Well, Geof, Chip has noted many times that Forester didn't invent VC because cyclists already were riding that way. He merely described it. Then he layered over it all sorts of paranoid and grandiose theories of quasi-psychological nonsense. And, as ILTB points out, spread a layer of frosting made up of phony "statistics" and fake "studies" on top.
He's said a number of times (Forester, that is) that he's not interested in increasing the number of cyclists out there. If anything, is all for decreasing their numbers and limiting them to high-mileage recreational cyclists who have been trained by his courses.
This is the frame of reference which informs some of the more rabid VCers on this forum.
I for one would prefer the plebes of the world get out of their cars and onto their bikes and start doing something positive for their own health, the health of their communities and the environment, but I'm just a tree-hugging liberal who hates America so what do I know?