This is particularity the case of where I live; I only bike on trails because of it but also only three months out of the year since I can’t handle 90+ heat. There’s no biking on the road here, people drive 60+ in a 45. You’ll still run into trucks that will roll coal. And I used to bike 30 miles+ a day in Vermont. Here I have two fancy bikes that mostly collect dust. Kinda sucks. Also some people do intentionally try and mess with you here so I have to open carry(it’s legal here) to deter idiots when biking.
I’m all for biking, but there’s no need to sweep the risks under the rug.
The stats are hard to compare - there’s some overlap in the types of commutes that are viable for both cycling and driving, and they’re going to vary a ton depending on how bike-friendly the roads are in any given area.
Like, do we even consider automotive deaths that happen on the interstate? There’s no bikes there to compare to. Or cyclist deaths in car-free regions? There’s no cars to compare to. I’m not aware of any comparison that selects only for care-bike shared spaces… but a look at the raw numbers:
In 2024 there were 1,103 pedalcyclist fatalities, accounting for 2.8
percent of all traffic fatalities.
So… 2.8% of traffic fatalities were cyclists. I can’t find a credible breakdown of traffic numbers: the important stat being the number of cyclists vs the number of motorized vehicles (or more accurately, the number of people in those vehicles - i.e., a single car with a driver and a passenger is 2). Is the number of cyclists (in 2024) 2.8% of all people on the road? …I don’t have the numbers to answer that, but just by observing anecdotally how often I see a bike vs people in a motorized vehicle, I’d guess it’s WAY less than 2.8%.
And if the total number of cycles is infact less than 2.8%, then cycling is more dangerous than driving. Let’s say it’s 0.5% of total traffic (which still feels way way), that would put cycling at a bit over 5 times more likely to result in dying than driving a car would.
TLDR: the stats I’m finding don’t do a great job of accurately comparing the risks of driving vs cycling, but the raw data doesn’t paint a very pretty picture from the fatality angle. What I can say confidently is that we need better infrastructure to keep bicycle traffic and 2,000+ lb explosion-powered missile on wheels traffic separate.
As much as I agree, you’re far less likely to get killed by a psychotic motorist in a car than on a bike.
This is particularity the case of where I live; I only bike on trails because of it but also only three months out of the year since I can’t handle 90+ heat. There’s no biking on the road here, people drive 60+ in a 45. You’ll still run into trucks that will roll coal. And I used to bike 30 miles+ a day in Vermont. Here I have two fancy bikes that mostly collect dust. Kinda sucks. Also some people do intentionally try and mess with you here so I have to open carry(it’s legal here) to deter idiots when biking.
BIG GOVERNOIMENT IS KILLLING US WITH THERE WOKE CARS!!! 😱😱👿👿
I mean, if no one uses a car then there is no motorist
Yeah, but while there are motorists, biking around is fucking terrifying, at least where I live. I have no idea how I did it when I was in school.
Lol, not true. People die in cars every day. We’re just really used to ignoring the numbers we’ve heard our whole lives.
https://www.bts.gov/content/transportation-fatalities-mode
I’m all for biking, but there’s no need to sweep the risks under the rug.
The stats are hard to compare - there’s some overlap in the types of commutes that are viable for both cycling and driving, and they’re going to vary a ton depending on how bike-friendly the roads are in any given area.
Like, do we even consider automotive deaths that happen on the interstate? There’s no bikes there to compare to. Or cyclist deaths in car-free regions? There’s no cars to compare to. I’m not aware of any comparison that selects only for care-bike shared spaces… but a look at the raw numbers:
(US) https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/#!/PublicationList/19 (2024 Bicyclists and Other Cyclists Traffic Safety Facts)
So… 2.8% of traffic fatalities were cyclists. I can’t find a credible breakdown of traffic numbers: the important stat being the number of cyclists vs the number of motorized vehicles (or more accurately, the number of people in those vehicles - i.e., a single car with a driver and a passenger is 2). Is the number of cyclists (in 2024) 2.8% of all people on the road? …I don’t have the numbers to answer that, but just by observing anecdotally how often I see a bike vs people in a motorized vehicle, I’d guess it’s WAY less than 2.8%.
And if the total number of cycles is infact less than 2.8%, then cycling is more dangerous than driving. Let’s say it’s 0.5% of total traffic (which still feels way way), that would put cycling at a bit over 5 times more likely to result in dying than driving a car would.
TLDR: the stats I’m finding don’t do a great job of accurately comparing the risks of driving vs cycling, but the raw data doesn’t paint a very pretty picture from the fatality angle. What I can say confidently is that we need better infrastructure to keep bicycle traffic and 2,000+ lb explosion-powered missile on wheels traffic separate.
Still TLDR: Fuck cars, but not data.
Of course people die in cars. I’m just saying that if I’m getting hit by one, I’d prefer to be in another car than on a bike.