Originally Posted by
Daves_Not_Here
The reason some motorists don't think cyclists belong on the road is the same reason some cyclists don't think children belong on the bike path:
1. They slow me down.
2. They're unpredictable, so I might hit them.
3. If I do hit them, they get hurt way more than me, so I'll be the bad guy and feel terrible.
4. Even though I'm bigger than them, some are rude, play chicken and dare me to hit them.
5. Any fool can see they're in a dangerous place, so what are they thinking being out here in the first place?
So yes, motorists are concerned about cyclist's safety, but their real beef is inconvenience and a violation of their sense of "the way things ought to be". So it is with some cyclists and children.
Sorry, I didn't really address the motorcycle question. Car drivers don't care about motorcycles because motorcycles don't slow them down.
Points 2., 4. apply to cyclists who aren't behaving well, whereas I'd like to restrict the discussion to good, predictable cyclists, who motorists still have a problem with. Point 5. is clearly circular ("it's dangerous because it's dangerous"), and represents a knee-jerk reaction by some motorists (most likely the stupid ones who don't vote anyway) rather than those that attempt to make principled arguments. I'm really interested in focussing on the latter. Point 3. isn't an argument against cyclists being on the road, but a motorist admission that we make them uncomfortable.
That leaves point 1 as the only reasoned argument. Cycling is dangerous precisely because we move slowly as well as being exposed. Because motorists will try to overtake. Because they aren't anticipating and looking out for slower moving traffic. It follows that if motorists are more aware of cyclists on the road, and pass us safely, then this will alleviate most of the danger (as well as cyclists generally riding in a predictable manner). In all other circumstances (when moving at the speed limit, or navigating intersections) cyclists are similar to motorcyclists in their visibility and vulnerability and therefore should not endure specific criticism from motorists.
Why does this all irk me so? I feel most threatened on the road by aggressive drivers: those who make dangerous passes, who overtake and right hook, who try to left-turn in front of me, and even a select few who have used their vehicles to intimidate me. At least where I do most of my cycling, the single biggest threat to my safety is the refusal of a subset of motorists to respect my right to the road. So when that right is fundamentally challenged (especially in a way that disparages cyclists in general) supposedly in the name of my safety, I take it personally. \endRant