Living Car Free - More civic support... more cyclists?

The mayor of my city is very pro-cycling and in the last year there seems to be much more support for cycling projects. This is probably due to the availability of federal money.

But many, many US cities are getting in on the act. Even Boston
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/us/09bike.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=boston%20cycling&st=cse



Boston, long known as a minefield for bicycle riders, is feverishly working to shed that reputation by creating bike lanes, installing bike racks, restoring bike paths and urging residents to switch from horsepower to pedal power. Plans to link the city’s existing bike paths and create a bike-share program are also in the works. One already exists for city employees.


Seems to be a lot more interest in cycling as transportation this year. Last year, it was the high price of gas that got the cyclists out. But this year, I see more cyclists than ever and there's a lot more interest in increasing bicycle traffic as a means of taking back the streets.

Do you see more cyclists? If yes, what's getting them out there?

Yes, I see more cyclists every year. Even in the winter, I am no longer the only one out there.

Why? The bad times, partly. But I don't think it's totally the economy, because I started seeing more riders before the economy tanked. There seems to be less shame in riding a bike.

I read this in the Providence Journal yesterday and although I think it's great to encourage more biking I have a real problem with this quote "Bike lanes will give cyclists a legitimate place to be, and behavior will improve,” she said. Dear miss former olympic cyclist I have a place to ride it is in the lane. I guess riding in Colorado Springs is different than New England. The best way to ride in a four hundred year old street system like Boston and my home of Newport is by taking the lane. Any bike lane is bound to be a door zone type because there is just not enough room. When I went to Caimbridge last winter i vowed trhat if I were to go there I would take my chances with the trucks and cars rather than the door zone on Mass. Ave.

Do you see more cyclists? If yes, what's getting them out there?
Its the smug attitude of the car-free subset of cyclists. They see us arrive at work with a grin, and they see the grin widen as soon as a car dependent complains about traffic. They're getting a clue.

There's probably any number of reasons for increased bicycle traffic. Most probably, it a confluence of trends: cities want to reduce car traffic congestion; individuals want to lead healthy lifestyles; fuel prices fluctuate so much you wonder if there is something to that "peak oil" thing.

What seems different to me this summer is that there wasn't the usual huge dropoff in cyclists in my neighborhood when the weather turned really hot.

The posts I'm reading here so far seem encouraging. Let's hope this trend continues.

Its the smug attitude of the car-free subset of cyclists. They see us arrive at work with a grin, and they see the grin widen as soon as a car dependent complains about traffic. They're getting a clue.

IMO, only the smug car-free subset of cyclists would believe that about themselves or that such an attitude promotes bicycling among the great unwashed "car dependents."

This year, I see a much bigger increase than ever in the twenty years I've been riding the streets of DC. Lots more than the post 9/11 surge. There's a lot of unskilled riders, watch out for them, by that I mean be careful not to get tangled up with them, but also kind of help them avoid getting tangled up with the cars, if possible. Each one, teach one.

Ft Wayne is getting on-board; the new mayor announced three streets that will be getting bike lanes, he organized a Bike To Work Day with local business support, greeted Phil Keoghan on his cross-country ride for MS, and has a staff member specifically for bicycle advocacy issues.

IMO, only the smug car-free subset of cyclists would believe that about themselves or that such an attitude promotes bicycling among the great unwashed "car dependents."

Smugness is never pretty, but a better term would be "contented" or "self-satisfied." Some of my friends have started up with transit cycling, and one reason they give is that they've seen how much I enjoy it. They might not know this yet, but utility cycling is enjoyable and has many positive benefits.

Our enthusiasm for bikes can be contagious, so let it shine.

Smugness is never pretty, but a better term would be "contented" or "self-satisfied." Some of my friends have started up with transit cycling, and one reason they give is that they've seen how much I enjoy it. They might not know this yet, but utility cycling is enjoyable and has many positive benefits.

Our enthusiasm for bikes can be contagious, so let it shine.

Now your attitude as expressed here would be a positive influence rather that the holier than thou smugness expressed elsewhere by others. :thumb:

What seems different to me this summer is that there wasn't the usual huge dropoff in cyclists in my neighborhood when the weather turned really hot.

This is an odd observation. I wonder if more people are getting the message that you can cycle in hot weather... as long as you take precautions. Same thing with winter cycling.

In any case, we had a very mild summer, and I see a lot more bicycles out in the streets, apparently people moving from point A to B. This is unusual for here, which has big bike riding culture, but mainly geared around recreational riding. Suddenly, people are riding to restaurants and bars and the grocery stores.

I also volunteer at a bike co-op and August is usually when cycling winds down, but today the shop was full of people, most of them students looking for bikes to move around campus.

(Of course, I'm under no illusions about what it'll be like in December... :))