Anti-cycling

Anti-cycling refers to attitudes, policies, infrastructure, or actions that actively discourage, impede, or disadvantage cycling as a mode of transportation or recreation. This can manifest in various forms, from neglecting to build safe bike lanes and providing adequate bike parking, to promoting car-centric urban planning and enacting legislation unfavorable to cyclists. It encompasses any practice that prioritizes other forms of transportation over cycling, undermining its potential for widespread adoption. The core concern is a conscious or unconscious bias against cycling, hindering its use and development.

Anti-cycling meaning with examples

• The city's failure to construct protected bike lanes despite consistent advocacy from cycling groups is a clear example of anti-cycling policies. This forced cyclists to share dangerous roads with cars, discouraging many from commuting by bike and contributing to safety concerns. The absence of adequate infrastructure created clear obstacles.
• The new housing development, designed with ample parking spaces but no bike racks, displays a subtle form of anti-cycling bias. This prioritization of car-centric planning undermines cycling as a viable option, forcing residents to rely on automobiles, even for short trips within the community. This neglect limits cycling use.
• The lobby's active opposition to bike-sharing programs and efforts to reduce car traffic, effectively undermines cycling's role in the city's transport ecosystem. It actively works against any effort to improve conditions for cyclists and improve alternatives. The bias towards vehicular transport hinders a viable option.
• The proposed legislation that increases penalties for cyclists while reducing those for drivers involved in accidents involving cyclists is a blatant display of anti-cycling sentiment. The action further harms cyclists and shows bias, further deterring any cycling efforts in the community due to perceived injustice and risk.