I live in a country where cycling is a major mode of transportation (Netherlands). I also work (albeit tangentially, this is not an appeal to authority) in tran

I live in a country where cycling is a major mode of transportation (Netherlands). I also work (albeit tangentially, this is not an appeal to authority) in transportation planning. In my view, expectations of cyclists in countries that don't traditionally have bikes on their roads are unrealistic in their expectations. Nobody in their right mind in the Netherlands would ride a bike on highways or major multiple-lane roads (and in fact, it's mostly prohibited); yet I see cyclists in New Zealand and Australia do that all the time (I suspect it's similar in the US but I haven't observed it personally). Similarly, nobody in their right mind drives a bike the same way they drive a car - on the same lanes, in the middle of the lane, basically like a slow motor cycle (outside of areas where cars move faster than walking speed, that is - i.e. not rush hour in urban centers). Now I understand that you'd sort of have to if there is no alternative, like a well developed separate cycling network as we have. Heck, just having bicycle lanes already seems to be hailed as a big progression in many places. But I have a hard time understanding why cyclists are so determined to portray themselves as this sub-group, a minority that deserves special attention, with its own clothing ranges and gear sets and entitlements and internet forums for circle jerking about how much better the world would be if only everybody else was just like you. I'm trying hard not to blame the victim here, but the problem the author identifies with cyclists turning public opinion against them is real (which is still not a reason not to prosecute people who kill cyclists, of course). 'Our' cyclists (sorry if this sounds condescending, I can't really think of a better way of putting it) don't identify as 'cyclists'. They're just a cross section of the population, and as such there is no such culture clash. Maybe it's easy for me to say because we never had to make a transition the way many countries will have to, but pitting yourself as the underdog who needs special treatment from everybody else seems to be a long, hard slog, or maybe even counter-productive in at least the short term. Not that I have an alternative though, prisoner's dilemma and all.