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> cycling is fine in the US My ER doctor friend says urban cycling is idiotic. I do it all the time but you're kidding yourself if you don't realize it is ext
by kingkongreveng_ 17y ago
> cycling is fine in the US
My ER doctor friend says urban cycling is idiotic.
I do it all the time but you're kidding yourself if you don't realize it is extremely dangerous.
The more important issue in the US regarding bikes is the lack of density. It's simply not feasible to bike the kinds of distances most people need to go.
- jrockway 17y agoMy ER doctor friend says urban cycling is idiotic. A friend of yours said something, so it must be true... Most accidents are due to people driving their bicycles unsafely. If you drive safely, urban cycling is not dangerous. If you drive like a maniac and disregard traffic controls (running lights, riding on the sidewalk, going the wrong direction, etc.), then yeah... it's dangerous. Just like it would be as a pedestrian or motorist. In aggregate, cycling is not significantly more dangerous than any other activity: http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/almanac-safety.html http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/almanac-safety.html (Despite this, I am in favor of laws and regulations that make the roads less dangerous. Cars should not go faster than bicycles in cities. If you need to get somewhere fast, use rapid transit.)
- kingkongreveng_ 17y agoMy experience as an urban cyclist is that close calls are inevitable, cyclist never at fault or otherwise.
- jrockway 17y agoDunno. I ride a couple thousand miles a year, and I have not had any close calls.
- chancho 17y ago> If you need to get somewhere fast, use rapid transit. I have a hard time believing anyone in the US (except maybe New York) could say this with a straight face. Where do you live that rapid transit is so rapid?
- jrockway 17y agoChicago. It takes me about 15 minutes to get to work on the train. Driving would probably take a bit longer, and would cost about $40/day. (Not including the cost to get a car and a driver's license; neither of which I have.)
- InclinedPlane 17y agoQuite so. I know several people who live 30 miles away from work. Adding 3-6 hours every day in commute time is not something most people look for.
- middus 17y agoWell, you don't have to live 30 miles away from work. You choose to.
- bmj 17y agoI agree. Mostly. In this economic environment, you may not have the choice. Personally, living within a bike-able distance to the office is critical. One employer moved nearly 20 miles from house. I tried doing the commute three times a week, and that extra two hours was just not worth it. Fortunately, the tech sector here is pretty robust, and it didn't take much to find work closer to home.