Bicycles are highly user-servicable whereas cars in general are not. If the 'transmission' goes out on my bike, I can jerry-rig it into a single-speed bike, whereas if the transmission goes out on a car, you're stranded. If I get a flat on my bike, I can repair it very quickly, whereas if people get a flat in their car, they often rely on calling a motor club or spending a lot of time trying to get the donut tire on.
On blizzardy days when many motorists don't even want to get into their vehicles, I can lower my bike seat and use my feet to balance and to brake. In an emergency situation, I would find a bicycle to be reliable.