Despite those grim numbers, many cyclists pedal for their health-as well as for other sound personal and environmental reasons. With May being National Bike Month, now is a good time to ask. Here are some clues. Like it or not, you and I have to share the same road. In a recent study, John Pucher and Lewis Dijkstra of Rutgers University note that bicycles account for 30 times more trips in Europe than in the U.S., but fatality rates there are four to five times lower.
Researchers point to Europe's superior bicycling infrastructure.
European traffic rules make allowances for bicyclists, too. Many European cities use priority signaling for bikes at intersections-giving cyclists a green light in advance of motor vehicle traffic, allowing them to clear the intersection first. Here in the U.S., however, few such roads or rules separate bikes from cars. For instance, in the absence of priority signaling at intersections, many cyclists in New York City will proceed through a clear intersection against a red light while cars are still waiting. The law gives me the right to the whole lane, because sometimes I need the whole lane.