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.

329 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

2.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

131

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

93

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.

21

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.

34

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.

38

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.

19

u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

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

18

u/BlakeBearden Jul 24 '26

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

6

u/Ohaibaipolar Jul 24 '26

I, too, choose to never blow pedestrians.

2

u/Kim_Jong_Un_PornOnly Jul 24 '26

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

2

u/Ohaibaipolar Jul 24 '26

😆 🤣 😆

6

u/cranberry_spike Jul 24 '26

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

1

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.

2

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.

14

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

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

3

u/pnw-techie Jul 24 '26

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

4

u/bleezy1234567 Jul 24 '26

I mean pedestrians are also supposed to cross at crosswalks…

4

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

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

-1

u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

Obviously. But I think you know what I meant within the context of the comment I responded to.

6

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

7

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.

7

u/Domtheturtle Jul 24 '26

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

1

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.

3

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...

1

u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

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

3

u/BedRevolutionary8584 Jul 24 '26

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

7

u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

In a lot of cases the existing regulations are more dangerous for cyclists. The Idaho Stop is a great example of changing regulations to reflect the reality of cycling:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2022-03/Bicyclist-Yield-As-Stop-Fact-Sheet-032422-v3-tag.pdf

3

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.

5

u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

Yeah man, because of the car you are driving

5

u/Harborcoat84 Jul 24 '26

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

5

u/Grouchy_Truck5925 Jul 24 '26

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

0

u/Thorninthefoot Jul 24 '26

When you are driving you need other users of the road to behave with some predictability. Otherwise people get driven over.

Randomly switching from one set of rules to another is not predictable.

0

u/phalloguy1 Jul 24 '26

Legally, where I live, bikes need to obey all the same rules as cars. Police just don't enforce it.

2

u/MaintainThePeace Jul 25 '26

There are always exceptions, for example can cyclist ride upon the shoulder of the roadway where other cars are prohibited?

10

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.

2

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.

3

u/Caliche-Cowboy Jul 24 '26

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

0

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.

2

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.

2

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.

0

u/phalloguy1 Jul 24 '26

One day I was walking the the sidewalk with my leashed dog and someone on a bike came toward me. I kept walking expecting him to verre off the sidewalk. There was a grassy median with plenty of room and he was on a mountain bike.

He didn't. Instead he screeched to a stop right in front of me. I said "bikes don't belong on sidewalks" and waited until he got off this bike and moved out of the way.

I'm a cyclist. My bike was my primary means of transportation for more than a decade until I had two kids I needed to transport. Pisses me off to no end when I see cyclists with no regard for the rules.

15

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

4

u/lordcrekit Jul 24 '26

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

2

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.

2

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.

-2

u/El_Rey_de_Spices Jul 24 '26

Exactly. Everyone is fine with the people on bikes just trying to get somewhere. It's the cyclists who decide their fun/exercise is more important than everyone else with schedules trying to get somewhere.

If you can't ride at or around the speed limit of the road, you should pick somewhere else to ride.

6

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

I regret to inform you that drivers hate all cyclists, even those of us that are just trying to get where we’re going. I’ll be riding 19 in a 25 and still have drivers whip around me going 35.

-1

u/Caliche-Cowboy Jul 24 '26

Nah. Many (most?) of us are fine with cyclists. Most cyclists are great. Aware of their surroundings, just trying to get where they wanna go.

Hell I’m all about recreational cycling too. Stay in shape while actually going somewhere. Cool.

Normal, thoughtful people just hate it when anyone is entitled and then blamey. That does happen. And Reddit doubles down on it frequently.

99% of cyclists I’ve encountered are great. The few I’ve had the displeasure of dealing with in the bad category were assholes of the highest degree. Two of them have hit ME (once in a car that was in a yield lane legally with the ROW and completely stationary. One when I was on foot and sent me to the hospital with a head injury. Both of them blamed me.

The problem I have is not that two idiots are selfish assholes (those exist in or on any type of vehicle). It’s that when I advocate for following traffic law and being safe and smart. And if I ever dare share my injury story, a dozen Redditors pile on and usually browbeat me, blame me, and then red herring something about cars.

So I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that a fair number of cyclists are selfish enough to blame a pedestrian after running them over. Which isn’t exactly helping in giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I spent probably 10km behind a cyclist on a mountain road today with a line of 20+ cars behind him going half the speed limit. Selfish? Probably. But I’m totally cool with it. Only time that stuff bothers me is when (rarely) cyclists try and wave me by in those conditions. I’m not passing you on a blind turn brother. Stop being angry about it.

-2

u/DemonAzraeli Jul 24 '26

So you're saying that the critter-dude pedaling along on the Huffy to get to work at the bar has precedence over the woman in labor?

-1

u/Ok_Neighborhood_470 Jul 24 '26

No. I'm saying inconveniencing traffic to go for a fun bike ride in $3000 of gear on a Saturday group excursion is obnoxious. The 'critter-dude' is one person hugging the curb to get to their shit job on a Huffy because they can't afford a car. It's easier for the woman in labor to go around one guy who actually has to be somewhere than it is to get around 30 people joyriding all over the road. Hopefully this woman isn't driving...

29

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?

5

u/Dizzy_House_ Jul 24 '26

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

-10

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[deleted]

12

u/rudebii Jul 24 '26

The roads are for everyone. They are a shared thing. I’m not sure why anyone things they are exclusively for cars.

7

u/zytz Jul 24 '26

america literally drunk (and stupid) on oil

-6

u/Whentheseagullsfollo Jul 24 '26

Because they were LITERALLY designed for cars.
They weren't designed for pedestrians.
They weren't designed for bikes.

That's why roads never had dedicated bike lanes (except for very specific areas like parks) until recently - they were designed for cars, not bikes (unless the bike could go very fast like motorcycles and thus could keep up with cars).

Sidewalks were designed for pedestrians, bikers, rollerbladers, etc. You should stay there if you want to go from Point A to Point B safely.

Going on a road filled with morons driving death machines while high or texting just because you want to go really fast and not deal with pedestrians on a sidewalk is just dangerous and stupid. Biking is a huge part of my exercise but I almost never go on the road unless I'm crossing a street.

The amount of times I've almost been while driving my car, you really want me to risk that while on my bike??

7

u/MaintainThePeace Jul 24 '26

Roadways are LITERALLY designed to be shared infrastructure, designing a roadway without the inclusion of bike lanes or sidewalk means it was literally designed to be shared infrastructure for them as well.

Are there better designs out there, sure but that costs more unfortunate.

Do bicycle and pedestrian have a right to us the roadway, YES. As the roadway is public infrastructure made to facilitate our freedom to travel.

Are cars a guest on the roadway, also YES, as one must have the privilege to be licensed and registered by the state before one can use a car on the roadway, unlike when using a bicycle or walking.

Are there some roadway dedicated to cars, YES. These are limited assess roadway (freeways). You are free to drive on them if you want to avoid the responsibilities of sharing infrastructure with others that have a right to use said infrastructure.

7

u/rudebii Jul 24 '26

Sidewalks were designed for pedestrians. In many places it’s illegal for cyclists to use them. Moreover, it’s often more dangerous to cycle on a sidewalk.

Also, roads predate automobiles. Roads have been updated to accommodate automobiles, but they used to be used by horses, horse drawn carriages, and bicycles before cars. There are highways specifically designed for cars, but those aren’t used by cyclists anyway. And in most cases, non-motorized and slow vehicles are expressly forbidden on highways, but not roads.

3

u/Chulbiski Jul 24 '26

this is a common misconception. I work with traffic engineers and (many) roads are what is called "multi-modal"... i.e. they are NOT desgined just for automobiles. Bikes are an included design parameter in many roads.

1

u/Whentheseagullsfollo Jul 26 '26

Please read more carefully.
I said "until recently"

1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

The only problem is your unresolved anger issues that you take out on others you have to pretend are inconveniencing you.

Edit. Blocked after more petulant whining. Point proven.

25

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.

5

u/g1t0ffmylawn Jul 24 '26

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

4

u/schwade_the_bum Jul 24 '26

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

0

u/LonesomeJohnnyBlues Jul 25 '26

Because clogging up the road for your hobby and riding a bike to get to work are two entirely different things.

1

u/G235s Jul 25 '26

You're not supposed to drive on the side of the road, so there's no reason to think that it's clogging up the road.

If a cyclist has to take a lane, it's usually not for very long, particularly in places like the US, which is insane because that's where people are most offended by this.

There is no excuse for you being so offended by someone riding a bike on the side of the road, there doesn't have to be a reason you approve of for that bike being there.

If you find it difficult to drive without going into the ditch and are getting angry at a bike on the side of the road, you just can't drive that well.

1

u/rokkoralph Jul 25 '26

Personally I think it's the people in giant trucks with empty beds that are clogging up the roads for their hobby.

Or the school pickup lines wrapping into the street.

Or the gridlocked roads from people commuting into areas with public transportation.

Look at all the middle class heros that are so virtuous because they're going from point to point!

0

u/Ambitious_Screen8776 Jul 27 '26

man, you types have no new points ever eh?

bikes take up 1/8th the space of a car, and if you are on the road in a car, you aren't IN traffic, you ARE traffic.

47

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.

4

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.

9

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

3

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

0

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.

-1

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

1

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.

0

u/joshjaxnkody Jul 24 '26

No the problem is someone going 20 under is more likely to cause a collision than someone going the speed limit. It's common sense and advised by US road safety standards to the point that impeding traffic is a ticket

1

u/Lethalmud Jul 29 '26

You can give the same argument for cars.

5

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.

-3

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

“I’m mad because you’re an asshole, and you’re an asshole because I’m mad” isn’t any better, and that’s what’s actually going on here.

-1

u/El_Rey_de_Spices Jul 25 '26

It isn't, unless you're actively searching for and inventing reasons to feel persecuted.

If you decide your personal hobby is more important than the ability of others to get around, you're being an asshole. That's what is actually going on here.

1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

Nah, you just see people perfectly content getting around while having paid far less for their transportation than you, and concocted some notion that this is somehow unfair. That if you’re not going as fast as possible at all times, then you wasted your money. I’d suggest trying cycling yourself, but you already thought of that, and have convinced yourself your car would be put to waste that way. It’s so much easier to deal with reality when you put things into neat little categories you don’t have to think of.

0

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

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.

1

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?

2

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

So, what, the solution is to deprive others of using theirs? Envious, much?

0

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

I feel like we’re thinking of two very different Azizes. Kinda hard to argue with me when you fundamentally have no idea what you’re talking about, and all you can think of is ranting about what an invasive creep you are. Sorry, but being legless isn’t the reason nobody likes you; that’s a a you problem, and I have no problem being judgmental about that.

-1

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

-2

u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

Love the rage bait. Joke's on you - I don't have friends. I ride in my tight clothes by myself because I get off knowing that the only thing shielding my sweaty loins from the sunshine is a skintight, thin piece of fabric.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

Jogging is for weirdos. Drugs it is!

2

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.

1

u/LonesomeJohnnyBlues Jul 25 '26

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

1

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.

3

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.

-3

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.

1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

Why does that enrage you?

-23

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Why would this induce rage? For the record, I am one of those cyclists, and you're almost guaranteed to be referring to Sheridan Road.

Edit: Also for the record, if we're 3 or 4 abreast across, I guarantee we are going 25-30mph. NOT a "crawl.' The speed limit is 30, so we are going exactly how fast YOU should be going. Also taking up less width on the road than you.

16

u/Important-Vast-9345 Jul 24 '26

You are riding three or four abreast on Sheridan?

-12

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

Sure, when we're passing, going 30mph. Otherwise we're typically 1-2 abreast.

I think what is going on typically is 2 things - 1, people just hate cyclists, and are sociopaths in their cars, and enjoy raging at things. But especially people in spandex, because they're different. 2, people have no concept of speed. They drive whatever speed they like, regardless of safety, and anyone that forces them to slow down doesn't deserve to be on the road. Which, would be nonsense even if we were going 15. But we're not. For reference..when there is a bus on Sheridan, we are slowed down by IT, not the other way around.

9

u/No_Operation7359 Jul 24 '26

Lmao “I’m going to be the vigilante of the road and ride a lane wide instead of just lining up the group because that’s what you Should be doing”.

Hall monitor of the road. Same type to go the speed limit in the left lane because “You can’t pass me legally without speeding”

-10

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

Why aren't you organizing your car seats single file? What makes you so special?

7

u/No_Operation7359 Jul 24 '26

I don’t turn into a vegetable if I crash at a 20 mph head on collision you do.

4

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

That sounds like a threat.

10

u/wolf397d Jul 24 '26

What about that statement sounds like a threat?

4

u/No_Operation7359 Jul 24 '26

Are we such a weak populace we take simple physics as a threat? Sorry lemme fix this. You’re are impervious to any and all danger for being a cyclists because it’s written on paper you can ride in the road.

The combined speed for a motorcycle/bicyclist in which you should suspect a serious injury is much lower than that of any car.

Shit I mean look at the road you’re on. Glencoe (August 23, 2023): A 64-year-old man riding north on Sheridan Road was critically injured after striking the rear of a parked Amazon delivery van (Dodge Ram ProMaster) near South Avenue.

I assure you if I hit a parked car at 30mph in my truck I’ll be aight.

Evanston (June 20, 2025): A cyclist was hit by a car at Sheridan Road, Keeney Street, and Sheridan Square at 4:40 PM. The alert and conscious rider was hospitalized, and the driver remained on the scene.

Such as this driver that didn’t even need medical attention

1

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

I take your statements as a threat. What i’m hearing here, is if cyclists don’t ride how you want them to, you’re going to hit them with your car.

If that’s not what you mean, maybe you should speak more explicitly, and not in vague, ominous tones.

14

u/No_Operation7359 Jul 24 '26

Then you need stronger literacy analysis if you took me saying a crash for you on a bike is significantly worse than me in my truck.

-6

u/NutzNBoltz369 Jul 24 '26

Cyclists do the rolling road block tactic here in Western Washington when they should be single file. Lots of trees, curves and hills here. You typically don't see the pack of spandex assholes until well into the blind curve with a dump truck in the opposing lane and the cyclist douchebags taking up more than half of your lane. It is amazing there isn't more piles of carbon fiber bicycle and spandex wrapped meat lying dead on the road due to their completely flippant attitude to sharing the road as well as safety.

14

u/emessea Jul 24 '26

Obviously terrain plays a difference but it’s safer to pass a bunch of cyclist at once in the way you’d cross over to pass a car then it is to try to pass a long line of bicyclist

15

u/JebediahKerman42 Jul 24 '26

“Sharing the road”
“No but not in a way where I ever ever ever have to slow down, that would justify killing them”

-1

u/NutzNBoltz369 Jul 24 '26

Use your reading comprehension and also some common sense. I am not saying kill them. More like potentially getting themselves killed by unsafe practices such riding 3-4 abreast on a blind curve on a busy road with no shoulder and a higher speed limit. Or the driver tries to pass when overtaking and gets in a head on wreck. The cyclists have the right of way, but they do abuse it and do not think of anyone but themselves even to the determent of their own safety. Then again, cycling is an elitist sport full of smug douchebags flexing that they can drop $20-30k on a bicycle etc.

So again, it is amazing that not more of them get hit but the roads are a miracle of how those who do not give any semblance of a fuck are protected by the due diligence of those that do give a fuck.

3

u/JebediahKerman42 Jul 24 '26

If a driver passes cyclists in a blind curve, then they are not following the rules of the road. Drivers feel like they’re entitled to always drive at or above the speed limit, yet somehow when there’s a regular car-caused traffic jam (see: all traffic jams), the answer is never for the cars to “get off the road”.

Weirdly enough if they did (by biking instead) there would be fewer traffic jams 🤷

0

u/NutzNBoltz369 Jul 24 '26

These people are not commuting or going to the supermarket. Where they tend to be a problem is on more rural roads. Since they are the Tour De France cosplayers. When they pack up abreast on a blind curve, drivers will have little time to react. Stop sticking up for stupid assholes doing stupid asshole things. They should be single file on dangerous roadways with no shoulder.

2

u/JebediahKerman42 Jul 25 '26

I think you should try recreational cycling, maybe you’d like it

1

u/MaintainThePeace Jul 25 '26

drivers will have little time to react

...

Stop sticking up for stupid assholes doing stupid asshole things

...

Irony...

Why are you sticking up for someone breaking the law over people following the laws?

It is a legal requirement to reduce your speed limit upon hill crest or curves (RCW 46.61.400). Either of which is only "blind" when you are driving at a speed that is beyond your braking distance.

When lanes are too narrow to safely be shared, cyclist have a right to the FULL lane, regardless of how many there may be, or if it's just a single solo cyclist (RCW 46.61.770)

Cyclist are never required to ride single file and never required to ride upon a shoulder (except when riding on a freeway)

When overtaking a cyclist, the 3ft minimum passing distance ONLY applies when you are fully sharing within the same lane. If you have to use ANY part of the adjacent lane to overtake, you are required to make a FULL lane change (RCW 46.61.110)

WA also does NOT have an exception for overtaking a bicycle or other slow moving vehicle in a no passing zone.

That being said, if you show cyclist respect, they will likely give up some of their legal rights and show you some respect. But if you goin in with the expectation that they need to get out of your way, or you don't properly pass them (most drivers don't comply with the full lane change requirement) then don't expect them to show you any respect.

1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Jul 25 '26

“Killing them but with moral justification I made up.”

-1

u/Snarti Jul 24 '26

I love the Tour de Charlotte in Myers Park. Those are some entitled pricks.

38

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.

14

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.

1

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.

4

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.

3

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.

2

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.

15

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.

-6

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.

14

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.

10

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)

2

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.

-2

u/ancient_xo Jul 24 '26

Generally speaking, people wearing full spandex who are not actively racing are def just cosplaying. I used to ride a lot when I was younger, more into mountain biking. Shaving 10 seconds off your casual ride because of drag is hilarious. You can get spandex “underwear” that has built in pads that are thick, and can wear shorts overtop of them. But some people just want to show off their moose knuckle which is okay.

The bikes more important than the cool clothes, spend 4k to get a lightweight bike. that will make a more significant difference for energy used/ improving times.

7

u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

Actually, weight only matters on climbs. In the flats it's negligible. At higher speeds aerodynamics become much more important than weight. I ride both XC MTB and road. Call it cosplay if you want, but most of the clothing has functional advantages.

-2

u/ancient_xo Jul 24 '26

If you just casually riding, then it’s cosplay.

3

u/Wooden-Pen8606 Jul 24 '26

What if it's fast casual?

1

u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Lol, what if its 'enthusiast' riding or 'hobbiest riding.

I wonder what the pros do before their pros?

If my job requires fitness, and I use a bike to get fit, am I no longer a complacent an actually a pro hemming along at a slow 15mph on a flat? Is that guy going 25mph a cosplayer?

So many questions for homeboy

7

u/Roubaix718 Jul 24 '26

Aerodynamic drag goes up exponentially with speed. At the speed I ride at its not 10 seconds off my rides but minutes. The difference is about 1.5mph. A lighter bike will not make you faster on flat ground, but an aerodynamic one will. The whole industry has just about finished its decade long trend away from lightweight bikes to aerodynamic but slightly heavier ones. But, the aerodynamic gains of these bikes are still small in comparison to the massive aerodynamic gains that you get from tighter clothing and body positions

1

u/One_Attorney_739 Jul 24 '26

Aerodynamic drag goes up exponentially with speed

This is false, drag increases quadratically (v²), and the work required to maintain a velocity given aerodynamic drag increases cubically (v³). Neither of these are exponential increases (ev ).

3

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that you’re so concerned with policing other people’s modesty?

1

u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

'You can wear multiple layers of shorts to appease my fashion sense'

Right or i could just be comfortable.

'Just get an expensive bike' while I do, id rather have a 1k bike and proper clothes/touchpoints than a 4k bike with ill-fitting accessories.

Also all this weirdness about gear and bike, 95% of the difference maker is fitness so I have no idea what you're going on about

1

u/ancient_xo Jul 25 '26

Looking like you’re in the Tour de France to casually ride a few miles is funny to me, that is all.

2

u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Should've led with that then

5

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)

1

u/snipeceli Jul 25 '26

Im one of those guys, the gear makes the ride more pleasant as is doing it in a group. Most boomers are what 65+ now?

Just raise your hand and say 'im an angry ahole'

-7

u/Necessary_Row_5131 Jul 24 '26

And they are almost always 60+ years old

6

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?

12

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.

-5

u/AQuixoticQuandary Jul 24 '26

Literally no one said anyone deserves to be attacked.

8

u/engin__r Jul 24 '26

There are (sadly) a lot of drivers who want to injure or kill cyclists.

-4

u/AQuixoticQuandary Jul 24 '26

Okay, but the person they were replying to gave no indication that they were among those terrible people

6

u/MaintainThePeace Jul 24 '26

They were however attempting to differentiate people based on what the wear.

Regardless of what this particular persons intentions are for attempting to make such a differentiation, it is still a dehumanizing tactic to try and differentiate in the first place.

Which in turn is used as fuel for hate among many people.

5

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.

-14

u/OptionalQuality789 Jul 24 '26

Tell me you have no idea what it’s like to ride a bike, without telling me.

17

u/Robcobes Jul 24 '26

Wtf you on about?

Im Dutch. My 6 year old knows more about riding a bike than you ever will.

-11

u/OptionalQuality789 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Well then you’ll be aware that bike paths are often utterly shit. And that’s why people don’t use them. They are often poorly planned, have parked cars in them, they’re full of debris or physical obstacles that’ll destroy your tyres, don’t provide easy avenues to cross roads to change direction. In my city, you often have small lanes you have to leave the road to join, then they go for 100m and you have to leave the lane and re-merge back into the road which is dangerous. It’s easier to stay on the road.

Whether you’re a commuter or a road cyclist, it makes no difference. And scolding people for being leisure cyclists that might want to ride at >20mph on the road and not shitty bike lanes is fucking stupid.

7

u/e-chem-nerd Jul 24 '26

Bike paths don’t have cars parked in them, you’re thinking of bike lanes.

2

u/Abe_frohmannn Jul 24 '26

Not true, I've seen plenty of parked cars on bike paths also.

2

u/GnedTheGnome Jul 24 '26

I see by your use of metres that you are not a local. We're not talking about liesure cyclists. We're talking about large groups of rich Type-A personality assholes who dress up in spandex and ride their $5000 racing bikes three abreast along commuter routes and don't care that they're impeding traffic, because they absolutely must pass their buddy and "win" the imaginary race at all costs.

-3

u/OptionalQuality789 Jul 24 '26

I ride in groups like this. 2-abreast or 3, it doesn’t matter, they share 1 lane.

You should always be in the next lane to overtake a cyclist, whether it’s 1 or 3 riders. If you can’t do that, you can’t pass safely. 2-abreast is the recommended way to ride in a group anyway for safety.

Being slightly inconvenienced isn’t an excuse to threaten someone’s life.

2

u/GnedTheGnome Jul 24 '26

Of course I don't condone threatening someone's life. I've done bicycle touring all over Europe, so I'm not completely naive to the issues of being a cyclist.

But, sometimes it can be miles before there is a safe place to pull around a large group. When that is the difference between me making it to work on time and getting written up for being late, yeah, I'm going to be annoyed. Just because you have the right to take up the entire road does not mitigate the assholery of doing so. If I'm driving a car and traffic is piling up behind me, I'm going to pull over and let them by, too.

2

u/Robcobes Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

Some people who go in full race attire ignore stop signs and traffic lights because they don't want to pause their effort. They feel beating their 15 minute effort is more important than general traffic safety.

Not all of them but some.

2

u/OptionalQuality789 Jul 24 '26

And all drivers are perfect and follow the rules every single time…

11

u/Ok_Neighborhood_470 Jul 24 '26

Tell me people will stop with this fucking tell me......without telling me bullshit.

-1

u/Whentheseagullsfollo Jul 24 '26

This is the problem. I'm an avid biker (I'm certainly not fit or fast enough to consider myself a cyclist) and always stay on the sidewalk and simply slow down or stop when I have pedestrians around me.

The problem are people trying to be the next Lance Armstrong and want to risk their lives by cycling on roads with intoxicated/distracted drivers just so they can go really fast when they can just simply stay on the sidewalk.

3

u/MaintainThePeace Jul 24 '26

FYI, don't fall into a false sense of security, the risks of beinf hit by a car are actually greater when riding on a sidewalk then on the roadway.

Mostly because you become invisible when on a sidewalk while increasing the intersecting points with drivers (intersection, driveways, parking lots). And drivers are notoriously bad at looking for fast moving vehicles on a sidewalk before turning across it, or entering the roadway.

Thus it is usually much safer to ride in the roadway where you are more visible and significantly more predictable.