Why do people hate cyclists?

Whatever the reason cyclist and pedestrian deaths are increasing rapidly in the US. Just as an aside based on what people are saying here it appears that a throttle and the ability to go at least 35 mph would allow a bike to keep up with the flow of traffic in dense Urban traffic. And with a throttle maybe cyclists would stop at lights, since the lost of momentum would not be a big deal.
 
Because of the 🚲 that came out of nowhere ( along a blind fence line on the sidewalk) in front of me at 11 pm. I was in my cage picking up a musician after his gig.I had to lock up my brakes to keep from having a collision. I was approaching a stop sign so I was luckily going slow. Be safe out there.
 
These threads are always interesting/informative to read. I think social psychology has more to say about this than anything particular to cyclists versus motorists, etc. Humans evolved in tribal circumstances, and too many people still self-identify in tribal terms. Tribalism creates conditions where ordinary critical thinking/considerate behaving breaks down, and faulty thinking patterns like in-group/out-group categorizing shape one's whole set of attitudes towards "the other." Basic common-sense ethical principles like the Golden Rule even break down, since "doing unto others" is reserved only for those privileged enough to be in your group/tribe. Self-selected/filtered information sources facilitated by the internet only amplify tribalism. Getting more people to think/behave less tribally will help this and hundreds of other social problems.
 
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Whatever the reason cyclist and pedestrian deaths are increasing rapidly in the US. Just as an aside based on what people are saying here it appears that a throttle and the ability to go at least 35 mph would allow a bike to keep up with the flow of traffic in dense Urban traffic. And with a throttle maybe cyclists would stop at lights, since the lost of momentum would not be a big deal.
The only place around me that people drive 35mph is in a 20mph school zone. I don't buy into the "faster bicycle is safer" thought process. If that was a successful theory, a motorcycle should never be hit by a car.
 
Pretty much. To me, if you're trying to ride on a busy road that has a speed limit of 40mph, you shouldn't be on that road (at least not for any significant distance) if you can't do 40mph continuously. It's the same reason we don't allow bicycles on interstate highways. Mixing speeds like that is dangerous. I feel the same way if I'm on a bicycle. I don't want to be on a road where I can't keep up with the speed of traffic. It feels very unsafe to me.
We disallow bikes on interstates because of the MINIMUM speed limits there...not because we can't do the max.

That said, because so many insist that the speed limit is a requirement instead of a limit, it does make pedaling on those streets dicey.

My hometown allows sidewalk riding, and my enforced slow pace is more suited to the footpaths.

SideWALKS and side STREETS for this old man...even after switching up to E!
 
We disallow bikes on interstates because of the MINIMUM speed limits there...not because we can't do the max.
...

In many states bicycles are allowed on at least some stretches of interstate highways.
 
We disallow bikes on interstates because of the MINIMUM speed limits there...not because we can't do the max.

That said, because so many insist that the speed limit is a requirement instead of a limit, it does make pedaling on those streets dicey.

My hometown allows sidewalk riding, and my enforced slow pace is more suited to the footpaths.

SideWALKS and side STREETS for this old man...even after switching up to E!
Technically side walks are illegal here in WA, but still safer under certain traffic conditions. The cops have watched
me & haven't bothered me for it or for a lot of 'rolling stops'.
 
This appears more recent than what I looked up some 15 years ago. Not surprising, statutes
have become more bike friendly . I can now even ride a gas motored bike if it falls in the
federal guidelines put in place by the Obama Admin. , granted most gas bikes still don't
qualify.
That was once is a matter for the discretion of the Hwy patrol, or was sometime ago. Guess
I need some new research. Thx Mike, for taking the fun out of being an outlaw biker🤪
Any new findings on rolling stops? I know Orygun has passed something there for bikes.
 
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I've witnessed similar behavior on narrower bike trails & MUPs. It's pure arrogance fueled by group mentality.
 
Next Question: Why do spandexters hate old guys on e-bikes.

My vote goes to tribalism. We're awfully good at magnifying difference.

In my well-spent youth as a student radical I was appalled by the disdain and borderline hatred I saw between the Democratic Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party. Both were fairly fringe far left political groups whose platforms aligned 99% or thereabouts. They were just unable to get past that 1% (from memory it boiled down to something along the lines of Bolshevism vs Menshevism). Come election time neither party saw much support beyond a fraction of a percent and yet they still found the time and energy to be mortal enemies. Go figure.

A mainstream example may be Republicans and Democrats (or Liberal and Labor here in Australia). Both are centrist to centre-right parties that share largely the same platform with some tweaks around the edges. This party wants to restrict your choice to buy certain firearms. That party wants to restrict your choice to manage your body. Yet, despite having far more in common than apart, the population and media somehow manage to amplify those points of difference into a vast chasm of irreconcilability. It's dumb and we can do better.
 
My vote goes to tribalism. We're awfully good at magnifying difference.

In my well-spent youth as a student radical I was appalled by the disdain and borderline hatred I saw between the Democratic Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party. Both were fairly fringe far left political groups whose platforms aligned 99% or thereabouts. They were just unable to get past that 1% (from memory it boiled down to something along the lines of Bolshevism vs Menshevism). Come election time neither party saw much support beyond a fraction of a percent and yet they still found the time and energy to be mortal enemies. Go figure.

A mainstream example may be Republicans and Democrats (or Liberal and Labor here in Australia). Both are centrist to centre-right parties that share largely the same platform with some tweaks around the edges. This party wants to restrict your choice to buy certain firearms. That party wants to restrict your choice to manage your body. Yet, despite having far more in common than apart, the population and media somehow manage to amplify those points of difference into a vast chasm of irreconcilability. It's dumb and we can do better.
As Ronald Reagan saw it ...
 
CTV News in Canada

Not gonna lie, some cyclists ride like they own the road.



Is common sense to ride like that, if they were a single line it would be over 500feet long !!


When they wrote that law they didn't use all their IQ, For less then 10riders is fine, but for a large group is not SAFE to do single ride.

Does that makes sense ? You would have to go around for a LONG TIME putting everyone in danger or wait behind.


Those CTV reports should absolutely be sued for harassing the riders, it's even in the video that they were on a yellow broken line taking the lane with the news Van filming them...


Why wait for the double line to film them and make sensationalism ?? And even if it's a doible line , i'm sure the driver could have cross it after the curve... such imbeciles and selfish behavior.
They would rather put their selfish , evil reasoning above and jeopardize the lives of 60+people and their families !!

1 VS Hundreds .

I've seen officers doing same mistake pulling a group ride and asking everyone to ride single file.
That is stupid , illogical and very dangerous.

The car driver STILL has to give 3FEET distance when going around !


Go around for 500feet due to the single ride group giving everyone 3feet distance in incoming traffic for 15+seconds OR

-go around for 2-3 seconds for 50feet with same 3feet distance ?


This should be made into a law. A lot of drivers out of ego feel illogically entitled to the road.

I see same dumb mistake when behind a single rider ebiker or analog. They nervously and dangerously overtake ONLY to be stopped by the red light 10-15seconds later. Or 3seconds sometimes...


A car should not be used like an ebike b/c IT IS NOT.

It's a 4000lb monster or 7000lb clunker if it's a Ford F 150 that all it does for you it takes you to work for that 10-30mile 2HOUR COMMUTE and carries those 25-35lb groceries.


And lately in North America , work is very sparse , the clunkers sitting idle and even the drivers giving up , buying a bike 😜 and becoming victims to their own , car vs bike mentality.

And you pay thousands of dollars every year for that driving "privilege". Understandably drivers get upset, have heart attacks when seeing an ebiker knowing THAT IT IS FREE , NO COST , going 25mph for the same 10-30miles commute in 1hour.
And Maybe can also use the monster car for a vacation once in a blue moon...

I have A Tesla S but i drive it responsability and with great care sharing the road., not feeling entitled due to whatever law is on the books..


We should just be understanding. Is just a group of people having fun when it comes to the lycra riders.

In your car , you can accelerate in 3-4seconds , 1sec. in a Tesla and can go around the group.

What's so hard to be human ??
 
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Next Question: Why do spandexters hate old guys on e-bikes.

I think that a lot of them don't know the technology behind or how the PAS works. We are much fitter then them, have stronger upper bodies, invincible immune system. Most of them are literally like toothpicks with a very weak immune system....i was one of them !
Now in 1day i can do a 5mile run, a 50mile ebike ride , lift weights, enjoy a Corona( the beer , not the virus). and have some fun later.
 
I think that a lot of them don't know the technology behind or how the PAS works. We are much fitter then them, have stronger upper bodies, invincible immune system. Most of them are literally like toothpicks with a very weak immune system....i was one of them !
Now in 1day i can do a 5mile run, a 50mile ebike ride , lift weights, enjoy a Corona( the beer , not the virus). and have some fun later.
Okay, if you say so. I don't know about the 5 mile run, my knees ain't so great anymore:cool:
 
My vote goes to tribalism. We're awfully good at magnifying difference.

In my well-spent youth as a student radical I was appalled by the disdain and borderline hatred I saw between the Democratic Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party. Both were fairly fringe far left political groups whose platforms aligned 99% or thereabouts. They were just unable to get past that 1% (from memory it boiled down to something along the lines of Bolshevism vs Menshevism). Come election time neither party saw much support beyond a fraction of a percent and yet they still found the time and energy to be mortal enemies. Go figure.

A mainstream example may be Republicans and Democrats (or Liberal and Labor here in Australia). Both are centrist to centre-right parties that share largely the same platform with some tweaks around the edges. This party wants to restrict your choice to buy certain firearms. That party wants to restrict your choice to manage your body. Yet, despite having far more in common than apart, the population and media somehow manage to amplify those points of difference into a vast chasm of irreconcilability. It's dumb and we can do better.
I"ve always considered myself an agrarian egalitarian omnivore.
 
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I have no idea what can be gleened other than those that "hate" cyclists are about the same, by percentage, as "militant bedecked road cyclists" that use the road as if in a car or on a motorcycle. I get really annoyed when a couple of "cycleists" ride the middle of the road because they can maintain 30mph of the 40mph speed limit. I get even more incredulous at their arrogance in times like these because its truly a lost cause if someone in a car goes postal. No doubt the first solution is designated bicycle lanes because sharing between diverse groups ain't gonna happen.
 
If you want to break the law and ride in a group like that, go ahead. Keep in mind you may become a contributor to the appalling number of cycle related accidents however. Whether you're right or wrong, the cyclist is always on the losing end of an altercation with a vehicle. Aggravating motorists only makes the situation worse.
 
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