I live on the fringes of a poorer neighborhood. The average bike commuter is not riding an overpriced city bike in designer cycling togs. The commuters I see around here are of the invisible class. Hard working men & women that the general public tends to overlook. Walk around the back of any restaurant. The back area by the grease keg & dumpster always have a collection of cheap bikes belonging to the busboys & waiters. Bikes aren't a choice for them- it's the only option besides walking. This is where the Magnas & Huffys end up. Cycling lights can be just a flashlight taped to the bars and a few reflectors. They don't get to choose the time of day & the route to take. The street I live on is a terror to ride at any time of day. It's the sidewalks or else. No-one in their right mind would take the lane in 40+ rush hour traffic here. No shoulder, just a line of parked cars that can pull out at random.

Transportation infrastructure is an investment in the economic well being of the community, not a cash cow business. Short sighted politicos fail to understand the concept of long term thinking. Long term being decades, not until the next news cycle. Every uninsured cyclist that gets hit and ends up in the emergency room is a drain on taxpayer dollars. Every accident that doesn't happen is a savings.

The bike paths here are of the practical variety or the recreational type. The practical ones usually are dual-purpose. Not bikes & peds, but bikes and maintenance vehicles. This arrangement works fine. The recreational ones bring a huge amount of business to the beach communities. The bike path in Huntington Beach is jammed on weekends with tourists, locals, and families. A huge amount of money gets spent at the local drinking and dining establishments by these cycling folk. At night & during the week, it's used by city maintenance trucks. Parking on a side street & riding to the beach beats paying $15.00 parking.