Fleck wrote:
Are there cyclists who are part of the problem? Yes. Are there motorists who are part of the problem? Yes
You see this in every population or large group - some don't get it. Some think the world revolves around them. You see this level of entitlement, selfishness particularly on the roads from many users - motorists, cyclists, even pedestrians.
The issue and the one that does tip one would hope a significant responsibility back into the hands of motorists, is the physics of it all. Any contact, between motor vehicle and cyclists, will almost ALWAYS turn out much worse, up to the point of being fatal for the cyclists. The cyclists, are EXTRAORDINARILY vulnerable. Yet, from the actions and behaviors, of many motorists, way beyond the aforementioned bad apples, drivers don't seem to understand the basic laws of physics around this. How else to explain why so many motorists squeeze through that narrow gap between rider and yellow line leaving scant inches to spare. They precision drive for a living? They know the road is perfectly smooth ahead of the cyclist? They know the cyclist is a pro and can hold his/her line?
Physics? Are you kidding? As the American population becomes stupider and stupider, there is little hope that somehow people (in general) will actually understand in a rational way the consequences of their actions (Idiocracy - the minister of the Interior, Not Sure, convinces members of the cabinet that plants need water because the plants TOLD HIM that). The problem is, the supposedly intelligent and educated persons in position of city and road design, engineering, and politics, have chosen to build this entire country for and around the AUTOMOBILE with the primary infrastructure of stroads (a word used by Chuck Marohn, StrongTowns). People? Bikes? Pedestrians? Meh. Science? Meh.
Americans should be ashamed of themselves:
http://www.businessinsider.com/pisa-rankings-2013-12
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.