Ask Lemmy

You're acting as if normal people think about things before forming an opinion.

When you want to explain other people's actions, you should first imagine that they never think about anything, that they're incapable of reasoning, and that their opinions about others tend to be formed the first time that they notice those others, which is often the first time they are bothered by them.

If you cannot explain their behavior in that way, then you should start to explore the idea that they're intentionally doing things as assholes. This is essentially the same idea as the old saying, never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Whether you agree with the underlying concept, I find it's an extremely useful tool to predict the actions of others.

Cars are both an addictive drug and a religion, car drivers for the most part can't admit either. A happy normal person using a bicycle for something practical is a direct threat to the fragile mental landscape established by many people because it brings an awareness of their drug use and zealotry to the surface.

Not bashing drugs or religion, this is a problem of buried collective denial fundamentally.

If you can go and maintain the speed limit, you're fine on the road. If you're going 1/4 of the speed limit and there's no biking infrastructure, please stay off the road. I'll probably get hate for it, but blame the state for not providing safe infrastructure for cyclist.

I've noticed a percentage of bikers don't think they have to respect the rules of the road. Not stopping at stop signs, lights, or passing illegally when a car is stopped. I've almost hit one because they ran a stop sign and I did not have one. I've seen one hit trying to pass a car that was actively parking.