Originally Posted by
alias5000
Germany is currently building up a system of efficient long distance cycle lanes (e.g. "RS1"), but the proclaimed purpose is more to support cycle commuting, hence it exists more in the generally more populated areas.
The thing that people tend to forget is how more compact most of Europe is. Germany has 80M or so people crammed into an area smaller than Montana. If that is how the US were populated, I'd agree that things like a national cycle system (and trains) were more feasible.
Originally Posted by
DropBarFan
I also find that rural drivers are more skilled & polite, a bit ironic since they see far fewer cyclists. But all it takes is a rare distracted/drunk driver to cause mayhem.
Other than heavily traversed roads, most rural roads are pretty empty and easy to pass on. I think that has more to do with it than anything, you simply aren't the inconvenience that you may be on a heavily used urban road where passing opportunities are few and far between.