Fear of cycling

Freewheeler of Waltham Forest:

Sociologist and cyclist Dave Horton has written five articles about cycling for the Copenhagenize blog. They are well worth reading [but] I think he's fundamentally wrong in his argument and in his conclusion. If I've read him right, he's basically arguing that "fear of cycling" is what puts people off cycling, that these fears are socially constructed and largely bogus…"

But, says Freewheeler:

Persuading people to take up cycling because it is a safe activity and a very positive one is a strategy doomed to failure not simply because the cycling infrastructure is mediocre but because cycling is an activity where the negative presence of cars and drivers is overwhelming.

There's lots more. Read it all.