...in the US of A of treating cyclists and pedestrians better... and it doesn't have to be flat land to do so.

What it does take is dedication, and the realization that our current plan won't be sustainable forever... we need alternatives, and we need to think about how the US uses limited resources now. The car is a fine thing if you need to drive across Texas from time to time, but all that empty steel, glass and rubber doesn't make a whole lot of sense sitting in an urban street parking space all day for a 6 mile commute.

It all comes down to increasing alternatives beyond the single driver automobile for some of our transportation needs... whether that solution is bikes, sidewalks, trains, trolleys or even Segways, we need to open our minds and make our cities adapt.

Yes I agree, bike commuting today can be dangerous and painstaking in many locations... it is not for the feint of heart. I too stopped doing it after decades of regular bike commuting, due to too damn many close calls.

Thanks all for the conversation about this... now raise those sails and fair winds.