genec

Agreed. 99.9% (maybe 99.999%) of the roads that cyclists use are local roads, funded by local property taxes and the occasional grant from the government (usually for programs such as "Complete Streets" or to add width for bike lanes or other transportation improvements). Meanwhile, the interstates are supported by a portion of gas tax, and again federal tax revenue... bottom line, no roads are really 100% funded by "gas tax," and thus are certainly not the private domain of motorized vehicles.

Joe Bikerider

You have all missed the point. By the time a child becomes a teenager he/she has consumed thousands of hours of advertising telling them that cars are: fast, beautiful, sexy, convenient, loud, and just generally the best thing ever. For goodness sakes, my local teenager can explain to me why a rumbling exhaust is a good thing despite that attribute having nothing whatsoever to do with the ultimate utility of the vehicle.

When a person goes out the door to start a journey do they grab their bike or get in the car?

When I get on my bike, am I presented with a safe comfortable road to take without danger from morons driving cars at great risk to myself? No. I have to gear up and find ways to route myself around with minimal risk. Despite that I get threatened and bullied from drivers in gigantic SUV’s or other vehicles that people have purchased as part of their me me me view of the world as taught to them by thousands of hours of advertising. Why do I take my bike?

Because dammit it’s fun and good for the world and somewhere along the way I learned to hate cars and enjoy propelling myself. When your car passes me too close because you are too stupid to pass safely and I give you the finger that’s where I’m coming from. Regards.

billridesbikes

Yes, car culture works very hard to present driving as safe and fun and at the same time does it’s best to present cycling on public roads as dangerous. I’m convinced that if car accidents where presented in the same way as cycling accidents are in the media most of us would never get in a car ever again. In the US car accidents cause 4.4million injuries needing medical attention each year or, to put it in perspective, in a 5 year period about 10% of all licensed drivers will be injured in a car accident. Something not covered in ads when they show the latest model on the 101 at sunset with not an other car in sight.

Pop N Wood

To be the contrarian the interstates take traffic off the surface roads making them safer for bicyclists.

livedarklions

Not sure what that has to do with the topic. No one on the thread is suggesting demolishing the interstates.

Also, the interstates would be rather useless without connecting surface roads. Point is you don't have to buy a single gallon of gas to pay for the surface roads through your taxes.

Leisesturm

The Interstates were built with money so old some of it came over on the Mayflower. All we have done since then is barely maintain them. In many places not even that. That isn't on cyclists. In most of those places there aren't any cyclists. A bicycle has zero impact on road surface longevity. And there are many, many miles of roads in any city that are not Interstate highway, or even limited access State Routing. There are plenty of urban and suburban arterials that cyclists with any sense of self-preservation will avoid. It's even difficult to make a proper left turn on local side roads without triggered motorists rushing up behind you to cut you off. I won't be eager to pay a single dime of 'responsibility' to maintain the transportation infrastructure while that kind of unequal representation continues.