Worst Cities for Cycling? And what helpful tips can you share to make it better?

[GirishH]

I rode for some 2 months in Colombia and 7 in Ecuador. Both were heavenly and heard same about rest of the countries where my biking buddy continued to ride while I am decided to stay back in Ecuador for a a bit long. South Americans are extra kind to cyclists because most of them ( Taxi, truck drivers, common- and rich-man and most others) are cyclists..

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/cultura-de-ciclismo/

Currently, I am riding in India and it's been similarly good as well.

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordoindia/day-14-ranebennur-to-shivamogga/

(10-25-2023, 11:18 AM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(10-23-2023, 08:47 AM)ichitan Wrote:  The worst cities for cycling, are where people don't obey the road rules. One example is Manila. There is a very high chance of being involved in an accident.

Yet, if you are not going too far, a bicycle is the best form of transport. I remember catching a bus in Manila, and it would have been quicker to walk. There is so much traffic, it stops a lot of the time. A bicycle would be much quicker.

Cities where people do obey the road rules, are also dangerous. People drive so fast, when an accident does occur, it can be bad.

I'm flabbergasted at the fact that we're both from the Philippines, I coudn't tell at all

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(10-21-2023, 01:43 AM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello meamoantonio, someone in an SUV threatened me while I was riding home from work in Boston, USA. The driver's partner/wife tried to calm him, but he wouldn't. He and I had no interaction before this fight of words started. After he threatened I yelled at him saying I too pay taxes and I also had an equal right to be on that public road. ( I wasn't blocking him or his path, so not sure why he went on that rant). Interestingly, in the same town, another SUV driver threatened me while I was walking and using a crosswalk. My offense was I crossed the road, thus forcing him to yield to me.

I was scared to ride here in India, but so far I have had very cordial experiences. Due to a lack of proper shoulders, I do have to keep a safe distance and sometimes get off the paved road but things have been safe so far.

Riding in South America was heavenly from a road safety and respecting riders' life point-of-view.

I hear great stuff about South America too, what particular country was this?

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(10-25-2023, 02:34 AM)enkei Wrote:  I see the problems between road users as merely symptomatic of wider problems in society.

To a certain extent, improved infrastructure and education of road users can improve things, but unless peoples' mentality changes overall, I think we'll always have these problems.

The Netherlands is famous for being cycling-friendly, right? I was talking to a 'serious' cyclist from the Netherlands who told me things are good in cities/towns, but on small country roads, he still has problems with 'frustrated' drivers.

Im surprised, I guess this really is a global thing, some people really can't show some love for people riding on two wheels