Solo Drivers should be appreciative of buses, bicyclists, pedestrians and carpoolers -not resentful

[GiaGiovanni]

90. A 200 lb bicycle, irresponsibly driven, can be more dangerous than a 4000 lb car driven well

You can't just judge danger by the weight of an object. You have to consider its agility, its visibility (or lack thereof), and its predictability.

Let's look at a situation between a Honda and a cyclist. The Honda is riding along a road at the posted limit (or thereabouts) and is about to enter an intersection with a green light. Suddenly, a cyclist traveling in the opposite (perpendicular) direction ignores his own red light (because he's not a car) and drives straight into the intersection. The Honda sees the cyclist (a small object relative to the other vehicles on the street) just before entering the intersection and tries to stop.

Relative to the bike, the Honda is less agile and has fewer possibilities of movement. Its ability to swerve out of the way will depend on road conditions and other parked cars. The Honda also has a certain breaking distance and might not have enough time to come to a full stop, even if it does swerve out of the way. Finally, the Honda's predictable behavior is countered by the unpredictable actions of the cyclist who, against all traffic rules, entered an intersection going in the wrong direction. It is the Honda that must react quickly to that unpredictable behavior of the cyclist. The cyclist has actually been far more dangerous here, not the driver of the Honda.

It is clear, then, that more than weight and size matters when you are considering danger. Any argument about relative size, without considering other factors, is fatuous. Lack of size and weight does not exonerate cyclists from responsibility.