this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2025
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[–] AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 52 points 3 days ago (3 children)

So for people criticising with rain, wind, snow, and groceries - none of these are nearly the issues you think they are, and there are a wide variety of bike configurations and gear that address these challenges.

The real issue is having to share the road with cars. I've just had too many close calls, and the growth of self-driving vehicles makes me more nervous to be on the road than ever.

Because of cars I hate being on the road whether in a car or on a bike, and every car that passes by automatically makes me tense up these days. I hope a new Carrington event makes all of them useless.

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 days ago

Yes, weather is just a matter of gear, and these days the wet and cold weather gear is amazing. The best bike gear isn't cheap, but it's much cheaper than the typical repair on a car when something breaks. Panniers are an easy way to carry a lot of groceries with minimal effort. If someone has a huge family there are also cargo bike options. But, of course, with modern American cities, there might not be a grocery store in a reasonable biking range. There used to be mom-and pop grocery stores all over the place. And, in Europe it's pretty common for there to be a small grocery store within a 5 minute walk of your house.

But, North American roads are designed only for cars. Bicyclists and commuters pay taxes to maintain roads, but the roads are built for cars and trucks. To really feel safe on a bike, you need separated bike lanes. You build those, and people will use them.

In many places in North America, a bike lane is merely a thin strip of pavement that's centimetres from passing cars, and in the door zone of parked cars. Even in good weather that's dangerous. In bad weather it's truly awful. But, people still use those bike lanes. In fact, some people even bike and share the road with cars where the bike lanes don't exist. That should be a clue that people are dedicated to cycling, and if you built actual good bicycle infrastructure, a lot of people would use it.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Bitch it’s negative 40 I’m not taking a bike. I’m not walking. That’s insane.

[–] dermanus@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

Most people aren't driving in that weather either. Temperatures like that happen very rarely even in very cold places.

Well just keep on burning your fossil fuels, and you won't have to worry about it getting that cold again :3

[–] Sheldan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

You are part of the less than 1% and probably not the target audience.

[–] AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 days ago

I've made bike commutes in those temperatures, and yeah, I would say it's dangerous and most people shouldn't do that unless they've got some kind of fully enclosed, motorized bike with active heating.

It is worth noting that with proper winter gear, since biking is more physically demanding than driving, it is possible and likely that most winter bike rides will cause you to generate enough of your own body heat that you might actually feel the need to remove your jacket. At negative 40? Absolutely not. But I've done so at temperatures as low as zero.

And to be fair, you shouldn't be expected to drive at temps as low as negative 40 either. If you've got a long car commute and your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, you are dead. At least with a bike-centric lifestyle it pressures you to prefer jobs that are closer to home, so it might actually be less dangerous.

Where the fuck do you live that it gets -40?? Antarctica??

[–] Allero@lemmy.today -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Negative 40 (yay, I don't have to clarify whether it's Celsius or Fahrenheit!) is navigable. Take proper clothing!

Source: living and walking in a northern city

[–] baines@lemmy.cafe 4 points 2 days ago

until it’s not, i wouldn't want to be out in that at all

anything past like -10 is crazy cold

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 0 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I don't share the road, I take the road. You will overtake me like you would overtake a car, plus it gives me the space I need to swerve around the craters in the road. Some roads are bumpier than Paschendale.

[–] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Vehicular cycling is a bad meme

[–] AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I used to do that, then a car flew by and damn near killed me.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

People generally don't like losing their license here

[–] AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago

Could have fooled me, given how utterly stupid motorists routinely get every time they drive around bicyclists.

Traffic accidents happen so frequently it is one of the top causes of yearly deaths. Humans are not responsible enough to deserve to drive.