An how do you remove this fear? Your advice seems to be MTFU, which isn't helpful or inclusive. In practice, you reduce the fear by providing safe alternatives to busy roads that make cycling an actual possibility. Not by pushing people into an A road and say 'see, you're not dead yet.' And you ignore the fact that even if you're not actually scared and you abstract driving behaviour, it's just not pleasant being passed by lorries and fast-moving people and breathing their fumes.
You don't seem to get that in practical terms no one is cycling. There aren't kids out on bikes, there aren't many people popping to the shops by bike, these are things that aren't happening. If something scares someone, the majority of them won't do it. And quite frankly, they're entitled not to feel scared.
When I go out I can guarantee I'll see other cyclists. If I'm taking the kids to the park, other children have their bikes there. If I'm nipping to the shops I'll see other utility cyclists and can guarantee that there will always be more than one bike in the rack when I get there. If I'm working in the front garden I will frequently see a cyclist passing - it might be somebody on a utility trip, it might be schoolchildren coming home from school, it might be a group of friends out together. If I go further afield out of town then I know I'll start to see the lycra roadies who've forgotten to turn their lights off in the mid day sun, Maybe if I get time one day this week I'll go do a random survey.
How would I suggest removing this fear?
1) advertising. Cycling is fun and safe.
2) cyclist education. - How to cycle safely
- How to plan a quiet cycle ride
3) driver education - How to interact with fellow humans who are riding bikes
- schemes such as the one at the start of this topic
4) integration. Remind cyclists that drivers are human, but faster so allow them past to be polite when it is safe to do so
Remind drivers that cyclists are human and allowed on the road.
re point 2 - Some years ago I went on a two day ride with friends. Day one the leader mainly took us on cycle routes and paths alongside main busy roads. Day two I'd been asked to plan, we hardly saw a car the whole day and everybody congratulated me on what a quiet and scenic ride they'd had.
On a forum some time ago a cyclist was asking for advice after having had an issue riding the A13 dual carriageway. I was confused that he'd been on there since every time I rode towards London I used the quiet roads that the A13 had bypassed. I am not criticising his choice or route planning, but the route I always chose back then is one that (from memory and I haven't been there in some time) I'd quite happily take the family cycling along.
This planning a quiet route is easy - even in gridlocked Southend, when I was cycling, if I fancied a slower and meandering route instead of overtaking the traffic, I could ride the 8 mile commute on almost empty residential roads which were perfectly safe for novices. They were too meandering for rat running, hence being suitable for cycling. I did propose this route to the Council several times, but they objected and said that they expected cyclists to use the main A13 as that was going to be their strategic route.
It's not a case of MTFU, it's a case of looking at it sensibly and realising that you can just go out on a bike and have fun without a need for dedicated facilities.