Comment by bitbang | Hacker News Reader

Comment by bitbang | Hacker News Reader

This video is nothing but confirmation bias narrated over stock video clips. By the same logic used in this video:

- Bicyclist in traffic accidents are much more likely to die than those in SUVs. Also, because the physical size is so much smaller, it's much easier to miss seeing them, which increases risk of accidents. Therefor to ensure safety we should all drive SUVs.

- Bicyclist are much slower than SUVs, causing traffic congestion which wastes time and reduces fuel economy. Furthermore, the slow speed results in significantly extended commute times resulting in poor time-management. Therefor we should all drive SUVs to increase efficiency.

- Transporting 3 kids to soccer practice with a bicycle is dangerous for both physical and mental health of the kids due to factors mentioned above. Furthermore the mom will loose her ever-loving mind if there is no video playing in the back seat to distract the 3 year-old from asking "are we there yet" every 2 minutes. Therefor, for the sake of mental health, we should all drive SUVs.

> Bicyclist in traffic accidents are much more likely to die than those in SUVs. Also, because the physical size is so much smaller, it's much easier to miss seeing them, which increases risk of accidents.

I think the author will agree with this premise but not the conclusion. They will argue that individually, you'd be safer in an accident with a bicycle if you drove an SUV instead of "lighter, electric vehicles", and the cyclist will be way less safe, hence society in aggregate is less safe if more people drove SUVs instead of sedans.

Hence the author concludes, in 18:30, that "we should be moving to lighter electric vehicles", contrary to what you claim their "logic" to be.

> Bicyclist are much slower than SUVs, causing traffic congestion which wastes time and reduces fuel economy. Furthermore, the slow speed results in significantly extended commute times resulting in poor time-management. Therefor we should all drive SUVs to increase efficiency.

The author would agree with you if cyclists typically occupied the full lane. In practice, cyclists yield to vehicles in the same lane. One also compares the fuel savings of not driving against the total congestion it causes.

> Transporting 3 kids to soccer practice with a bicycle is dangerous for both physical and mental health of the kids due to factors mentioned above. Furthermore the mom will loose her ever-loving mind if there is no video playing in the back seat to distract the 3 year-old from asking "are we there yet" every 2 minutes. Therefor, for the sake of mental health, we should all drive SUVs.

The author would argue not to commute by bicycle in this instance but that "we should be moving to lighter electric vehicles". I'm not certain regarding a video playing; the price difference should be able to get you a more versatile iPad.

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