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Cars weigh many tons and take up an entire lane. Bicycles do not. Many thousands of deaths per year caused by automobiles in the US. For bicycles, it's vanishin

Cars weigh many tons and take up an entire lane. Bicycles do not. Many thousands of deaths per year caused by automobiles in the US. For bicycles, it's vanishingly small. I've never met a cyclist that doesn't slow, look both ways, etc, at city intersections. This demand that we come to a complete stop every 30 seconds while navigating dangerous city roads could only come from those who do not use this vastly safer and greener form of transportation.

sandworm101 5y ago
> Cars weigh many tons and take up an entire lane. Bicycles do not. Nor does my motorcycle, which is narrower than many of the bicycle+cart/recumbent bike combinations I see these days. And my car weighs far less than "many tons", less than two in fact. > This demand that we come to a complete stop every 30 seconds Maybe for pushbikes. But "bicycle" now includes all the electric bikes that, imho, are getting close to motorcycles in terms of speed (ie they can maintain the speed limit). Stopping every thirty seconds is just the price of using the road. If you don't want to stop then lobby for and use separate bicycle paths away from the street.
- chitowneats 5y ago
  You've misunderstood my position. I'm not talking about vehicles with motors. Your original comment refers to "bicycles".
  - sandworm101 5y ago
    Oh, I understand, but pushbikes are now just a subset. I was passed this morning in a school zone by a fat-tire electric "bicycle" doing at least 45 in a 30kph zone (he also blew through a crosswalk with kids in it). The fact that some people choose to move their bikes with human muscle, and others use a mix of muscle and motor, is beside the point. They are all just unregulated bicycles.
    - asoneth 5y ago
      <strike>It is misleading to refer to anything going 45mph as a "bicycle" even with quotes. It's an unlicensed motorcycle. E-bikes top out at 28mph or less in most US states. In many other countries the limit is ~15mph. Many mopeds can't even hit 45mph. But to your anecdote, it's not altogether surprising that someone driving an illegal motorcycle is also willing to break traffic laws.</strike> My mistake, I misread 45 as 45mph. I agree that anyone riding like you describe is breaking the law and should be ticketed/fined. (Personally I would not consider a fat bike that can be throttled up to 28mph to be a "bicycle" in any meaningful sense of the word, but I acknowledge that is a semantic battle that has already been lost.)
      - sandworm101 5y ago
        Please read more carefully. 28mph equals 45kph. So the bike I mentioned was very likely doing 28mph, his max speed, roughly 50% over the posted limit and well within pushbike territory in hilly terrain. (School zone are generally 30kph.)
        asoneth 5y ago
        My mistake, I will correct. (Though I am curious where you are that has a 28mph ebike limit but that uses kph measurements.)
      - iso1631 5y ago
        In the UK an e-bike should only provide power when traveling at 20mph/32km or below. Above that it's classed as a moped and needs a helmet, license, etc.
zepto 5y ago
> I've never met a cyclist that doesn't slow, look both ways, etc, at city intersections. Just 2 days ago I had to swerve to avoid a cyclist who came into an intersection without slowing down against a traffic light, with a phone held to her ear with one hand, and only one hand on the handlebars.

sandworm101 5y ago

> Cars weigh many tons and take up an entire lane. Bicycles do not. Nor does my motorcycle, which is narrower than many of the bicycle+cart/recumbent bike combinations I see these days. And my car weighs far less than "many tons", less than two in fact. > This demand that we come to a complete stop every 30 seconds Maybe for pushbikes. But "bicycle" now includes all the electric bikes that, imho, are getting close to motorcycles in terms of speed (ie they can maintain the speed limit). Stopping every thirty seconds is just the price of using the road. If you don't want to stop then lobby for and use separate bicycle paths away from the street.

chitowneats 5y ago
You've misunderstood my position. I'm not talking about vehicles with motors. Your original comment refers to "bicycles".
- sandworm101 5y ago
  Oh, I understand, but pushbikes are now just a subset. I was passed this morning in a school zone by a fat-tire electric "bicycle" doing at least 45 in a 30kph zone (he also blew through a crosswalk with kids in it). The fact that some people choose to move their bikes with human muscle, and others use a mix of muscle and motor, is beside the point. They are all just unregulated bicycles.
  - asoneth 5y ago
    <strike>It is misleading to refer to anything going 45mph as a "bicycle" even with quotes. It's an unlicensed motorcycle. E-bikes top out at 28mph or less in most US states. In many other countries the limit is ~15mph. Many mopeds can't even hit 45mph. But to your anecdote, it's not altogether surprising that someone driving an illegal motorcycle is also willing to break traffic laws.</strike> My mistake, I misread 45 as 45mph. I agree that anyone riding like you describe is breaking the law and should be ticketed/fined. (Personally I would not consider a fat bike that can be throttled up to 28mph to be a "bicycle" in any meaningful sense of the word, but I acknowledge that is a semantic battle that has already been lost.)
    - sandworm101 5y ago
      Please read more carefully. 28mph equals 45kph. So the bike I mentioned was very likely doing 28mph, his max speed, roughly 50% over the posted limit and well within pushbike territory in hilly terrain. (School zone are generally 30kph.)
      - asoneth 5y ago
        My mistake, I will correct. (Though I am curious where you are that has a 28mph ebike limit but that uses kph measurements.)
    - iso1631 5y ago
      In the UK an e-bike should only provide power when traveling at 20mph/32km or below. Above that it's classed as a moped and needs a helmet, license, etc.

zepto 5y ago

> I've never met a cyclist that doesn't slow, look both ways, etc, at city intersections. Just 2 days ago I had to swerve to avoid a cyclist who came into an intersection without slowing down against a traffic light, with a phone held to her ear with one hand, and only one hand on the handlebars.