Why is pedestrians and bikes so underpriviledged in Brazil?

One of the biggest problems in a majority of the mayor cities is that there is a complete lack of respect for pedestrians and people on bicycle. Everything is made with the car in mind, making it unpleasant for the people living in the cities for so many reasons. And this isn't something that has to be absent just because it is a huge city. I can recall to when I was visiting Bejing in China, I wasn't by far feeling so underprivileged as a pedestrian or for that matter on the bike. There they even had wide roads made only for the bicycles.
I would like to say that the will is there, the will to use the bike, the will to live under better conditions. This is for example showed by all the people who goes to USP regularly to bike, sometimes even before the sun goes up, also the crowded bicycle lanes on Sundays between 09.00 am to 4 pm. Obviously this is not enough and I think more people aught to step up for this right. Raise the importance of people and don't continue making the people in the cars privileged and above everything that walks and bikes, thus these people are as important as every man or woman protected inside of the car. This is something that must be taken more seriously if sustainable changes is something of value in this country. And I hope sincerely that both politicians, but most likely the people in Brazil step up for this right. Last I would like to end this post by adding some inspiration, when we don't know what to do why don't we grab some courage and inspirations from a country close by, look what people in Chile did:  

http://www.jb.com.br/galerias/2011/06/11/chilenos-ficam-nus-para-alertar-sobre-seguranca-para-ciclistas/