Originally Posted by Tightwad
The root reason is that......"Size intimidates"
Bicycles are on the bottom of the food chain when it comes to vehicles that use the roads with Semi's
on the top. Everybody else is a progressively smaller fish in traffic.
Size does make a difference that's true, but I think there is another important factor.
Probably more or a problem.
A motorcycle while appearing small to a car driver is as fast as the traffic and does not slow down the car driver. That keeps the driver from being annoyed at the motorcycle. A big truck going 10 to 20 mph in the road and pulling over to let cars go by when possible, but taking the lane when it has to, makes car drivers nuts. It is in the way, and it is slow. They often react exactly the same as they would with a bicycle taking the lane at 15 mph but the truck is huge. I think the slower speed of the bicycle is the biggest factor, but when you add in that a bicycle is so small that makes it even worse. That makes the impatient driver more willing to take a risk to get by.
In any case it makes the cyclist the bottom of the food chain.
