Living Car Free - What's needed to promote bike use?

I was reading an article today about how some cycling advocates are asking for money to improve cycling infrastructure. The bike lanes and multi-use paths are good, but are they what's needed in your community?

Where I'm living, the biggest need is for education and promotion of cycling. (One of the bike shops in the area is already starting to work with this.) Next to that, but in a distant second place, would be proper bike parking and beyond that, I can think of just a few roads where bike lanes or adjacent bike paths are needed.

Better integration of bikes and transit. Here there are bike racks on the buses with two spots, however if they are full, and the bus is half-empty, the drivers will still not allow you to bring your bicycle on board. The bus only runs four times a day from the ferry terminal to the nearest town a distance of around 20 km. Because of the distance and that it travels on a 80 kph highway with minimal stops, the bus beats cycling time wise, which can mean getting home an hour earlier when the ferries only run once per hour.

I think more people would leave their car at home and bike if they knew they didn't have to bike two directions especially with shorter days and one of them in the dark.

Education, bicycle advocacy, and developing infrastructure are essential, but I think more emphasis needs to be placed on changing our state laws, city ordinances, judicial system to make them more compatible with our growing bicycling culture. To give one example, I put two more tail lights on my commuter this afternoon. With three tail lights, a Magicshine headlight, and a reflective vest, I'm going to look like a two foot wide Boeing 747 riding down the road when I go to work tonight. However, if I'm hit by a car and killed or injured the excuse of "I didn't see him" will be considered sufficient despite my precautions. The recourses I or my family would have under these circumstances are limited under both criminal and civil law. I know there are a number of organizations lobbying for changes but they lack both popular support, even among bicyclists, and they have failed to develop a comprehensive legislative package that can be supported nationally. Getting "Idaho stops" legislation passed in one city and a "Three foot clearance" law passed some place else are steps forward, but baby steps and piecemeal ones at that.

People are so irrational that even if it makes perfect logical sense to ride a bike instead of driving a car, they won't do it. Here's the answer though: the "fixie" craze. There's no logical reason for so many people to be riding brakeless fixed gear bikes but apparently it's "cool". I still don't understand how the hipsters got so into fixed gear bikes, after all, most of them are weak, scrawny, smokers that drink too much cheap beer. You'd think they would pass out after a block or two. Or they'd find that cycling in tight pants with a heavy bag over one shoulder and a U-lock in the back pocket jabbing them in the rear sucks. But they never figure that out. So all you need to do is convince people that riding a bike for transportation is the cool thing to do. You can build infrastructure till the cows come home on two wheels and still people will get in their cars and circle around looking for parking.

So all you need to do is convince people that riding a bike for transportation is the cool thing to do. You can build infrastructure till the cows come home on two wheels and still people will get in their cars and circle around looking for parking.
That's exactly why I say education and any special events are needed. When people see others are also getting on their bikes, it may catch on. And when they see it's not a huge hardship to travel by bike, it may be a mild incentive.

I'd add effective enforcement against bike theft to the items already mentioned. Most of the people I ride with never use their bikes for transportation and I think that fear of theft is a contributing factor. The general perception is that the police place a very low priority on bike theft making it a profitable business with low risk. Some sting operations with bait bikes and going after the flea markets and other venues where stolen bikes are sold could put a major dent in the theft rate and make it more attractive to bike to stores, theaters, and other businesses.

In my area, we already have a lot of people who have started riding in the last 2 to 4 years. Most of these fall into three categories: utility riders, fixsters, and "serious" commuters. I think what would most benefit all three groups would be good bikeways and even bike lanes. I'm not a big fan of these facilities myself, but I think most new cyclists here would like them and increase their riding if they had them.

Money talks. What's needed to promote bike use is:
-Stop using wars to maintain cheap oil prices.
-Tax gasoline burners for the cleanup of the mess they leave behind.
-Tax large vehicle users for their fair share of road maintenance.
-Stop encouraging consumerism and excess spending with expansionary monetary policies.

Enable people to live recklessly beyond their means (socially, environmentally, physically, and economically) and that's what they'll do. Force people to do for themselves and they will use the resources have, in particular their bodies to cycle with.

There's a chicken-and-egg phenomenon happening here. You would have more cyclists if you had better infrastructure. You'd have better infrastructure if you had more cyclists demanding it.

This is probably a case for some wise old and well-connected bicycle advocates to start prodding City Hall officials. "Wake up, guys... the tide is in.""

Money talks. What's needed to promote bike use is:
-Stop using wars to maintain cheap oil prices.
-Tax gasoline burners for the cleanup of the mess they leave behind.
-Tax large vehicle users for their fair share of road maintenance.
-Stop encouraging consumerism and excess spending with expansionary monetary policies.

Enable people to live recklessly beyond their means (socially, environmentally, physically, and economically) and that's what they'll do. Force people to do for themselves and they will use the resources have, in particular their bodies to cycle with.

well, you have certainly taken it to the fundamental level. If people had to pay the true cost of their transportaton, I'm sure cars would be much more expensive and bikes would be much cheaper. And that would certainly do much to increase bicycle ridership everywhere.

Ok here's a friendlier one:
bike fit

I think most people have never ridden a properly fitted bike. As a result they don't think a bike is much more than a wheelchair that needs to be balanced.

One of the events I'd like to see once or twice a year would be a bike fit clinic and a bike safety check, held in conjunction with a bike to work day. Any bike shop doing this would get a lot of business to its doors later.

Done our share . . . been promoting bicycle use since the early 1970s . . . and pedaled 300,000+ miles.
Now it's your turn.

We also need to stop sugar coating what it takes to cycle. We need to tell people about the time it takes to get used to a saddle, and stop pretending it isn’t a pain in the rear at first. Not always co-operate. Flat tires will happen and the weather might But explain that a new rider will get over it sooner or later it just takes time, unless they have a bent.

Infrastructure, education, training and a dose of reality check will help far more than just about anything we have seen so far. To get anywhere we need to get the 96+ percent non cyclists on our side and we will never do that with an in your face advocacy type of program. IMHO.

Yes somewhere to park and lock a bike would be nice at the local store. It would also be nice if they took bike thefts more seriously and tossed a few people in jail rather that just collect and sell recovered bike by the warehouse full.

But till then we make converts one at a time and enjoy the activity with a few friends.

One of the events I'd like to see once or twice a year would be a bike fit clinic and a bike safety check, held in conjunction with a bike to work day. Any bike shop doing this would get a lot of business to its doors later.

Problem is people wouldn't go to the bike fit clinic because they think "bikes are toys made to make walking more fun".

I say a free public bike sharing program with instructions on making the bike fit. People like free stuff and they'll read the instructions if they need to in order to get the thing unlocked. Put emphasis on fit by having different sized frames even though it adds confusion and increases the chances someone has to ride the wrong size just to get people thinking "gee I wonder if I should try the other size."

Once they try a bike that fits they will *get it*. As Sheldon Brown said,
"Riding with the saddle too low is like walking with your knees bent (as Groucho Marx often did for comedic effect.) If you walked that way all the time, you'd also get used to that, but you'd think that half a mile was a long walk." That's exactly what most people think about cycling...that 5 miles is a long ride. They need to relearn how to ride a bike in order to understand what it's capable of.

I was reading an article today about how some cycling advocates are asking for money to improve cycling infrastructure. The bike lanes and multi-use paths are good, but are they what's needed in your community?

Where I'm living, the biggest need is for education and promotion of cycling. (One of the bike shops in the area is already starting to work with this.) Next to that, but in a distant second place, would be proper bike parking and beyond that, I can think of just a few roads where bike lanes or adjacent bike paths are needed.

I would not worry too much about attracting people to cycling. The most important thing I know about motivation is: people will do something that benefits them and is in their best interests or simply label cycling as being for "the other guy." Otherwise they: mouth platitudes about cycling (and don't participate themselves), ignore cyclists who do, or simply move on to something else entirely.

That's exactly why I say education and any special events are needed. When people see others are also getting on their bikes, it may catch on. And when they see it's not a huge hardship to travel by bike, it may be a mild incentive.


I think you've hit the nail on the head; bicycling will catch on when people see so-called "normal" people doing it in large numbers. This is pretty much what has happened here in Seattle in the last couple of years. However, I think it's important to remember that, barring a huge spike in fuel prices, bicycling will probably never become all that mainstream in North America. For many people, any level of physical exertion, no matter how moderate, is simply too much to tolerate on a daily basis. And there are social barriers in many cities that may be insurmountable. You can show up at even the nicest restaurant in Seattle dressed casually, in a bike helmet and panniers, and they will be happy to seat you. Some places will even offer to store your bike in the restaurant. I doubt that would happen in Dallas or Atlanta.

Someone to show curious people where the MUPs are located (the paths aren't always obvious), how to ride defensively on the streets, encourage folks on bikes off the sidewalks, and how to do basic maintenance (like filling the tires with air -- you'd think this was the easy part, but not for some people). An actual bike ambassador a noob can talk to about road routes, bike locking tips, and even occasional company heading onto unfamiliar routes.

I would have loved this when I started out! A bike buddy who didn't look at me like I fell out of a tree when I had a question about filling the tire with air at the gas station. Or showed me how to get to the Don River Trail. As well as a little encouragement to ride a bit further and into unfamiliar neighborhoods.

But no. I did this on my own. Ok, with encouragement from BF! But heck, I kind of landed here by accident. I wasn't familiar with online forums before visiting this site.

But finding the way onto the streets was my initiative. As was learning how to change a flat. And finding out the different routes in the city as well as venturing onto them all on my lonesome.

Basically if I knew somebody who was approachable and positive about an obese woman riding a bike, it would have helped tremendously. And I would have avoided that incident with the washed out trail. Yeah, I'd have liked that. Ditto leaving a different trail and learning not every major, busy arterial road has a sidewalk and I'd end up pushing my bike up hill on the road shoulder. Would've liked to avoid that misadventure.

Luckily I'm curious and fairly courageous (or stupid, but let's not nitpick) and I was eager to figure out bike riding full time so I went head first into it. Not everyone is like me (my mother is probably wishing didn't encourage my curious nature when I was growing up) so it would be great if more people acted like bike ambassadors for the uninitiated. I think that would help more people use bikes more often.

I think you've hit the nail on the head; bicycling will catch on when people see so-called "normal" people doing it in large numbers.

Also if media would cover celebrities riding their bikes, that would make it more acceptable.

I would've thought the lack of car parking everywhere I go would've taken care of this by now...

When I used to live in Northern California, I'd see people idling in their cars in the parking lot waiting for a space or stacked up at the entrance to the parking lot. I could swing by on my bike, lock to a pole or tree, go in, get what I need, be back on bike and on the road while many of them were still idling. I wonder if any of them ever noticed and said to themselves, "Wouldn't that be nice? I wonder if I could...?"

I would've thought the lack of car parking everywhere I go would've taken care of this by now...

When I used to live in Northern California, I'd see people idling in their cars in the parking lot waiting for a space or stacked up at the entrance to the parking lot. I could swing by on my bike, lock to a pole or tree, go in, get what I need, be back on bike and on the road while many of them were still idling. I wonder if any of them ever noticed and said to themselves, "Wouldn't that be nice? I wonder if I could...?"

This was an interesting read on the subject: http://gulfnews.com/life-style/motoring/parking-takes-years-off-britons-lives-1.701778

...The recourses I or my family would have under these circumstances are limited under both criminal and civil law.

What do you believe is limited under civil law in that situation?

I am not aware of any legislation that limits civil awards for general drivers and their insurance companies. Of course the insurance company is only on the hook for whatever, the policy holders policy says, but the driver is liable for whatever the jury/judge awards above and beyond what the insurance company covers...

Money talks. What's needed to promote bike use is:
-Stop using wars to maintain cheap oil prices.
-Tax gasoline burners for the cleanup of the mess they leave behind.
-Tax large vehicle users for their fair share of road maintenance.
-Stop encouraging consumerism and excess spending with expansionary monetary policies.

Enable people to live recklessly beyond their means (socially, environmentally, physically, and economically) and that's what they'll do. Force people to do for themselves and they will use the resources have, in particular their bodies to cycle with.

+1

Honestly, a much larger chunk of the US population will have to be much poorer before people start ditching cars. They are considered such a necessity that we have let the quality of almost everything else in our lives suffer for the sake of automobile ownership. We eat crappy food that we can get cheaply without leaving our cars.

I've always recognized and resented the huge ongoing cost of owning a car. I still sort of technically have one now, a $500 car that I am fortunate to be able to rely on due to a mechanic husband. But I drive it as little as possible. Even with a free car, I don't want to spend money on insurance and gas. Are you kidding? That's money I could use for trips and bike parts!

Luckily (?) our current culture cannot survive. If enough people wise up to the real costs of this lifestyle, the change will be painless. If not, something big will happen to force the change.

If people ditch their cars for financial reasons, we would see a marked increase in bike use. But later, when prosperity returns, the bikes would be abandoned once again because they would be seen as the transportation of the poor.

If you want to see more bicycle/mass transit use in the USA,raise the price of gasoline to the prices seen in most of the rest of the world.

When people have to spend $150.00-$200.00 for 20 gallons of gas,they'll consider mass transit/bicycles.Until then,nothing is going to change.

If the US had half a brain,they would raise the taxes on gasoline and use the money to build mass transit.Of course that won't happen,the powers that be will raise the tax,then piss it off on some pet project.

The last person I talked to about riding a bicycle to work said her butt hurt too much after the ride in. The distance was one and a half miles. She didn't do it again. I think bicycle comfort is the biggest factor in adults not trying to ride bicycles again. Those seats aren't comfortable.

I know that a well fit bicycle shouldn't hurt but they do hurt people who haven't ridden in a long time. Recumbents are the most comfortable bicycles but a low end model costs almost triple the price of a low end conventional bicycle.

Some people don't like looking different therefore would never ride a recumbent. I wish I had another one so I could get through the high winds easier on the way to work.

The cost of fuel is the other factor that can cause people to consider riding bicycles for transportation purposes. I'm in agreement with people here that it would be best if roads were paid for solely by fuel taxes. Bigger heavier vehicles do more damage and they also use much more fuel. Smaller lighter vehicles do much less damage and use much less fuel.

If no other taxes were used for road construction and maintenance, then the full cost of maintaining roads would be paid by the people who use them. Non-motorists also pay for the roads via the prices of goods. The transportation costs are always part of the final retail price of goods sold to everybody. So cyclists pay for road taxes and fuel taxes indirectly.

Comfort and cost are the factors I feel are the barriers that prevent more people from riding bicycles for transportation.

Everybody who gets on a recumbent tricycle always enjoys the experience a lot. They just cost plenty of money. If they cost about $600 instead of $1500 more would be sold. TerraTrike now sells a three speed model for $799 http://terratrike.com/rover.php.

Fuel is a big deal but I don't know how high it would need to cost per gallon before one tenth of the population decided to consider riding bicycles to work. People in dense urban areas would adopt them first.

One of my jobs is fifteen miles away. I don't really like pedaling that far. Since this is not a full time position I have no motivation to move closer because other work is nearer to my home. I don't think anybody driving a car now would switch to riding a bicycle that far to get to work. Only someone accustomed to riding would consider doing that.

My solution to get more people riding bicycles is to get more people riding recumbent tricycles. They are comfortable, stable, and everybody that tries one wants one. They are a bit slower than regular bicycles though who cares when you're having so much fun. It doesn't matter to me if people use two or three wheels for their pedal powered transportation. Get more people riding and we'll all be safer on the roads.

I can think of a lot of things, and I'll expound upon a few that I think that are more novel.

Shopping bikes: Moms taking kids to school and going to the grocery store wear their 3500lb rain suits far too often for picking up a package of toilet paper and a latte. Check out the Zigo Leader, it's pretty close to what I imagined a shopping bike should be. Shopping bikes (trikes) would have advertising to help displace cost, not need to go fast (average shopping trip is ~1mile?) and look too dorky to steal. Grocery stores (and mall owners) could then reclaim land costs by subleasing unused parking lot real-estate to new tennants. Revenue from subleases would probably more than cover the cost of shopping bike replacement. Zigo Leader post (http://blog.bitratchet.com/2010/10/28/how-cool-is-this-the-zigo-leader-is-cool/).

The role of businesses a-la Park(ing) day: businesses might not actually benefit from parking as much as they might benefit from green space near them. Parking should be centralized and cost more, and most parking in front of businesses should be converted to MUP greenspaces that create a place to the kids play and shoppers to feel more relaxed. Probably making proprietor's work days more pleasant and increasing the length of downtown visits. Park(ing) Day (http://www.parkingday.org) Business need to discourage parking and encourage cycling. The Bike Benefits (http://www.bikebenefits.org/) program is really creative this way. In my town the local transit authority program Whatcom SMARTtrips (http://www.whatcomsmarttrips.org/) has a benefits card. But it's also started a banner campaign for pubs. Three brew-pubs I've seen have banners saying "ride your bike to us". Better Beater Beer Bikes Barreling for Brews, anyone?

Other ideas I recently had, tho they wouldn't be popular but go to combat un-walkable sprawl: increase gas tax a lot; increase property taxes outside of city limits a lot and compliment that with urban recentralization incentives. Centralization makes a lot of sense for combating the need for cars. Likewise, tax businesses on employee commuting miles and help them centralize their employees.

I'm wondering if the province of British Columbia has unknowingly helped to promote cycling and walking. The impaired driving penalties and limits are now the toughest in Canada. This won't just affect the pub crawlers; it will also affect those who are in for wine tours and even those who are at a restaurant and enjoying a beer or a glass of wine with dinner. There's an opportunity here to bring in all sorts of taxi and shuttle services.

If gas prices increase to $5 or more and stay there, I think bike sales would skyrocket.

Personally, I think nothing short of necessity will do it, most Americans translate bicycle transportation to failure in life.

Also, the majority of American live in the suburbs and I've always felt like it's way to dangerous to ride full time in that environment. Sure, the speed limit is 45mph in most places but let's be honest, most vehicles are traveling at speeds well in excess of whatever is posted.

It's just easier to ride in a city.

Infrastructure
Comfort
Accepted
Catered to
Cool

One poster mentioned the media and I believe that is the only way. The above will come when people demand it. When hot chick news reporter has her bike in the background it will happen. When Hollywood switched to Macs, sales of Apple computers shot up at college campuses.

When Hollywood switched to Macs, sales of Apple computers shot up at college campuses.
That wasn't just because Hollywood writers, directors and producers wanted to show off Macs. Companies will pay big bucks for product placement. Similarly, ski manufacturers who sponsor Olympic-level skiers will insist that the skis be placed prominently in media interviews, which is why the classic shot of the skier, with the skis propped up behind him or her, is so common in television interviews after a competition.

Would Trek or Cannondale or another bicycle manufacturer be willing to pony up the money to have bikes featured in the same way?

Also, the majority of American live in the suburbs and I've always felt like it's way to dangerous to ride full time in that environment. Sure, the speed limit is 45mph in most places but let's be honest, most vehicles are traveling at speeds well in excess of whatever is posted.

It's just easier to ride in a city.

I don't agree. I can ride roughly parallel to Interstate 95 through the suburbs, accross the entire county, about 60 miles, with only a small mileage penalty vs. driving on 95. For a few extra miles, I travel on roads with low speed limits and few cars. These routes are not tailor-made or easily evident, but they are there. There are overpasses and underpasses and sidewalk-only bridges over the canals, even under I-95. There are spots where I cut through a church parking lot, or behind a grocery store, but the route is there to be found.

This is Brevard County, Fl., and certainly other areas would be different. Yet, similar routes must exist in many places. What is sad is that the infrastructure required to make such routes official is puny. With a small investment in a few pedestrian-sized bridges, overpasses, right-of-ways, etc., a county-wide bicycle "Interstate" is easily made by connecting existing side streets and paths. If the county would make the connections, and make the route known, it could spur some folks to start riding.

THIS ROUTE (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/469912) shows the easy path on the right side. On the bottom loop, 42 miles on the interstate, and 43+1/2 on the easy run. There are another 20 easy miles to be had on the right side up top, perhaps giving up another mile or two to the highway.

I don't agree. I can ride roughly parallel to Interstate 95 through the suburbs, accross the entire county, about 60 miles, with only a small mileage penalty vs. driving on 95. For a few extra miles, I travel on roads with low speed limits and few cars. These routes are not tailor-made or easily evident, but they are there. There are overpasses and underpasses and sidewalk-only bridges over the canals, even under I-95. There are spots where I cut through a church parking lot, or behind a grocery store, but the route is there to be found.

This is Brevard County, Fl., and certainly other areas would be different. Yet, similar routes must exist in many places. What is sad is that the infrastructure required to make such routes official is puny. With a small investment in a few pedestrian-sized bridges, overpasses, right-of-ways, etc., a county-wide bicycle "Interstate" is easily made by connecting existing side streets and paths. If the county would make the connections, and make the route known, it could spur some folks to start riding.

THIS ROUTE (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/469912) shows the easy path on the right side. On the bottom loop, 42 miles on the interstate, and 43+1/2 on the easy run. There are another 20 easy miles to be had on the right side up top, perhaps giving up another mile or two to the highway.

I didn't mean for it to be a blanket statement, I'm happy you have found something in your area.

I get what you were saying in a sense, Jay. I just don't think you have to take the 45 mph streets through most of the suburbs, most of the time. My experience in the various places I've lived is that there is usually a quieter way to get there if you are willing to go the extra mile (literally and figuratively).

If you do take the 45 mph route, then yes, it can get pretty scary.

I get what you were saying in a sense, Jay. I just don't think you have to take the 45 mph streets through most of the suburbs, most of the time. My experience in the various places I've lived is that there is usually a quieter way to get there if you are willing to go the extra mile (literally and figuratively).

If you do take the 45 mph route, then yes, it can get pretty scary.

Also, this is a job for local advocacy groups to tackle--making sure alternate routes are available, and that all streets will eventually be safe for all users.

Many cities all over the world are getting walkable, bikable streets by forming coalitions of bike clubs, pedestrian organizations, senior citizen groups, and advocates for handicappers and the blind. Enlightened business leaders and developers will also join in, since they know that good transportation is vital to commerce. When they get together as ad hoc coalitions, these diverse groups can form a very powerful interest group.