Cyclists worked to get the streets of the United States paved in the late 19th and early 20th century, and bicycle repair shops were the mechanics for the new horseless carriages. Now the drivers think cyclists don't belong on the streets.
Most trips in an automobile are less than 5 miles in length, about 20 minutes on a bike. If 20% of those trips were on a bike instead of a car, it would make a radical difference in traffic, pollution and in gasoline prices.
I'm on the bicycle again - and lovin' it!