Why Bikes Make Smart People Say Dumb Things

[americancyclo]

I liked this article, and only saw it linked through bikesnob, but it seems to reduce down to:
cyclists are targeted because there isn’t empathy. To get empathy, we need to get more people on bikes.

[jrenaut]

@americancyclo 89700 wrote:

…we need to get more people on bikes.

Pretty much every problem in the world, aside from crowded bike trails, can be at least improved if we get more people on bikes.

[Steve O]

@jrenaut 89703 wrote:

Pretty much every problem in the world, aside from crowded bike trails, can be at least improved if we get more people on bikes.

The problem of my ever getting a KOM would be improved if we could get TK and Hozn off their bikes.

[Harry Meatmotor]

possible solution? States need to start requiring a safe cycling course for 13 year-olds that includes on-street/in traffic riding before any motor vehicle driver’s licensing curriculum begins.

[PotomacCyclist]

@Harry Meatmotor 89724 wrote:

possible solution? States need to start requiring a safe cycling course for 13 year-olds that includes on-street/in traffic riding before any motor vehicle driver’s licensing curriculum begins.

And add bike/pedestrian safety issues to driver’s education courses.

[VikingMariner]

@Harry Meatmotor 89724 wrote:

possible solution? States need to start requiring a safe cycling course for 13 year-olds that includes on-street/in traffic riding before any motor vehicle driver’s licensing curriculum begins.

An German-like licensing requirements for car drivers. Most people really don’t know how to drive or understand the consequences of their lack of training with cars. It’s too easy to get a license in America, which is why cars (bad drivers) kill more people annually than guns. The system of driver licensing is a shame of a mockery of a travesty of an injustice.

Of course the flip side of the discussion is that on every one of my rides I see varying levels of douche’baggery on the bike path. Oh, I think we all know the type as popularized by this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgCqz3l33kU.

Funny song though.

[chris_s]

@VikingMariner 89746 wrote:

An German-like licensing requirements for car drivers. Most people really don’t know how to drive or understand the consequences of their lack of training with cars. It’s too easy to get a license in America, which is why cars (bad drivers) kill more people annually than guns. The system of driver licensing is a shame of a mockery of a travesty of an injustice.

And it’s extremely hard to change this because we have built most of our country in a way that makes it extremely hard to live your life without a car, so taking someone’s license away or making it really difficult to get one is seen as an especially harsh punishment.

[VikingMariner]

@chris_s 89749 wrote:

And it’s extremely hard to change this because we have built most of our country in a way that makes it extremely hard to live your life without a car, so taking someone’s license away or making it really difficult to get one is seen as an especially harsh punishment.

True, but I have my hopes and my dreams.

[chris_s]

@VikingMariner 89750 wrote:

True, but I have my hopes and my dreams.

Indeed. Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.

[lordofthemark]

@americancyclo 89700 wrote:

I liked this article, and only saw it linked through bikesnob, but it seems to reduce down to:
cyclists are targeted because there isn’t empathy. To get empathy, we need to get more people on bikes.

Yup. The long slow step by step (pardon) slog – one more bike lane here, one more water cooler chat about it being possible there, one more festival to show it’s cool, one more bike share station, one more new building featuring it’s bike parking.

[cyclingfool]

@VikingMariner 89746 wrote:

It’s too easy to get a license in America, which is why cars (bad drivers) kill more people annually than guns.

And in ‘Murrica that’s saying something!

[dasgeh]

@lordofthemark 89769 wrote:

Yup. The long slow step by step (pardon) slog – one more bike lane here, one more water cooler chat about it being possible there, one more festival to show it’s cool, one more bike share station, one more new building featuring it’s bike parking.

Lots more people on family rides…

[dasgeh]

@Harry Meatmotor 89724 wrote:

possible solution? States need to start requiring a safe cycling course for 13 year-olds that includes on-street/in traffic riding before any motor vehicle driver’s licensing curriculum begins.

How about insisting that school systems (especially ones that teach every child to swim) teach every child to ride a bike? In elementary school. I’m looking at you, APS.

@PotomacCyclist 89745 wrote:

And add bike/pedestrian safety issues to driver’s education courses.

Bike/pedestrian safety throughout the public school curriculum, starting in Kindergarten, as well as skills lessons on walking, biking and using transit. It fits into the curriculum in many subjects.

[dasgeh]

@chris_s 89749 wrote:

And it’s extremely hard to change this because we have built most of our country in a way that makes it extremely hard to live your life without a car, so taking someone’s license away or making it really difficult to get one is seen as an especially harsh punishment.

True, though by working towards this should increase pressure to make walking, biking and transit better.

[mstone]

@dasgeh 89793 wrote:

How about insisting that school systems (especially ones that teach every child to swim) teach every child to ride a bike? In elementary school. I’m looking at you, APS.

If we really wanted change, we’d have more multi-story schools in residential neighborhoods and fewer large campuses surrounded by traffic sewers.

[Author]

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