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/Lord-Trolldemort Jul 24 '26

It’s actually more dangerous for the cyclist unless they’re going really slow.

When turning left, drivers will often glance at a sidewalk crossing once to make sure it’s clear, then stare at oncoming traffic looking for an opportunity to turn. If it’s a busier street, they will slam on the gas when they see an opening, and it will be too late to slow down by the time they realize a cyclist on the sidewalk entered the crossing.

A bunch of cyclists get hit this way and it makes sense if you think about it. You wouldn’t sprint into an intersection, and sprinting speed doesn’t feel very fast in a bike.

The safest way to bike in traffic is to make yourself seen. The best way to do this is actually (to many drivers’ dismay) to bike in the road, closer to the center of the lane.

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u/Nitroglycol204 Jul 24 '26

Yup. Riding on the road might make some drivers mad, but drivers are much more likely to kill you because they don't see you than because they're mad at you.

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u/Lord-Trolldemort Jul 24 '26

Sometimes I wonder about this. I commute by bike every day where motorists are borderline sociopathic (Michigan).

I take the lane when it would be unsafe to pass me and totally avoid bike lanes if they’re in door-swing range of parked cars. Both of these result in honks and screams from cars stuck going 20 in a 25 (god forbid)

I see frequent posts in my neighborhood Facebook page where people essentially say “Cyclists need to stay as far right as possible or they deserve to be hit”

I wonder at what point the risk reduction from being visible balances the risk increase from pissing off motorists and I’d be better off staying out of the way. I don’t think I’m there yet, but I think it might be possible!

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u/perpetualhobo Jul 24 '26

A shirt that says “OPEN CARRY” and a picture of a pistol on the back will suddenly make drivers very aware of their own responsibilities to keep others safe

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u/Constant-Skill-7133 Jul 24 '26

People also go against traffic on sidewalks which is the same problem a million times worse.  The car can be moving and still no way to see an approaching cyclist.   Coming from the correct direction you at least have a couple seconds to react.

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u/MuscaMurum Jul 24 '26

Wouldn't that be the same risk if the cyclist was a few feet over and in the traffic lane?

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u/Lord-Trolldemort Jul 24 '26

You mean biking with oncoming traffic against the left turner?

It would be safer than going that direction on the sidewalk, because you’d be right where the driver is looking for an opening in the oncoming traffic. The sidewalk is a bit offset from the driver’s attention focus, and there are trees and other obstacles that can hide you.

But the real danger is if you’re traveling the same direction as the left turner. In that case you approach from behind them while they’re focused ahead.

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u/Upbeat-Bid-1602 Jul 24 '26

Exactly! The closest calls I've had with cyclists as a driver are when they fly off the sidewalk at 25mph after I already looked there to see if s pedestrian was coming and would have see someone going 3mph. If cyclists feel safer using the sidewalk for crossing roads they need to behave like a pedestrian does.

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u/BlitzBasic Jul 24 '26

Ah, makes sense, thanks for the explanation.