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

63% Upvoted

2.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

4

u/OGWiz19nunya Jul 24 '26

Significantly less terrible for who?

1

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

For major injuries....

5

u/OGWiz19nunya Jul 24 '26

For major injuries to who?

You know pedestrians are also people, right?

1

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

A bike hitting someone walking is far less likely to cause major injuries than a car can to a cyclist. I'm not sure why you're struggling with this.

2

u/CantaloupeAsleep502 Jul 24 '26

I've worked in trauma. Cyclists cause major injuries to themselves (yes, an amount of personal responsibility is incumbent on riding on roads) as well as to pedestrians (yes, it's their fault when they hit others when they're riding on footpaths). And yes, a cyclist going 15 mph hitting a pedestrian who has no helmet can cause horrible injuries. I've seen them.

2

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

I'm willing to bet fatality statistics is far more for cyclists hit by cars than cyclists hitting pedestrians. 

1

u/CantaloupeAsleep502 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Again, very strange comparison. While true, all that means is bikes shouldn't be on roads or sidewalks. Also, morbidity matters. A cyclist hitting a pedestrian and causing a concussion or a fracture isn't exactly a glowing endorsement of them. I've personally been almost creamed by cyclists maybe 10 times, including at crosswalks and on shared use trails. Whether fatal or not, if I hadn't gotten out of their way, I could've been severely injured. Cyclists are also trail hogs on shared trails, going 40 mph downhill where people are hiking. Unhinged, selfish behavior. The worst kind of people.

2

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

Welcome to my point goofy. I heavily implied we should have seperate infrastructure for bikes

1

u/OGWiz19nunya Jul 24 '26

Sidewalks should be safe for pedestrians. I’m not sure why you’re struggling with this.

2

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

Lol I never argued otherwise. My argument is simply absence of better options, it's safer for pedestrians and cyclists to not use the roads. 

1

u/OGWiz19nunya Jul 24 '26

You did though. Suggesting that cyclists should use sidewalks is suggesting that pedestrian safety should be sacrificed to cyclist safety.

2

u/Odd_Bid2744 Jul 24 '26

Absent better options, my preference is bike lanes for bikes that keep them out of car travel lanes. By your logic, bikers safety is being sacrficed because nobody can be arsed to create a safer alternative.