Originally Posted by
radroad
Quote edited for response clarity:
I've been riding a lot the past 3 years, especially on shorter trips for groceries or other knick knacks where I previously drove.
However, I just read a couple of articles where cycling is considered to be a form of transportation of last resort, for the poor, for DUI's, for homeless, etc.
I'm struck by the generally negative view of cyclists and how well I am treated as a cyclist.
Good for you. You are part of a trend. However, spandex and lots of gear does not necessarily endear you to anyone, nor does it mean you are better off than those riding in casual attire. The crackheads on stolen bikes are pretty obvious to anyone.
In SoCal where I ride, cyclists are not generally viewed or treated negatively.
However, there is a trend among politicians and those in auto related businesses to knock cyclists and cycling as inferiors and as inferior modes of transportation because it cuts into sales tax revenues, sales and profits, respectively. Trends that will only continue as more people realize that cycling is an antidote to greenhouse gas emissions and as more baby boomers retire and learn the general benefits derived from cycling outweigh the seeming convenience of driving autos and trucks. Let alone the money saved from not carrying multiple unnecessary vehicles.
In Los Angeles, negative political response has gone so far as to close bike paths under the guise of "improving them" to force cyclists onto more dangerous streets and roads to reduce bicycle commuting.