Chris L

OK, I don't live in the US, so I may be full of crap, but here's my $0.02 worth.

I tend to think a lot of it has to do with the "cycling is dangerous" myth that is perpetuated commonly by society and particularly by the media. On the Gold Coast in 2002 (a city of over 400,000) there were two cyclists killed. This was described in local newspapers as a "horror year for cyclists", with many suggesting banning cyclists from particular roads "for their own safety".

Now just think for a moment what the perception might be if every two motoring deaths received that sort of publicity? Or just think what the perception might be if the thousands of cyclists who survived the year unscathed (such as myself) received that sort of publicity.

My point is that cycling deaths tend to get more publicity with more journalists writing "cycling is dangerous" articles than virtually any other activity I can think of. Of course, this is what often leads governments to take other misguided actions like urban "bikepaths" or banning bikes from certain roads, but that's another rant. It also leads to people in general believing that if you ride on the road, you'll be killed in a matter of time. It aint necessarily so.