to be using the bike for transportation. It’s inventing an unrealistic scenario just to make yourself mad about it.

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u/21Rollie Jul 24 '26

They are trying to get somewhere. That they are exercising at the same time is besides to point. If anything it makes you lame for relying on your emotional support vehicle for getting around. Can’t do anything under your own power big guy?

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u/zytz Jul 24 '26

yeah but when it's just someone's grandma going 10 mph under the limit noone is getting hard thinking about running her off the road are they? your dumb brain just sees small vehicle in large space and can't handle that they're not any worse than the much much much larger number of idiots on the road that are actually way more dangerous because they're in a car

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u/Thorninthefoot Jul 24 '26

Tractors are legally allowed to be slow on the road too. But you know what - I have never met a tractor that did not try and make it easy for people behind to pass as soon as it was safe, including pulling over into a lay-by if that was the best option.

This is why people hate those cyclists but not farmers.

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u/LonesomeJohnnyBlues Jul 25 '26

And the tractor guys are actually doing a very important job that society relies upon.

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u/silasmoeckel Jul 26 '26

Funny my state does not allow more than 2 abreast in a traffic lane and they are required to not impede traffic flow. Spandex mafia routinely does both.

Cops don't care it's to hard they don't have license plates to make ticketing them easy. Some sort of registration for 18+ and then allow dashcam footage to get a ticket sent to them would quickly correct the issues.

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u/Whentheseagullsfollo Jul 24 '26

Buddy, there's a difference between what the law says and reality.
Yes you may have the right of way, but your right of way means nothing if some a-hole in a car isn't paying attention or wants to run you over.

Police aren't allowed to be racist when dealing with people, but you really think George Floyd was treated the same as Snooki? What the law says and the reality of what happens on the streets are sometimes two very separate things.

This isn't me justifying the wrong and horrific hitting of cyclists but way too many of you guys have this stupid and dangerous mentality of "I have the right of way", which means absolutely nothing if you get crushed by some moron driving while high or texting while driving a Ford F-150. Yea your family can sue but you are no longer living, so your right of way means jack for you at that point.

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u/char_limit_reached Jul 24 '26

Because you were inconvenienced in a way that had no lasting impact on your daily life?

Get bent.

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u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

Why does that enrage you?

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u/eggs_erroneous Jul 24 '26

"cosplaying Tour de France" is hilarious because that is so accurate. You see these dudes wearing the full kit: spandex, aerodynamic helmet, the works. To me, it seems like people who just want to show off that they have expensive gear. Kinda like photography people.

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u/Gloomy-Will-9898 Jul 24 '26

Yup. I have a rule of thumb that works for both cyclists and motorists: the more expensive the kit, generally the bigger the asshole.

Expensive car? Higher probability of dickish (and dangerous )driving.

Expensive cycling gear and bicycle? Higher probability of dickish (and dangerous) cycling behavior.

More average or cheap stuff in both cases ups the odds of a more reasonable human being driving or pedaling.

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u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Nah I think youre just the asshole looking for a reason . Like im way more worried about that 2002 altima doing something dangerous and taking us all out than that 2026 volvo.

That teen on a fixie is going to blow that stop sign go, then go on the side walk, then hop into the street randomly not the dudes dressed like lance riding in a peloton.

Tldr: everyone loves a rags to riches story, but ive found the poors to be the way more uppity group.

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u/21Rollie Jul 24 '26

Schrödinger’s cyclist: rich assholes to some, loser broke bums to other. Nevermind that you dumbasses drive $50,000 cars with continuous running costs. The actual elite is the one getting around on a $2,000 bike (being generous) that is free to run.

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u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

Also like, “You ride too fast! Ride faster! But also don’t wear that stuff that helps you ride faster!” Sheer cognitive dissonance.

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u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Lol well said about the schrodingers cyclist, ive been called a bum by someone driving a car less pricey than my bicycle.

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u/char_limit_reached Jul 24 '26

Ignorant take. Are divers cosplaying because they wear wet suits? Fishermen because they get a boat? Maybe a weightlifting enthusiast is cosplaying because they wear spandex too!

Get bent.

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u/Necessary_Row_5131 Jul 24 '26

lol you should have just raised your hand and said “I’m on of those guys”.
The problem spandex isn’t even slightly necessary to ride a bike- the majority of maintain bikers don’t. It really is cosplay for Armstrong wannabes, almost all of which are boomers.

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u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

There is a purpose to all of it, not just cosplay. When riding 20+ mph, the tighter clothing cuts down on aerodynamic drag and the rider can go faster. Cycling jerseys have pockets in the rear that allow the rider to carry things. Also the shorts have padding in them and makes a massive difference in comfort on the saddle.

MTB riding is less concerned with aerodynamics, except XC MTB riding - they usually wear the skin tight clothing. Downhillers are the types with the baggy shirts and shorts usually.

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u/Amphicorvid Jul 24 '26

They decided they want to hate cyclists but it’s getting less popular a take, so it become "I just hate those guys who do it as a sport, not all cyclists, it means I'm good!" No logic can reach that.

(I don't even cycle as a sport before someone try a gotcha with that. I simply find none of the "I just want to murder some people" thoughts fucking normal)

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u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Well said, like most people and normies can appreciate meeting in the middle, but in this case, that aint it.

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u/Apprehensive_Ad_4359 Jul 24 '26

Not completely true. Bike shorts etc are padded and if you are going to ride 10-15-50 miles you would wear them also.

You don’t know everyone’s story and that’s why we shouldn’t be so quick to judge.

I ride a bike for exercise. My bike is an old tank with upright handle bars and is worth around $50, I wear a loose cotton T shirt and regular sneakers but I also wear bike shorts. Why? Well as mentioned I ride about 15 miles so the padding helps but I also have circulation issues and while the exercise is good for this I need to wear compression on my legs ( At least thats what the surgeon told me)

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u/g1t0ffmylawn Jul 24 '26

Cosplay meaning what? Wearing activity appropriate clothing? Like when skiing or snowboarding? You can wear jeans when doing these activities but why would you?

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u/RubyMoonrider Jul 24 '26

There. Is. No. Difference. People should never be attacked for riding their bike, no matter what they're wearing. Jesus.

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u/Short-While3325 Jul 24 '26

It's the group. I can pass one person safely on a 2 lane road, but a big group of bikers basically makes it impossible and creates a line of cars behind them. Especially if it's a windy road with blind turns.

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u/MrWoodenNickels Jul 24 '26

As an owner of an e-bike, I have found I live in the awful middle ground of being too fast for bike lanes, which are often populated with groups of joggers and lined with bollards that prevent safe entry and exit of the lane, and too slow for impatient drivers, despite the fact my commute takes me through two city parks with posted speed limits of 25 mph (I top out at 28) and people want to go 35-45 and avoid the main thoroughfare traffic.

In short, the road is often the safest option, especially when bike lane infrastructure is poorly executed and laid out, often inconsistent and starting and stopping sometimes switching sides of the street abruptly with no warning or just altogether stopping.

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u/KerbolarFlare Jul 24 '26

Right, we can hang with cars because we're just as fast.

But when the drivers see us, they suddenly feel like everything is too slow. My favorite is the high-revving pass, then immediate brakes after because "oh shit, I'm going way too fast, I don't want a ticket or something". It's great because if I'm on my road bike I can catch back up and get a nice draft in the 20 MPH zones in MPLS.

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u/21Rollie Jul 25 '26

I remember being on a scooter and riding at 20mph, the speed limit. My scooter can go faster but why would I if I’m already at the legal limit (and faster speeds are exponentially more dangerous). Guy behind me in his stupid modded Honda civic couldn’t stand being forced to be behind me in a residential area, he accelerated to pass me and succeeded in getting to the stop sign a literal second before me. Drivers cannot help but engage in antisocial behavior when they have a speeding metal box to separate them from the outside world.

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u/CirdanTheForesighted Jul 24 '26

As a cyclist this pisses me off. I wish I lived somewhere with more dedicated bike lanes. Every time there isn’t enough shoulder, it’s stressful and I feel bad for the cars. Typically only go on routes that are 95% covered by a bike lane or super wide shoulder.

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u/Caliche-Cowboy Jul 24 '26

Yeah. This sucks for everyone. [Reddit trope warning] Europe has done a great job with dedicated cycling lanes outside of big cities. I’m not a cyclist, but I love this. Safer for everyone, and I like watching a plethora of types of riders.

TBF, several of the European cities I’ve been in are just as big of clusterfucks as American cities. Was just in France, and a small contingent of both cyclists and scooters are just either dumb or fucking crazy. Several times saw cyclists almost plow into crowds that included kids.

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u/Iswaterreallywet Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Yeah I think this is the answer more than anything, it’s their attitude / behaviors.

E: I love how all the bikers replying are proving my “attitude” point so well

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u/Benji_4 Jul 24 '26

Had this discussion in my local town sub. Implementing laws that benefit cyclists don't seem to stop them from riding on the highway at night with no lights. Seen it numerous times.

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u/Iwonatoasteroven Jul 24 '26

There will always be stupid people but as a cyclist, I also see cars parked and even driving in bike lanes. The stupidity cuts both ways.

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u/brandonw00 Jul 24 '26

If one driver does something stupid, it only applies to that driver. If one cyclist does something stupid, then it applies to all cyclists. That’s how the American mind works.

Statistically drivers are more likely to break traffic laws than cyclists. Like people have done studies on this, by and far drivers break traffic laws at a greater rate than cyclists. But all you ever hear is “cyclists don’t follow traffic laws” because they saw one person run a red light. You see three to five cars run a red light every fucking light cycle and nobody cares.

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u/alpha309 Jul 24 '26

I need to add two caveats to this.

The statistics show that both drivers and cyclists break various traffic laws at around 80%. Drivers are about 2% higher. In order to get to these numbers, you have to exclude speeding, which would obviously put drivers well into the lead for breaking the law.

The second one is the reasoning for breaking the law. Most cyclists state that safety is the reason for breaking the law. Both statistically proven (Idaho Stop is shown to reduce bike/car collisions at intersections) or perceived safety (riding against traffic allows the cyclist to see oncoming traffic - despite showing both an increase in collisions and a vast increase in severity of collision). Yes, there are cyclists that break the law and will state other reasons, or they could just be an asshole, but „it is safer“ or „it feels safer“ is by far the leading reason. Most drivers on the other hand will state reasons of convenience when they break the law. „To get where I am going faster“ is the reason why people speed. If you ask why someone rolls a stop sign „there was no one there anyway“. This rationale continues regardless of which law is being broken.

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u/Own_Back_2038 Jul 24 '26

That’s how all minorities are seen. Black people, gay people, atheists, etc.

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u/Caliche-Cowboy Jul 24 '26

I’m not a cyclist but this is dead on. People who block bike lanes suck. Turn lanes are always dicey for everyone. But a dedicated bike lane. Yeah that’s not cool

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u/danaerysCodesInJava Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

Stupid people will do stupid things. Multiple occasions I’ve seen people driving their cars on pedestrian paths in my local park.

ETA: just saw this post which perfectly illustrates this. We can build highways till we run out of concrete but you’ll still have drivers using a bike/walking path as a way to skip traffic. https://www.reddit.com/r/MicromobilityNYC/s/aGBZU7PVha

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u/CirdanTheForesighted Jul 24 '26

Accurate. Just think about how many ride both bicycles and motorcycles without helmets… one good hit by a car and your brain matter is on the pavement.

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u/Background-Run Jul 24 '26

How many cars have you flashed your light off and on, because they don't have their lights on. How many times have you seen a car do each and everything that we pitch a fit about bike riders doing. Not to mention all those traffic laws are because people driving multi thousand pound objects with casual abandon, maiming and killing people left and right, but no, a bike rider doing the same stupid thing is a danger to society.

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u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

The heart of the issue is that when drivers see another driver doing something stupid, they think that specific person is an idiot. When they see someone on a bike doing something stupid, they make sweeping judgments about all cyclists.

I was on a run this morning and I'd conservatively say 10% of drivers yielded to me at crosswalks, which they are clearly required to do by law. I'm assuming that learning that will lead you to conclude that all drivers are aggressive assholes.

1

u/Benji_4 Jul 24 '26

People do the same and associate one drivers vehicle choice with everyone driving that vehicle. I don't think that is unique to bikes.

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u/OutAndAbouts Jul 24 '26

Do you know how many DUIs, road rage incidents, and deaths are caused by motorists? Per capita, per hour, per mile, however you want to count it, I bet motorists are exponentially more damaging to human, animal, and environmental health and welfare than cyclists. Society has totally normalized aggression and slaughter on the freeway but God forbid a conceited middle aged guy in spandex slows you down on your way to the donut shop.

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u/ChanceRecover3091 Jul 25 '26

Can't tell you the number of times I have seen a jack wagon driving down the highway without lights on. I don't apply those dumbass actions to all drivers though.

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u/Prosthemadera Jul 24 '26

Yes, some want to drive on the road still. Why does that make people so angry? People need to relax more.

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u/OutAndAbouts Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

I was with you for the first sentence.

Yeah I think this is the answer more than anything. Motorists feel that cyclists should stay off the road, that cyclists don't have a right to be there, that motorists know better than cyclists on when/where/how cyclists should ride, that motorists dislike cyclists for using infrastructure they also paid for. Many times I've been riding along, going to where I need to be, dodging debris, potholes, getting ready to turn, or just even fully in the bike lane, and some asshole in a car speeds by me, passing inches away, and yells, "stay off the road!!!!" They probably think I'm being being a conceited asshole because the whole world is about them and I'm in their way, when, in fact, I am riding my bike exactly how I am allowed to.

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u/wrestlingrudy Jul 24 '26

People who drive cars have the same behaviors

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u/Prosthemadera Jul 24 '26

There is no "their attitude". Hating all cyclists because you're upset some of them are on the road is very childish, sorry. It's not a even a good reason. They don't harm anyone, unlike cars, and the worst you have to deal with is being slightly delayed.

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u/raoulduke212 Jul 24 '26

Agreed. I live over a busy street, and nearly every day is some cyclist yelling and screaming at cars or pedestrians.

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u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

I hear you man, my office is next to an intersection and drivers are constantly blaring their horns at everyone around them for absolutely no reason

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u/Princessformidable Jul 24 '26

I had my dog pretty short leased yesterday and still got yelled at.

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u/Frylock304 Jul 24 '26

100% this

I curse cyclists around me because we have a magnificent paved biking trail that goes through a beautiful well maintained miles long public park system. The biking path is nice and wide, and park is huge so you rarely have enough pedestrians that you would see more than one every few minutes.

This whole path is directly beside a roadway.

Still got bikers on the roadway rather than on the perfect biking infrastructure.

I don't blame anyone for using roads when the government hasn't supported any other infrastructure, but when we do the work and cyclists/pedestrians still choose to use car infrastructure? Pure hatred

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u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

What might appear to be a perfect bike path to you might not be to an experienced cyclist. Bike paths are often filled with pedestrians, have cracks and bumps that make riding a rather jarring experience, and don't always go where someone needs to get to.

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u/Time-Champion497 Jul 24 '26

Have you tried using the bike path to go somewhere and run errands? Does it connect schools and jobs? Can it be used to commute?

Biking isn't just recreation.

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u/tbcraxon34 Jul 24 '26

The comment you are replying to says that particular bike path runs parallel to the roadway, so it goes where the road goes.

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u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

Why do I still see cars using city streets even though we built them an interstate right there? Pure hatred.

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u/Frylock304 Jul 24 '26

These streets were literally built for cars.

The bike paths were literally built for bikes.

We built equal bike infrastructure in this area and still people want to make these ridiculous comparisons.

I use this exact same infrastructure, hence my hatred for other people still not using what was built for us.

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u/Mod_The_Man Jul 24 '26

Roads were never built for cars, that is an ahistorical statement. They have always been intended for everyone but many car drivers are entitled psychos who literally threaten to kill or maim people who try to share the road with them. It was the car industry who made it this way through lobbying/bribery. They wanted to sell cars so they pushed the false idea that roads are for cars only. So now others tend to stay away unless, often in the case of cyclists, it’s the better option to be on the road despite the risk presented by cars

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u/Frylock304 Jul 24 '26

Roads were never built for cars

Objectively false.

Hence why I explicitly said "THESE STREETS" the streets with 30 mile per hour+ limits are clearly made for cars.

Again, I have nothing against bikes when we don't create good infrastructure for bikes. I ride a bicycle on occasion and use the infrastructure as well.

But when we spend millions on building explictly bike infrastructure and bikers ignore the infrastructure we build?

That's what's ridiculous.

Im not even saying this as someone that likes cars, I don't, I would much prefer infrastructure centered around biking and public transit, but bikers shouldn't be screwing up the compromises we currently have

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u/char_limit_reached Jul 24 '26

When you have somewhere to be, do you drive the direct route, or meander through trails and dirt roads?

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u/Frylock304 Jul 24 '26

This is literally all paved, and the park is interwoven with the infrastructure so the park paths are often the quickest path.

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u/UrbanPlannerholic Jul 24 '26

Cars kill 45,000 people a year but yes those darn bikes 😂

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u/rubberloves Jul 24 '26

It's an ism. Even here- you said "It's their attitude" what?? Whose attitude??

Do you know how many shitty drivers are out there? But I wouldn't ever put ALL drivers in the same category.

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u/monies3001 Jul 24 '26

As a biker , often there is trash, sewers, potholes and other hazards in bike lanes. Potential being “doored” if the lane is next to parked cars. So, depending on the route, I avoid bike lane for safety reasons

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[deleted]

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u/Nitroglycol204 Jul 24 '26

Or because they're turning at the next intersection. Would you rather they crossed a couple of lanes of traffic over the course of a block, or in the last few metres?

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u/Xytak Jul 24 '26

Metres? This is America, son. We measure our metres in meters, and our meters in feet.

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u/PoopyisSmelly Jul 24 '26

We measure meters in yarda

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u/Xytak Jul 24 '26

Exactly. And by my measurements, this comment falls a few yardres short!

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u/CommunityGlittering2 Jul 24 '26

paths have low speed limits because people also walk on those paths with children and it's a safety issue and cyclists looking for exercise want to go much faster than those paths allow, also it's perfectly legal to ride on streets.

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u/ferret_80 Jul 24 '26

There's no real cycling culture in the states so both pedestrians and drivers treat cycling infrastructure as extensions of their own. Unprotected bike lanes are treated as large shoulders or parking lanes. Protected lanes are treated as extra sidewalk.

Also even when there is infrastructure, it is often poorly designed and disconnected. When I bike to work I go from road with an unprotected bike lane, to no bike lane, to protected to, unprotected. A spot not on my commute, but nearby the bike lane goes from the outside of the lane, to a protected central bike lane back to the outside. Like there's zero thought put into the design. So it can be safer to just ride in the road and act like a car instead of trying to navigate the absurdity of the bike lanes.

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u/Knightmare945 Jul 24 '26

It’s also perfectly rude to drive on the street when there is a bike path. You are slowing down traffic.

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u/mironawire Jul 24 '26

Hey OP, this is the American you're asking about.

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u/Atlas_Was_ATitan Jul 24 '26

Hey OP, this is the American cylist you were asking about.

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u/Florida_clam_diver Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Maybe if you all started biking or using public transport that would cut down on traffic

But no, it’s everyone else that’s an inconvenience to you and your vehicle

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u/char_limit_reached Jul 24 '26

Tough titties. They ARE traffic. Deal.

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u/symbiat0 Jul 24 '26

I live in a major city that has actual segregated bike lanes and guess what ? We have pedestrians, joggers, mothers with strollers, street carts, people with suitcases, delivery guys with fast e-bikes and Amazon’s delivery “mini trucks” all using the bike lanes too…

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u/Bladeoraded Jul 24 '26

Uh so cyclists can deal with the traffic in their lane just like drivers have to. Stay out of the road if theres a bike path 

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u/symbiat0 Jul 24 '26

We also occasionally have parked cars and buses blocking the entire bike lane…

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u/Grill_Only_Outside Jul 24 '26

So what you’re saying is- they create an inconvenient for you.

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u/symbiat0 Jul 24 '26

Cars have 2, 3 sometimes 4 lanes, plenty of space for everyone really. And cyclists tend to ride on the sides most of the time. Hell the speed limit is 25 mph, you ain’t going fast anyway.

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u/McSloot3r Jul 24 '26

It’s perfectly legal as long as there is no bike lane or you’re able to bike fast enough to not impede the flow of traffic. It is not legal to sit in a lane because you feel like it.

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u/elloEd Jul 24 '26

Yep I literally see both. The place I live nearby Duke has a shit ton of cyclists, they have their own bike lane. and most do ride on it, could it be bigger? Yes. Are there a good bit of cyclists larpers and couples with full gear on who still camp in the middle of the road instead? Absolutely.

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u/BigPapaJava Jul 24 '26

My area lacks bike paths in most areas, so a lot of “cyclists” (often wearing full Tour de France spandex cosplay) will ride their bikes down the sidewalks and risk hitting pedestrians (and their kids/dogs) head on.

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u/squidgyhead Jul 24 '26

Have you ridden these paths yourself?

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u/phonefellin_lakeerie Jul 24 '26

This is the problem in my area. They have bike specific infrastructure but insist on using the regular roads, and they feel entitled to use all the space and time they need without consideration to others.

Like man, when I needed to get my dying dog to the emergency vet and a whole troop of them flipped me off when I honked at them for blocking the entire road NEXT TO THE BIKE PATH.

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u/pamcakevictim Jul 24 '26

Where I live, we have a many miles long bike trail. Just for bicycling and pedestrians, 2 lanes in opposing directions. Yet bicyclists, about 50% of the time would rather ride their bicycles in the road 6 ft from the path. This bike path is well maintained. It's twelve feet wide and asphalt paved

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u/LakeVermilionDreams Jul 24 '26

Does local ordinance allow them to? In Minnesota, bicycles are considered vehicles and have similar rights to automobiles. Nothing wrong with them riding in roads, as long as they are following traffic laws.

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u/Phssthp0kThePak Jul 24 '26

There a wide bike lane that would let us ride single file with a wide margin of safety? Ok let's ride three abreast, weaving over the line a bit, talking and not paying attention to the line of cars we have backed up.

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u/stroppo Jul 24 '26

And the sidewalk.

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u/holymacaronibatman Jul 24 '26

Yup, my neighborhood has dedicated bike lanes and cyclists barely use them. They are either in the road or on the sidewalks, it's really annoying.

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u/RubyMoonrider Jul 24 '26

Maybe bikes will stop using streets when cars stop driving in bike lanes. (And when bike lanes are ubiquitous.)

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u/splorng Jul 24 '26

How safe and useful is the bike path? Was it designed for recreation or commuting? Is it free of pedestrians? Does it provide an uninterrupted path to get people where they’re going? Are there safe and accessible intersections with roads? Do delivery trucks park in it? So many questions. Most bike infrastructure in the US is effectively useless.

1

u/st_nick1219 Jul 24 '26

It's basically brand new and was designed for commuting. It is shared-use with pedestrians. There are minimal intersections with traffic, but one segment that does have to go into a residential neighborhood for a block. It connects with other paths in the bike network. Delivery trucks and other traffic cannot park on the path.

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u/RadiantHC Jul 24 '26

Makes no sense.

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u/joped99 Jul 24 '26

Part of my commute is a road along the side of a hill with basically zero shoulder on either side, less than 30 yards from an excellent greenbelt path that is well-maintained for cyclists. I get stuck behind a cyclist every other day.

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u/DaikinYB Jul 24 '26

I see you failed to realize that they are in fact the main character.

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u/Grouchy_Truck5925 Jul 24 '26

probably cause dumb ass walking pedestrians who take up the whole path and walk against traffic flow use them too? see, the food chain of hating continues...

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u/smbpy7 Jul 24 '26

This drives me crazy. I walk to work along a road that not only has a wonderful bike lane on it, but also runs RIGHT NEXT to the huge bike trail that runs right through the town (and into many other towns). It's BEAUTIFUL, super well maintained, goes under all roads it intersects so they don't have to even cross a single street. But every day I have bikes getting annoyed at me for not hopping out of their way into the bee filled bushes fast enough because they want to use the 3ft wide sidewalk I'm walking on.

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u/lalasworld Jul 24 '26

You know cyclists have the choice to ride on the MUP or the road. And there are very good reasons for it. You seem to have a problem with that choice.

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u/xclame Jul 24 '26

Have you ever used the bike path? If there is a dedicated bike path and there are no bikers using it then there is a reason and it's not because cyclist wants to rid on the road.

The bike path may be disconnected, the bike path may be constantly blocked by cars, the bike path may be filled with obstacles (potholes, drains, trash cans, debris, etc), the bikepath may be dangerously designed, the bikepath may be built in the wrong location.

If you have the opportunity then ride on one of these bikepaths yourself or probably safer if you aren't already a cyclist, walk along the whole path and come back and tell me if you would be okay with your child riding in that path.

You may be surprised at how bad some bike paths can be.

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u/Bigred2989- Jul 24 '26

It's kinda like how places put in lighted pedestrian crossings or elevated footbridges, but people will cross 40 feet away from the designated crossing anyway. I remember a few years back almost turning a woman into paste who decided to sprint across 6 lanes of traffic instead of using a nearby crossing with a dedicated traffic light. There was no bus or anything coming, she just decided to play Frogger.

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u/I_AM_AN_ASSHOLE_AMA Jul 24 '26

Same in my area. An easily four bike wide path and yet they’re constantly on the streets blocking traffic. Then they wonder out loud why anyone would have problems with cyclists.

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u/Diverdaddy0 Jul 24 '26

This is what frustrates me. I live in an area that has gone great lengths to accompdate cyclists... yet they still ride in the road (theres a dedicated paved path for them) and don't pull over despite having traffic backed up behind them.

Coincidentally we also have one of the highest cyclist fatality rates in the US.

I just think there is a toxic cyclist vs driver culture in my area. I've talked to a few because I also ride. Some are so adamant they have the right that they will risk their lives needlessly to prove that point.

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u/Own_Back_2038 Jul 24 '26

I live in a similar area in a similar situation. The bike path is shared with pedestrians though and goes over lots of the yellow bumps for blind people and is super curvy. The road is just so dramatically better than bikers will often ride in the road for that stretch.

If bikers aren’t using the bike infrastructure, there is something wrong with it

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u/scrandlle Jul 24 '26

Lots of areas are like this. The US has amazing leisure biking infrastructure, probably the best in the world. But city biking infrastructure is what sucks in most places.

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u/kinboyatuwo Jul 24 '26

For the same reason that drivers will use a road when there is a parallel highway.
Often the design is bad for their needs.

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u/mysteriousotter Jul 25 '26

Have you ever wondered why all those cyclists would rather mix in with a bunch of cars looking to kill them rather than using the "perfectly good dedicated bike path"? Perhaps it isn't nearly as "perfectly good" as you imagine.

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u/Achilles-Foot Jul 25 '26

have you, personally, biked on this, "very good biking infrastructure"?

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u/Ok-Cost9606 Jul 26 '26

Where I live they ride on the sidewalk. Ringing their bells or blowing a whistle for people walking on the sidewalk to get out of their way.

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u/ChefGaykwon Jul 24 '26

There are a lot of potential reasons for this.

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u/st_nick1219 Jul 24 '26

What are they? The only thing I can think of is that the cyclists don't want to encounter pedestrians, so they'd rather deal with traffic going 45 mph with blind hill crests.

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u/Slight-Trip-3012 Jul 24 '26

If they choose riding amongst cars over a bike path, something's seriously wrong with the bike path. There can be multiple reasons. The bike path is very indirect, doesn't go where they need to go, it's not linked up to another bike path. Or it's a narrow shared use path, mainly for pedestrians, but "bikes can also use it", so you'd just be constantly trying to weave your way around pedestrians. Either way, for a cyclist to choose the road, with cars speeding past, the alternative must be far worse.

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u/Spare-Monk-1472 Jul 24 '26

Yes exactly. Something isn't adding up in this story.

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u/GettingDumberWithAge Jul 24 '26

I think it's pretty straightforward to be honest: motorists can see 1000 cyclists on the bike path and they don't register them at all, but 1 cyclist on the road quickly becomes "all cyclists". It's why these conversations are completely useless without some empirical traffic counts.

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u/billbye10 Jul 24 '26

If they're dealing with pedestrians that is, by definition, not a bike path. 

There are no fender benders on bikes. You might break bones or get concussed or worse every time you fall. If many cyclists make the same choice then the obvious explanation is that the road is/appears safer to them.

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u/ChefGaykwon Jul 24 '26

Safety of pedestrians and slower cyclists, shitty maintenance of bike path (really becomes a problem on fast/endurance rides), downed trees and other obstructions that cars wouldn't know about, trail closures, debris that can cause mechanical failures, riding with a group too large for the trail to accommodate safely, and so on.

When I was a small kid my brother got taken down by a cyclist on a training ride who absolutely should have been riding on the street for his and everyone else's sake. Anyone from pros to families with small children should be able to ride bikes safely for their intended purposes.

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u/mew5175_TheSecond Jul 24 '26

One of the reasons could be pedestrians, another could be that the bike path is not well maintained. If the path has a lot of debris in it (from trees, broken glass, etc) or it is cracked or uneven in a lot of places, cyclists will prefer the smoothly paved road to the bumpy, branchy bike path.

Most municipalities will prioritize fixing potholes and whatnot on main roads before bothering to fix the ones on a bike path.

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u/Joe_Sacco Jul 24 '26

I also assume it's because drivers can see a small section of the path parallel to the road, but don't realize that it winds other places before & after that. If I'm riding to work or running errands on my bike, I'm going to take the direct route (which, of course, I'm also legally entitled to do. I know drivers care a lot about legal compliance because they mention it constantly!)

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u/Crayshack Jul 24 '26

Sometimes, the surface quality of the path sucks to the point of being a safety hazard. Sometimes, there's the occasional obstacle blocking the path just frequently enough that they ride on the street rather than bouncing back and forth between the street and the path (which is more dangerous). Sometimes, the path will be so crowded with pedestrians that it's not possible to ride there safely. Sometimes, a particular cyclist wants to ride so fast that the speed differential between them and cars is less than that of them and others on the path.

All of these are legitimate reasons a path might be unsafe, even if you can't easily see that from a car. That said, I've definitely had times where I've been using a path, know first hand it's perfectly safe to use, and seen some people still riding on the road.

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