Originally Posted by
Kontact
And I'm not talking about the difference in designed infrastructure between the US and Europe, but the fact that many parts of Europe you simply can't drive a car because there is no room to do so. Old cities, narrow roads, no room to park. Those places only allow for walking or cycling, and that greatly increases the number of cyclists that everyone has to deal with.
...have you ever lived in Europe ? I spent a year living in Naples, and drove frequently from there to Rome. I drove extensively in both cities, because I had a fun little Alfa Duetto. My experience in Italy runs counter to what you have expressed above.
Originally Posted by
Kontact
Only the most ardent commuters are going to ride that far on a daily basis - regardless of whether there is a special lane or trail available. Add to that much more severe weather in much of the US with colder/snowier winters and hotter summers than much of the Gulf Stream.
...the Dutch have some of the crummiest winter weather I've ever experienced, situated where they are, yet bicycle use is relatively high. I'm not sure your weather observations are a good place to hang your hat.
Originally Posted by
Kontact
So exposure to cyclists is always going to be relatively low - especially in parts of the country that are very rural or have long average commutes. Drivers just aren't thinking about the bikes that they hardly ever see.
...if you want to talk about the long distances driven by rural inhabitants in the US, you probably need to start another thread. I'm not prepared to presume that people living 20 or 30 miles from the city limits are suddenly going to embrace bike commuting. It's a real problem in discussions like this, when people (you, in this case) start tossing in stuff that is not relevant to the discussion. It's factual, there's no denying it. But it lacks merit in the context of the original discussion. Those people are an outlier, for out purposes here.
Originally Posted by
Kontact
Personally, I have commuted in many US cities by bike, and never found it to be particularly difficult or especially dangerous. I suspect that the cyclist casualty rate in the US is high when compared to the population size, but relatively low compared to the number of car miles driven. But that doesn't fit with the mindset of angry people like yourself that are itching to fight with anyone they think isn't toting the party line.
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...I'll go back to not responding to you now. I don't want to come off as "angry", and there's no way to respond to this statement without the appearance of disrespect. I'll just tote my party line along as I go.
