Traffic's certainly a large barrier to entry; I learned to cycle as an adult too, and it took a long time to become comfortable cycling on anything other than q

Traffic's certainly a large barrier to entry; I learned to cycle as an adult too, and it took a long time to become comfortable cycling on anything other than quiet local roads. And you're right that many people can't currently practically use a bicycle in preference to a car. Some of that's no doubt due to the logistics involved in more remote communities, some of it could be related to urban infrastructure historically designed with large vehicles in mind, and some of it's likely due to limitations of bicycle travel itself (like the challenges of carrying large loads and dealing with weather conditions). Not to mention that it takes time for people's habits to change. I'm biased because I would probably say cycling's the most useful non-software-related skill I've learned - so take with a grain of salt - but to me cycling's a vast opportunity: an empowering, open, low-cost technology with the potential to improve lives both individually and collectively. In that context traffic and other limiting factors become issues to understand and find (genuine, win-win) solutions for, rather than impassable obstacles.