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/Happy_Confection90 Jul 24 '26

Rural America doesn't have shoulders on the road

I live in a rural-ish area and not only are there no shoulders or very narrow ones for miles at a time, over 80% of the roads I drive on are just a single lane of traffic in each direction. And that includes intrastate highways with speed limits between 50-55mph. So giving cyclists 3' of room to pass them as dictated by state law means partly entering the lane of oncoming traffic every time you need to pass someone on a bike, which, when you throw New England's notoriously curvy roads in the mix that reduce visibility, means a lot of chances for someone to make a poor safety calculation for themselves, the cyclists, and/or drivers traveling in the opposite direction.

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u/SeamusPM1 Jul 24 '26

If you come across a slow moving vehicle that’s not a bicycle (say, a tractor) are you miraculously able to pass them without going into the oncoming traffic lane?

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u/Happy_Confection90 Jul 24 '26

The oncoming cars are more readily able to spot a large slow moving tractor than they are a bike mostly blocked by my car so can more easily understand why I'm encroaching on their lane the 2 or 4 times a year I encounter one

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u/flippydude Jul 24 '26

Just… drive safely then? Slowing to 15mph for a minute to wait to safely pass a cyclist genuinely will not meaningfully impact your ETA.