…there would be a lot less conflict and a lot more cooperation between cyclists and motorists if people had to ride a bike for a year before they could apply for a drivers licence .
in germany , i understand they have some sort of cyclist education program in the school system . i'm not sure what is taught but from my limited experience there back in 2013 , the motorists treat cyclists with a lot more respect than they do anywhere else i've ridden : like that is another human life there that chooses to use a different form of transportation , one where they use their own power to get around . it's a lot different than sitting on your ass moving your hands and feet a little bit . i don't think most motorists get that .
It's definitely harder for people who have never ridden a bike on the road with cars to fully understand what it's like. Some of the points mentioned in this interview were eye opening (and scary), although you can see why motorists might feel that way if they've never been on the other side:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/the180/mmiw-inquiry-debunking-electoral-reform-and-what-is-the-west-1.3295363/why-do-drivers-hate-cyclists-1.3295461