View Full Version : Which is the worst city to live in car-free?
Which cities are the most car-centric? Which have done the least to accomodate cyclists? No need to limit this to the U.S.
scattered73
06-01-07, 06:00 AM
I really can't compare to other cities because I have lived my whole life in Houston. Our bikeway program mostly consist of a signs that say "Bike Route" which mean really nothing to drivers. What bike lanes we have are just glorified gutters or good on street parking spots for cars. Bike paths most are really setup for recreational biking not utility puroposes which is fun for recreation, I got warning by police that the bike paths are off limits after sundown, what about shift workers. Not only that the heat and humidity is pretty rough come July and August. Oh, I almost forgot you are considered 2nd class for riding the bus around here. But what should I expect in the oil capital? I am sure there is worse cities but much improvement is needed here. Oh, by the way, legaly it's OK to hit a cyclist and injure them and drive off or not even stop, with your car as long as they don't need "immediate medical attention" that is from a signed document from our district attorney's office.
ModoVincere
06-01-07, 06:31 AM
^^ Sounds like Atlanta.
El Duke
06-01-07, 07:09 AM
I really can't compare to other cities because I have lived my whole life in Houston. Our bikeway program mostly consist of a signs that say "Bike Route" which mean really nothing to drivers. What bike lanes we have are just glorified gutters or good on street parking spots for cars. Bike paths most are really setup for recreational biking not utility puroposes which is fun for recreation, I got warning by police that the bike paths are off limits after sundown, what about shift workers. Not only that the heat and humidity is pretty rough come July and August. Oh, I almost forgot you are considered 2nd class for riding the bus around here. But what should I expect in the oil capital? I am sure there is worse cities but much improvement is needed here. Oh, by the way, legaly it's OK to hit a cyclist and injure them and drive off or not even stop, with your car as long as they don't need "immediate medical attention" that is from a signed document from our district attorney's office.
Charlotte, NC is this same way. Very difficult to navigate by bike when I was younger. Raleigh, NC wasn't too good either. Taking the bus definitely made you second class in both cities.
Columbus, OH wasn't great but was better than the two above.
DevilsGT2
06-01-07, 08:29 AM
No need to limit this to the U.S.
Baghdad, silly terrorists always put the IED's in the bike lane.
jamesdenver
06-01-07, 08:57 AM
Brasilia Brasil. Big wide streets, few crosswalks, city separated by business, residential and shopping districts.
the Southwest seems to be the worst in the US - suburban sprawl, non-existant bike lanes, no MUP's, drivers unused to bikers...
Eco-warrior
06-01-07, 10:06 AM
the Southwest seems to be the worst in the US - suburban sprawl, non-existant bike lanes, no MUP's, drivers unused to bikers...
I know this doesnt really answer the question, but it is just something to ponder. I find that in Seattle people are so accustomed to bikes that they often dont give nearly the three feet that they're supposed to give by law when passing. In contrast, the suburbs, where there are fewer if any bike lanes, and people definetely not used to bikes, they might change two lanes to the left just to make sure the wind doesnt knock you over. The only difference I find in say cycling in Seattle, Minneapolis, Tucson, or Phoniex is that the attitude about cycling is better in the more bike-centric cities and that you are less likely to get shouted at or take a beer bottle upside the head. And I suppose that has its consideration as well! :D
Just a thought.
scattered73
06-01-07, 10:44 AM
I know this doesnt really answer the question, but it is just something to ponder. I find that in Seattle people are so accustomed to bikes that they often dont give nearly the three feet that they're supposed to give by law when passing. In contrast, the suburbs, where there are fewer if any bike lanes, and people definetely not used to bikes, they might change two lanes to the left just to make sure the wind doesnt knock you over. The only difference I find in say cycling in Seattle, Minneapolis, Tucson, or Phoniex is that the attitude about cycling is better in the more bike-centric cities and that you are less likely to get shouted at or take a beer bottle upside the head. And I suppose that has its consideration as well! :D
Just a thought.
Some activists are trying to pass that 3 foot law, but I fear it wouldn't be enforced if they did. One the worst rides I did was in Austin, which I thought was a bike friendly city. On the way to Lake Travis some motorist were intentionally trying to cut us off the road. Had a couple on a freakin' motorcycle yell at us to get the hell off the road, I thought they would be more sympathetic since they were fellow 2 wheelers. Then to top it off Hippie Hollow was a big let down, never going to nude beach in Texas again definitely not worth all that trouble, there was only guys :( .
Artkansas
06-01-07, 12:00 PM
Baghdad, silly terrorists always put the IED's in the bike lane.
But it seems whenever you see TV coverage, there is at least one bicyclist in the picture. :D
I imagine that countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Dubai are probably pretty car-centric.
From reading BF for a long time, I'm often amused to see that one cyclist's favorite city is usually somebody else's worst nightmare! ;)
Maybe the individual rider's attitude has as much to do with city rankings as any external factors?
...Then to top it off Hippie Hollow was a big let down, never going to nude beach in Texas again definitely not worth all that trouble...
A tour boat capsized there not too long ago. All the gawkers rushed to one side of the boat and it sank.
Old Austin is bike friendly. The sprawl areas are not. It's Houston with big hills. Old Austin is about gone now.
What about Orlando FL? Isn't that city as bad as atlanta and housten for car free living?
I really can't compare to other cities because I have lived my whole life in Houston. Our bikeway program mostly consist of a signs that say "Bike Route" which mean really nothing to drivers. What bike lanes we have are just glorified gutters or good on street parking spots for cars. Bike paths most are really setup for recreational biking not utility puroposes which is fun for recreation, I got warning by police that the bike paths are off limits after sundown, what about shift workers. Not only that the heat and humidity is pretty rough come July and August. Oh, I almost forgot you are considered 2nd class for riding the bus around here. But what should I expect in the oil capital? I am sure there is worse cities but much improvement is needed here. Oh, by the way, legaly it's OK to hit a cyclist and injure them and drive off or not even stop, with your car as long as they don't need "immediate medical attention" that is from a signed document from our district attorney's office.
The first thing that came to mind after reading the headline was Houston. Huge and spread out, full of freeways, and a horrible public transport system.
I know this doesnt really answer the question, but it is just something to ponder. I find that in Seattle people are so accustomed to bikes that they often dont give nearly the three feet that they're supposed to give by law when passing. In contrast, the suburbs, where there are fewer if any bike lanes, and people definetely not used to bikes, they might change two lanes to the left just to make sure the wind doesnt knock you over. The only difference I find in say cycling in Seattle, Minneapolis, Tucson, or Phoniex is that the attitude about cycling is better in the more bike-centric cities and that you are less likely to get shouted at or take a beer bottle upside the head. And I suppose that has its consideration as well! :D
Just a thought.
you're right, it's actually not bad here, cause even though the city is not built bike-friendly, the motorists are so unused to bikes they occasionally wig out and give too much room.
the average person here would never even consider riding a bike around here and think I'm really weird and dangerous for doing so.:D
I have passing motorists going into oncoming traffic (2-lane rd, blind turns, 45mph limit) to give me "room" in addition to the 3ft wide shoulder and 10ft car lane.:rolleyes: better they go head-on with another cager than sideswipe me, I guess!
ModoVincere
06-01-07, 02:43 PM
From reading BF for a long time, I'm often amused to see that one cyclist's favorite city is usually somebody else's worst nightmare! ;)
Maybe the individual rider's attitude has as much to do with city rankings as any external factors?
It might have a lot to do with where in the city one is riding. I know, here in ATL, there are parts that are better than others. I live in a suburb, about 20 miles north of downtown, and its not that bike freindly. There are some places closer in with dedicated bike trails, bike lanes, and slower speed limits. I would think it would be freindlier there.
Cosmoline
06-01-07, 04:02 PM
Baghdad, silly terrorists always put the IED's in the bike lane.
You'd probably be safer on a bike in Iraq. The SUV's and hummers are notorious bullet and explosive magnets. If our guys went around on bikes wearing crappy old clothes they'd probably get shot at a lot less, and their routes would be much more difficult for the insurgents to predict. In fact I've seen pictures of some doing just that.
scattered73
06-01-07, 04:38 PM
A tour boat capsized there not too long ago. All the gawkers rushed to one side of the boat and it sank.
Old Austin is bike friendly. The sprawl areas are not. It's Houston with big hills. Old Austin is about gone now.
You’re kidding, I hope nobody was hurt in the incident.
I really shouldn't have dogged my Hometown so bad; there are some really good things about this city but it is just in need of improvement. And there is some wonderful local activists who are trying to make a difference, maybe it’s time for me to step up and help and instead complaining. I will have to look into to that.
Jerseysbest
06-01-07, 05:02 PM
I've been to Houston and my good friend has been living there for the past year. Very spread out, lots of freeways, and just not good for bikes all around. I thought parts of suburban NJ were bad, but Houston is basically like the suburbs with lots of traffic.
NJ has some bad parts, but depending where in the state you live, it can be great, or down right deadly.
urban rider
06-01-07, 08:30 PM
How about the "Motor City?" a town that does not believe in anything but big gas guzzeling hogs. No public transportation to speak of and no bike lanes.
Gas, the price of a can of beans
Domromer
06-02-07, 09:53 PM
The entire Phoenix area aka valley of the sun. Big fast roads, very few bike lanes, lots of road rage, lots of hummers, highs of 120 in the summer. At least most of it is flat.
The Houston area varies regarding bike-friendliness; some neighborhoods are good, others bad. It's a BIG area. It is LEGAL to park motor vehicles in the bicycle lanes within the city of Houston; that is bad. The bike lanes that were hastily striped in order to qualify for ISTEA funding were largely eliminated once that funding was granted, and replaced with "Share the Road" signs with little bicycle emblems on them, to show the "bike routes." Most Houston motorists, and this includes some police officers, think bicycles belong on the sidewalks, even though Texas traffic law clearly considers bicycles to be vehicles.
It might have a lot to do with where in the city one is riding. I know, here in ATL, there are parts that are better than others. I live in a suburb, about 20 miles north of downtown, and its not that bike freindly. There are some places closer in with dedicated bike trails, bike lanes, and slower speed limits. I would think it would be freindlier there.
Good point. There's one part of my metro area that I avoid as much as possible because it's all sprawl and high speed multi-lane roads. Ugly and unsatisfying for riding.
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