What's crazy is that it's not rational at all. Has he never witnessed a serious car accident? He is no doubt aware of the local and global environmental impact of doing something as selfish as driving two miles to work and back most days, and yet I get modded down for pointing this out.
Well at this point I think you're just getting -'d for whining about being -'d ...
Be that as it may - I'm not certain what the mortality statistics are on cars vs bikes. I would prefer to avoid accidents in either modality.
I found it uncharitable of you to attack Fried after he admitted what is a personal (and yes, perhaps irrational) reason for avoiding cycling to work. Rather than lambasting the man, you could have proposed alternative solutions that would accommodate his instinct for personal survival and your concern for the larger biosphere.
For example, filling up an efficient car with co-workers and/or using public transportation are ways in which to travel on four or more wheels while minimizing emissions, no?
I'm downvoting you because driving a car 2 miles to work every day really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It especially isn't worth criticizing when global warming isn't the topic. It seems as though every eco-nut focuses on the greenhouse effect of transportation and ignores every other source.
For instance, do you eat meat? If you do, then you're responsible for more greenhouse gases than the typical car driver.
Do you have kids? If yes, then shame on you! Think about the effect those kids will have on the planet!
