Originally Posted by
starkmojo
So I recently heard a podcast where they referred to VC cyclists and "the cycling equivalent of flat earthers".... which could explain why the forum is dying out. But also I think as a person who lives on a fast secondary road with zero bike amenities many VC concepts are essential when riding on the road, while the over arching theory itself has been largely disproven by the fact that whenever bike lanes are built, cycling increases. If you live or ride someplace without bike lanes being able to ride in traffic is an essential skill, and one i use all the time- but if they built a MUP past my house tomorrow I would be the first one on it, heck I would take a painted line, an actual shoulder of a damn sharrow if they would paint it. But they wont and feeling comfortable riding in the road is essential for me to ride at all. But I wont let my kids cycle on this road- actual speeds are to high, my county has essentially zero traffic enforcement and there little chance that this will change anytime soon. So I load them up to ride elsewhere.
Additionally I find VC to be ageist and reeking ableism. I can totally see why I am ok playing in traffic but I am a pretty string and confident cyclist with good insurance and a life insurance policy to boot. There is a guy at my work who attaches his wheel chair to a bicycle, how is he supposed to take the lane? My daughter is 8 and gets distracted even as she can ride too fast for sidewalk cycling (she can do 12-13 mph for 2-3 miles at a stretch.), should one mistake be a life-ending moment in traffic? Heck no. Separated bike infrastructure allows more people to ride. There is no one size law to where to ride- people need to make their own decisions on where to ride based upon their knowledge, skills and experience. I am not a fan of "you must ride in the bike lane" laws, but that doesnt mean I am in favor of getting rid of the bike lane either.
I think VC was an important concept and the tools are essential for cycling outside bike friendly areas... but as a religion it can be kind of dangerous to follow the tenants all the time.
I think I've finally figured out a label for my approach to bicycle road safety--"far right as visible". I acknowledge that the default position is to the right side, but only so far as to ensure I'm not in the blindspot of cars coming from behind. I take bike infrastructure as it comes--use it when it's helpful (which it often is) and avoid it when it's not. This is suitable for the fast riding that I do, but like you I recognize that discouraging the building of bike infrastructure is a self-defeating strategy for cyclists generally.
My sense is that the VC movement having essentially collapsed, its adherents now are basically giving it credit for inventing obvious things like taking the lane when doing a left turn, etc.