Lee 🌏Nov 12, 2022
Ever wonder why those #bicycles keep getting in the way...
Show threadAttila KinaliNov 12, 2022

@MrLee Even back in 1980, a Golf was a small, narrow car. The typical car back then was quite a bit wider.

Similarly, a Range Rover is a considerably wider car than the average car today. Quite a bit so, even.

While it is true that cars are getting wider, it's not as much as this picture's lie. According to the University of Duisburg-Essen, the average width of newly sold cars went from 1.68m in 1990 to 1.80m in 2017.

Show threadLee 🌏Nov 13, 2022
@attilakinali
The image is indicative of how cars are getting bigger. I 100% agree it doesn't tell a complete story. The increasing weight of cars as well as height as well as performance are all problems and not captured by this image but the message remains the same. Bigger vehicles are a problem for cyclists and pedestrians.
Show threadAttila Kinali

@MrLee No, the image is not indicative. It overly exaggerates something so people can push their favorite narrative.

As I said, the actual data says that car width increased by a whooping 12cm between 1990 and 2017. For the three cars in your picture that's a total of 36cm, the size of a ruler, less space. On a 8m wide road nobody is going to notice that.

Nov 13, 2022 at 10:10amWeb
Show threadLee 🌏Nov 13, 2022
@attilakinali
It's not just the width that is a problem to Cyclists and Pedestrians. The height, width, length, the visibility, the weight, the performance and the design all matter.
That image illustrates this problem. Yes it's imperfect but the central point is valid. And it starts an important conversation about these Vehicles.
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/oct/07/a-deadly-problem-should-we-ban-suvs-from-our-cities
'A deadly problem': should we ban SUVs from our cities?

Statistically less safe than regular cars and with higher CO2 emissions, campaigners argue the heavily-marketed cars have no place in urban areas

The Guardian
Show threadAttila KinaliNov 13, 2022

@MrLee Yes, I totally agree. I wouldn't want to cycle in the US at all, with all the trucks around.

But keep in mind that it is not conducive to a constructive discussion if someone lies about the topic. And this picture is a big fat lie. A lie that you are perpetuating by sharing it.