Ekdog

I've been thinking about this and didn't know who to choose but, of course, Enrique Peņalosa! Thanks for bringing up his name. I've been inspired by his writing, his political action and his talks. He was easily the best speaker at a conference I attended in 2010.

Edited to add:

I've just watched the Ted Talk you linked to. What a list of great ideas! Bus rapid transit; giving more priority to human beings in our cities than to cars, especially to children and the elderly; greenways and bicycle highways. Common sense, democratic solutions to problems. Very inspirational.

Machka 

+1

I've never heard of the "famous" people others have mentioned here. My admiration is with the everyday people, especially those for whom being car-free or car-light is just one ordinary everyday part of their varied daily lives.

ro-monster

Er...privacy? We're talking about stuff posted on BikeForums, stuff that can be read by any of the 2.7 billion (give or take a few) residents of Earth who have internet access.

I have no interest in whatever these people have posted, by the way. I'm just dumbfounded by the absurdity of anyone imagining that we can have privacy here.

Machka 

I'm talking about privacy in real life.

None of these ladies posted on BF very often, nor did they reveal much about themselves here. So I don't feel it is my place to "tell all". I know them outside BF, as friends, and would rather maintain their privacy out of respect for them.

They are not public figures like some of the people mentioned here apparently are.

Rowan

So... name them, if you are so smart and savvy, just to prove the your claimed absurdity about whether they have privacy here.

Ekdog

Would it be possible for you to admire someone who speaks out publicly in favor of cycling or must cyclists be seen and not heard?

Machka 

Actions speak louder than words.

Ekdog

How about actions and words? I believe both are important.

Roody

But cliches speak pretty loudly also.

phoebeisis

Hey-no reason to name not public figures- literally name them.

Perhaps she is concerned one of you "I don't love cars people" will think they are your kind of SO-or a pro car nut might decide to take offense
and they will get stalked-cyber stalked or just plain in person stalked.
Not that I am singling out any of you cranks.But women tend to attract online "nuts" more than men.

Yes the "cranks" was a JOKE- maybe a little mean spirited- but I am only on my second cup of coffee...and the 4 cats have been pestering me to feed them
They have no sympathy for my coffee swilling addiction.
Dog not very sympathetic either

I-Like-To-Bike

More likely in this instance would be "stalked" on BF by the usual suspects for some ankle biting and sniping.

Isaiahc72

Anyone who is committed to living car-free and is dedicated to getting more people on bikes

phoebeisis

Below is me going sideways-
Bikes for transportation folks-
need to PUSH "how to prevent bike thefts"-which means some sort of city maintained bike racks with sturdy U-Lock attachment points
and 3 wheeled bikes for oldsters-which means dedicated bike lanes-"sorta wide"
USA older the 45 Folks are over weight-perhaps not too agile-
They can't safely comfortable ride a 2 wheeled bike
but they certainly can ride an old fashioned 3 wheeler-big basket in the rear-very stable-(or even a training wheeled bike)
but those bikes are wider
and oldsters sure as heck won't ride with traffic-no VC for oldsters-laughable to even consider it
3 wheeler 65 yo-maybe some medical problems- 6-8 mph is about it-they won't ride in traffic
they need dedicated bike lanes-and a way to safely lock their bike-and a way to lock their bike outside( too heavy too bulky to haul inside)
There is waaaaay too much emphasis on 2 wheeled bikes-and the VC lane controlling elitism-strictly for extremely fit folks

You bike advocates need to think of better bikes-maybe a "kiddie type" bike with some sort of training wheels-for older folks-retractable and light so they can haul them into their home?

If you really want folks-say 20% of short -2 mile-trips to be by bike-you need different bikes-better anti theft measures-and dedicated bike lanes
Heck maybe allow/encourage side walk riding-until better lanes are available(yes I know about the problems with sidewalks-side streets, driveways-hedges etc)-
In many suburbs-side walks are EMPTY

I-LIKE-TO-BIKE- yeah safe bet they wouldn't want to be pestered by the usual sniping-I was thinking in terms of the more "nuts" forms of harassment that mainly women attract.No one has ever found me worthy of stalking

Roody

Whew...

have you ever actually met an "older folk"--which is evidently anybody over 45? Most of us can still ride two-wheelers without falling over. Your buddy ILTB is over 45 and he still rides a standard bicycle.

phoebeisis

Yes I have.
I'm 62-but I'm not an average 62 yo-and you aren't an average whatever your age is.
Take a good look at most 50 yo-think they are up for teetering thru traffic?
Look at cities where folks ride-say NYNY-
What percentage of the riders are 45 or older- what percentage are say-28 or under?
HUGE DROP OFF- despite(crude guess) there being at least as many 45+ as 28 and under?

And BIKE theft-HUGE problem in NOLA- CL is filled with "bike stolen" and "don't buy stolen bikes" ads.
Now transportation riders in the USA are the "not 30 yet" crowd-wear those funny hats- single speeds-like steel frames for whatever reasons
Yeah-oldsters DON'T ride in the USA-not for fun-not for transportation
WHY?

I-Like-To-Bike

I have no great respect for the ardent cheerleaders for Vehicular Cycling™, nor for performance enthusiasts, but dunno that your gross stereotyping fits all of us over 45. Some of us are not quite ready for tricycles and or rolling couches, or the rest home either

This was my commuting route until 4 years ago, when I was 62. I rode in the right hand traffic lane of this 55mph road for six miles each way (of the 12 mile commute) because the road surface to the right of the white line is unsuitable for cycling due to its makeup of river rock. Now that I am retired, I still ride everyday in town (including -4°F this year with snow) on the same standard city bike I've been riding since 2002. Haven't needed to add an attachment to it for carrying a walker just yet.

BTW don't younger people need to lockup their bicycles too?

B. Carfree

I was initially a bit mystified by this post. Then I realized that you are in the south, where you likely observe what you describe.




Bear in mind that the obesity numbers are worse than this self-reported blurb shows.

I guess we may have reached a bit of a catch-22. People are fat due in part to their lack of physical activity. Now you say they cannot engage in a simple physical activity because they are too fat and weak. What's to be done? Fortunately, cohort replacement may well rescue us. Young people are once again taking to bikes for transportation and a great many seem likely to stay with it. Old people will continue to die, with many of the inactive/obese ones doing so prematurely.

The near-future cycling landscape may depend on the rate at which young, mostly urban riders change over to car-based transportation. I'm optimistic that today's young people won't be lured into car addictions.

B. Carfree

I am also inspired by people who just get on the bike and ride, be it for basic transportation or for the sheer joy of it all. When I see someone on a bike I always find myself smiling, even when they're "not doing it right", whatever that means.

I sometimes find these folks in the most unlikely of places. While riding between my home and the Sacramento Valley (a regular ride for me), I once encountered a man in his forties charging up a steep hill from the ocean in flip-flops with his fishing pole attached to his bike. The nearest residence was the better part of ten miles away, almost all of it uphill. I was still smiling from this encounter when I finished the next climb.

gerv 

Your friend sounds like the best candidate I've heard here. I know he's not looking for recognition, but it's sad that he isn't widely trumpeted as a role model.

wolfchild

What's really cool and inspirational is when I see people 65+ or even 70+ years of age, still using bikes for recreation, pleasure or shopping/errands. It makes no difference to me if they are car-free or not as long as they are active and riding bikes. Last year on my way to do some shopping, I had an old guy pull up to me, he was dressed in full kit and riding a fancy road racing bike. I was amazed when he told me that he was 70. That man was in great physical shape.

ro-monster

Meatspace is a whole different kettle o' fish...or meat...or something. Your initial post gave the impression that all of this information was derived from public posts on BikeForums.

Roody

My dad's friend rode his performance bike into his late 70s. He seemed to keep his strength up on frequent road rides in the hilly areas of northwest lower Michigan. It wasn't his physical health that finally stopped him, but Alzheimer's disease. Sadly, he started getting lost when he went on rides. His dedication to cycling was inspiring.

I was also inspired by the other guys in his club. They organized rides that he could handle and kept a special eye on him without making a big deal out of it. Thanks to them, he was able to ride for another season, with his dignity intact.

Machka 

Are you serious??? Really ... you must be joking!!

Over 45 ..."over weight-perhaps not too agile- They can't safely comfortable ride a 2 wheeled bike"???

You say you're in your 60s ... do you ride a tricycle?

I can name hundreds of people over 45 who aren't particularly overweight and who are quite comfortable on a 2 wheeled bike. The average age on the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200K (that's an international Randonneuring event in France which attracts approx. 5000 cyclists, you might not have heard of it) is 49 years old. Yeah, sure, there are a few recumbent trikes in the crowd, and a handful of British riders like upright tricycles, but believe me, they aren't crawling along at 6-8 mph.

Even within my acquaintance in the city where I currently live, there are a lot of over 45 cyclists ... I'm one of them, so is Rowan.

As a car-free (in the past)/car-light person whose motivation is fitness, I think there should be much more of an emphasis on becoming extremely fit and strong, humans are meant to be fit and strong ... even past the old age of 45.



(Maybe I should have gone wheelchair shopping instead of hitting the gym this evening)

Ekdog

+1.

I'm well over 45 and ride at weekends with a group of cyclists whose ages range from children to several who are well into their 70s. These septuagenarians are all fit, they ride two-wheeled bicyles and they have no problem keeping up on our 60-100 km. rides.

Ekdog