This is a list of responses to common criticisms of cyclists. I got tired of retyping them all the time, so I thought I'd write them once and post the link.
1. Cyclists are always breaking the law!
Examples:
- "a cyclist cut me off and went right into traffic. I was surprised that this woman did not get killed. On the other hand the number of people who blow through stop signs is amazing. People wake up the rules of the road are there for your protection and the protection of others!"
Many cyclists break the law. These are the cyclists that are noticed. The law-abiding cyclists just blend into the traffic or are not seen by drivers as they are on off-road paths.
Cyclists are not one entity, and most are law-abiding and safe cyclists. Many cyclists are critical of non-law-abiding ones; they endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and give us all a bad name.
However, many drivers also break the law. Common complaints from cyclists include:
- no signalling, particularly when taking right turns
- not giving enough room when passing
- opening a car door without looking
- not shoulder checking when making right-hand turns
- random honking, swearing and road rage
When cyclists ride unsafely, they are mostly endangering themselves. When drivers drive unsafely, they are endangering others.
It is also worth pointing out that cyclists often have a hard time to obey the law. The facilities are often so difficult for cyclists to use that breaking the law is the only practical way to handle this. The infrastructure does not encourage cyclists to be law-abiding.
2. Cyclists don't belong on the road
- "Ontario roads are not set up for bikes" - uncle hammy
- "Pedal bikes do not belong on the road with motor vehicles." - OutWithTheCons
- "I personally feel that pairing bicycles and automobilels together on roadways is ludicrous." - Kevin John
- "A 10lb bike has no chance against a 35,000lb+ vehicle. They shouldn't share the road with objects that weight more and move faster. They should share the sidewalk with pedestrians." - McGragery
To be factual, bicycles are by law allowed to ride on most motorways. Go read the Ontario HTA.
The argument that cyclists shouldn't be sharing the road because the car weighs more is not reasonable. Should we also ban passenger vehicles from roads as they lose in an accident with trucks?
Often pointed out as an alternative, riding on the sidewalk is almost always illegal and often endangers pedestrians. City of Ottawa police often ticket cyclists for this.
3. Cyclists always lose in an accident with a car
Examples:
- And finally ... bikers need to realise THEY ALWAYS LOSE in accidents with cars ... the driver goes to the shop to get scratches and dents fixed ... the biker goes to the hospital ... so even if you are in the right ... you are in the hospital - hanmerguy
The statement on its own appears to be true; I can find no examples where a cycling accident has significantly damaged a vehicle.
The implication, though, is that the laws don't matter and cyclists should just deal yield to drivers, regardless of their rights or if drivers are obeying the law. And so drivers don't need to pay attention to the law.
This could be said about large trucks and passenger vehicles. An 18-wheeler can easy crunch a Tercel, does that mean that trucks should just be able to change lanes without checking, or cut you off at intersections? Ultimately, we all need to share the road.
Particularly when said during an altercation on the road, this is interpreted as a threat. It translates to "it doesn't matter if you're in the right or the wrong, if you're in my way I can run you over, barely scratching the paint on my car."
4. Drivers require licenses and insurance, so should cyclists
Examples:
- "NO LICENCE NO RIDING ON ROADS !"
- "Until the city is prepared to require licensing of bicycles and their riders on the roadways, collect fees for use, and pass by-laws which will allow for notices of infraction to be issued (and fines collected), the discussion needs to be suspended."
- "I know this isn't a popular thing to talk about but I think we have to look at insurance for cyclists"
- "Licence the bikes and the riders....too easy!" - m mullaley
- "Simple solution Ontario should have a road tax for bikes and a licence program where everyone has to register when you turn 16 or 18 . Twenty five dollars for 5 years . With that licence you would have to pass a written test in all official Canadian languages ,that would be an additional $25 plus gst and pst. Then the government can hire more cycle police to ticket bad bike drivers. Bike drivers should have to pay insurance also at least $250 a year. Toronto can charge an additional $25 for the Toronto bike license that would be due every year. That would help everyone don't you all agree." martinasbuddies
This is sometimes used as a general comment by drivers who just hate cyclists and want to make cycling so impractical that it will just disappear.
Cycling is a safe activity when practiced properly and is a cheap, fun and healthy form of transportation. Adding more barriers to cycling discourages an activity that is good for our society.
It is also a slippery slope. Should pedestrians require licenses?
Also, it isn't practical. To sustain the infrastructure to enforce this would require making the license fee so high, cycling would not be financially sustainable. There would be more cars on the road.
Car insurance is used to protect the value of the property that is damaged in case of an accident for that car. However, it is difficult to imagine that cyclists could actually make that much damage with their vehicle. Far more damage to cars comes from collisions with trees and fences. Should those require insurance? Also, many cyclists do have insurance as part of their existing property insurance.
5. Cycling is dangerous! You're crazy to be biking!
- "I have no sympathy for anyone dumb enough to ride a bike on a busy highway or street, you are a fugitive from the law of averages" - KC3707, cbc.ca forum
If you consider just deaths, in Canada there are about 70 deaths per year. If you consider deaths of accidents involving automobiles, there are more than 2,000 (not including victims outside the vehicles). Driving is dangerous too, yet abandoning driving because it is driving is not reasonable either.
6. Why don't cyclists get tickets? They break the law all the time!
Actually, cyclists do get tickets. The City typically has an annual blitz, but will give out tickets at other times.
7. You cyclists should learn how to ride safely.
Yes, cyclists should. Unfortunately, there's almost no cycling education available in schools. The only training available is expensive and difficult to find.
8. Cyclists should stay on the right of the road
Examples:
- "I try to avoid bicyclists as much as possible, but they tend to not follow the law and keep as far to the right as possible (as a slow moving vehicle should) ... often a meter or more into the lane"
Yes, they should when it is safe to do this. However, the surface is often so inconsistent that this is less safe; a pothole or sunken sewer grate could launch the cyclist into moving traffic. They need to use their own judgement to decide if it is safe or not.
Also, cyclists need to leave a safe buffer of 2-3 ft next to parked cars. If any of the drivers open their doors, the cyclist will get the door prize, which often involves a broken collar bone or broken arm.
9. Cyclists are slowing me down!
Maybe they are. Take a deep breath, your car will accelerate enough to help you catch up those precious extra seconds. Consider the hours you'd waste in traffic jams if they were all in single-passenger vehicles.
10. Cyclists don't pay taxes, yet they want all these facilities
First, the infrastructure budgets for cycling are a very small fraction of total investments of roads intended for cars. The Ottawa Cycling Plan calls for an investment of $26M over five years. Compare that to the hundreds of millions of dollars used to expand just parts of the 417.
Cyclists are tax payers; we have jobs, pay municipal taxes, pay taxes on our bicycles, etc.
11. Cyclists should just get cars
- "Cyclists on the road are annoying and irritating. Plus they are putting themselves in danger.Get a job and get a car." - NedEXPat
Actually, many of us do have cars. We make a choice to bike.
It is in drivers' best interests for there to be fewer cars. This reduces congestion and slows down required road growth and lowers maintenance. The fewer bikes there are, the more cars there will be to compete with you.
Oh, and we have jobs too.
12. Cyclists shouldn't ride on the sidewalk, they are endangering pedestrians.
Examples:
- Or is it common, and even acceptable, to ride the wrong way on a one-way street? Boggles the mind that anyone would do that.
It is generally illegal to ride on sidewalks.
However, cyclists often feel unsafe riding on the road (in part because of aggressive drivers), and see this as less dangerous for them and others. There would be more cars on the road if there was no sidewalk riding.
There are also situations where the alternatives are too costly to make legal options feasible to the cyclist. An example is a cyclist travelling to an address on a one-way street on a long block. The approach for a driver and a law-abiding cyclist is to circle the block. On a 500m grid block, this could add a 1.5km detour. For a car going 60km/hr, that could add 2 mins. For a bicycle going 20km/hr, that would add 6 mins and several difficult and dangerous turns. Travelling on the sidewalk is often considered easier and safer to the cyclist.
13. Why do they always need to wear tight clothing?
Biking shorts or spandex reduces chaffing.
This comment often comes in the form of using derogatory terms for homosexuality. It is unlikely that the cycling population has a larger portion non-heterosexuals, and who cares?
14. Cyclists are always whining!
Cyclists are sometimes vocal, and fighting for the facilities they need to be safe travellers. Drivers have less need of this, they already get massive investments.
15. Cyclists should always wear helmets. It is the law.
There is no law in Ontario that requires adults 16 and over to wear helmets.
There are many reports that helmets do protect cyclists. However, helmets do not prevent injury in many types of accidents. Media reports are often quick to report on whether the cyclist was wearing a helmet or not, even if the helmet would never have helped them.
16. Cyclists should ride on the bike paths instead of the road
Generally, cyclists would prefer to ride on bicycle paths. However, there may be some reasons this is not practical.
First, bicycle paths in Ottawa frequently don't go anywhere, or they don't go where we need to travel. It might work well if you're on a leisurely ride, but destinations are typically at addresses only accessible by road. Bicycle paths are often longer routes.
Next, the surfaces of bicycle paths are not maintained as frequently as roads, and are often unrideable. Intersections that have curbs so high they require walking are actually more dangerous for cyclists than riding on the road.
Paths are almost always multi-purpose paths, and many pedestrians enjoy them too. They are often wandering, take the entire path, etc. This combined with the recommended speed limits often make cycling so slow that it isn't worth it.
17. Why do you give me the finger when I honk?
Drivers often honk at cyclists because they think it is helpful. There is no reason to honk at a cyclist, they can hear you anyway. Drivers usually can't hear other cars approaching because of the noise of their own vehicles and the sound insulation, but bicyclists hear a lot more. When drivers honk, it is pointless and does nothing but surprise and anger the cyclist.
Giving the finger provides a much more effective way to convey anger than a bicycle bell.
18. Other anti-cycling comments
These are hard to categorize, so I leave them here for your entertainment.
- "Ride in single file instead of intimidating motorists by riding 2 or 3 abreast. Use rear view mirrors, buy insurance and plates so you in fact have some right to be on the road. Better still, keep the hell off." Backwoods
- "Roads are for vehicles that can keep moving at the posted speed limit - as a minimum. Bicycles are - or at least should be - allowed on roads where the maximum speed is 50 km/h or LESS. Now, if you spandex warriors want respect from drivers, learn the rules of the road. Stops, Yields and One-ways apply equally. If you really want to fight with my vehicle and it two tons, feel free. Just remember that I have insurance and I will NEVER compromise my safety or the safety of my passengers for a cyclist." - Mr. Ko Lee
- "I want to give cyclists a fact attitude equation road made for high speeds and tremendus weight + slow flimsy two wheel things = DISASTER re; group plans more rides to raise money for their next legislative goal: a law requiring drivers to give cyclists a minimum of one metre of clearance as they pass. cyclists are just stupid and don't understand much about roads , vehicles need a metre mirrors just to see the break every rule of the road riders." JohnnyKneeBone
- "It's cyclists that need to be controlled. Cars rule the world. These extreme-left granola crunching hippies are out of touch with Mainstream Canada." - tree pan 32
- "Plus this is Canada, the country is in the depths of winter for most of the year! Who the hell rides their bike when its -15 outside with blowing wind? Why waste all this money to make a bunch of dumb tree hugging hippes happy,
get the heck of the road cyclists , bike lanes? Lets use that money to build wider better roads and streets, for people with nice suvs and Hummers. You don't need to ride a bike to get exercise, get a treadmill or gym membership." - NedEXPat
