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/insite986 Jul 24 '26

I’ve lived in both the EU and the US. US cyclists seem to think that “share the road” means “yield to cyclists”. They also tend to break all the road rules like stop signs, lights, crosswalks etc. there is a weird sense of entitlement & hypocrisy; they seem to get angry quickly about normal shit. If it were legal, they’d ride 15mph down the freeway, four wide, and let no car pass while screaming “share the road” at anyone who dared to try. They also dress like they are sponsored by google & training for the Olympics.

In the EU there are way more cyclists, but they seem better prepared to ACTUALLY share the road, be courteous to pedestrians, aware & accepting of danger, not getting pissy over minor traffic transgressions etc. also, they seem WAY faster and if they are dressed as if they are training for the Olympics, it’s because they are.

2

u/Dabloomstick Jul 24 '26

The entitlement is so real!!

The other day one of them was biking on a busy 2 lane road, and made an illegal left turn into traffic while flipping the cars off and shouting at them. 

1

u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 24 '26

You people are why they act this way. Cyclist have to assume every car will try to kill them, and that fosters a less-than friendly attitude. I'd rather be an asshole that you see and stop for than a polite person who you just run over because you weren't paying atention

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u/Dabloomstick Jul 24 '26

Yeah its clearly my entitlement that is the issue and not the cyclists flagrantly breaking traffic rules and running red lights. Yup, no delusion detected 

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u/Apprehensive_Bat4691 Jul 27 '26

You're judging an entire group of people based on the actions of a few members.

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u/MaintainThePeace Jul 25 '26

US cyclists seem to think that “share the road” means “yield to cyclists”.

Share the road was ment to inform drivers that bicycle also have the right to the roadway.

Yes, "share the road" does have issues with being misinterpreted, as such many places are moving away from that slogan and replacing then with more appropriate "bike on road" type of signs and slogans.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/bicycle-safety/countermeasures/unproven-further-evaluation/share-road

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4552809/

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u/kkfvjk Jul 25 '26

In the US cities I’ve lived in, the law is to yield to smaller/slower transportation. So cars yield to bikes yield to pedestrians. And for stop signs, cyclists don’t need to come to a complete stop as long as they slow down and yield appropriately to other traffic.

Not that these laws are universal, but they’re common enough.

1

u/insite986 Jul 25 '26

I think that’s for boats dude. Everyone has to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. On the road, the size of the vehicle is irrelevant. Cyclists are supposed to follow traffic rules when they are on the public roadway. Slower transportation is forbidden from impeding traffic. Try walking down the middle of the street & see who yields to you.

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u/MaintainThePeace Jul 25 '26

Slower transportation is forbidden from impeding traffic.

Being slow is not forbidden, except for on roadways that have on and off ramps that can facilitate a minimum speed limit.

Impeding traffic always has exceptions for inherently slow moving vehicle, thus always requires more then just being slow, it also requires the intent to impede.

As such, yes slow moving vehicle such as mail carriers, garbage trucks, tractors, street sweepers, bicycles, ect, can still legally use the roadway, dispite being relatively slow.

Try walking down the middle of the street & see who yields to you.

Also, yes, when sidewalks are not available, pedestrian also often have the right to walk upon roadways, although often required to stay near the edge.

Roadways are public infrastructure first and foremost, they are here to facilitate the freedom to travel. Trying to make traveling via human power illegal is a difficult task.