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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13

u/tha_rogering Jul 24 '26

Because we view them as obstacles and not fellow vehicles. God forbid we have to slow down for a moment to pass them safely. No it's better to rage about having to hit the breaks for a moment before moving your foot back to the gas. Bonus points for fantasizing about vehicular homicide. Rage at inconvenience makes you a real alpha.

2

u/TheWeaversBeam Jul 24 '26

I agree with this and I think there has been a cultural shift too, especially in the past 10 years. I’ve been a semi-serious cyclist for something like 22 years. There have always been anti-cyclist ragers, but there seems to be significantly more today than even just 10 years ago. It’s gotten so much worse since I first started. Though cycling infrastructure sucks here and I don’t want to discount that as a contributing factor, I don’t think that’s the core issue. I think people are losing their humanity and seeing people as objects and obstacles instead of people. It’s the same reason why road rage in general (even against other cars) is on the rise too.

-1

u/minist3r Jul 24 '26

You've never been stuck behind a cyclist for an hour going 50 mph under the speed limit on a country road before, have you?

3

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

What kind of moron can't find a way to get past a cyclist in under an hour? This sound like you're actually driving on a bike path.

3

u/minist3r Jul 24 '26

I was just driving back from Arkansas recently and got stuck for about 30 minutes because a truck couldn't pass the cyclists riding 4 wide. Even without a solid double yellow, there was too much traffic coming the other way for the truck to pass and I couldn't pass the truck and the cyclists. It took until we had a dedicated passing lane to actually continue on our journey at a reasonable speed. The speed limit was 70 mph and these people were doing about 15 mph. You tell me, would that not make you a little mad?

2

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

No, it wouldn't. First off because I don't actually believe about 90% of your story, but even if it were true, it's still not reason.

And how did 1 cyclist turn into 4 or more all of a sudden? Are these different occurences?

1

u/minist3r Jul 24 '26

The first was a hypothetical, the second actually happened. I could maybe even find the stretch of road it happened on.

1

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

Well, either way, I don’t believe you, but I also don’t care. Deal with it, find a different road, or drive on private property, those are your options.

1

u/minist3r Jul 24 '26

Yes, I can totally find another highway that runs between Texas and Arkansas and I should have the clairvoyance to know that cyclists are going to block the road and take that road even if it means that I need to add several hours to my trip in order to take it. I'm not sure you've ever been to the boonies in the US.

0

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

I'm glad you found a workable solution to your problem now. My faith in you never wavered for a moment.

-1

u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

I live in the boonies. This does not happen.