Originally Posted by
Roody
I think you're saying that bike specific infrastructure has little or no effect on the numbers or increases in bike commuting, but I don't think the numbers in the Atlantic article back up this point at all.
For one thing, you said that Americans won't ride in snowy weather, but the cities with the largest increases were in the northern tier of states. You also implied that better infrastructure won't increase ridership, but many of the cities with large numbers and/or large increases implemented infrastructure programs during the study period. Of sourse, it's difficult to know if the commitment to new bike infrastructure was a cause or a result of increased bike commuting.
Your assertion that "many of those cities have increased simply because people decided to ride" is puzzling. It seems that would be the only reason ever that ridership would increase. But are people more likely to decide to ride if they perceive riding to be a safe activity or a dangerous activity? It seems logical that more would choose riding if there was a perception of greater safety from specific infrastructure.
The article you linked to was informative on some levels, but it doesn't answer the question of how to increase bike riding. Somebody will figure out associations between increased ridership and higher public spending on bike infrastructure, but
AFAIK this hasn'tbeen done yet, and the question remains unanswered.
No the point I was making was a chicken or egg thing. More people riding caused more infrastructure rather than build infrastructure and they will come. I didn't say people will not ride in the cold I said there is no reason not to ride where the weather is good. I am one of those that believe if they see us they will notice us and may see a reason to put in bike lanes or even bike parking. Places where a lot of cyclists tend to go seem to put in parking racks.
I don't believe people are driving their cars because they are longing to see infrastructure before they jump out of their car and start riding to work. I believe at least in our area people will cycle more if they simply see more people cycling. I am not sure we can get our leaders to build the infrastructure first in this economy if they don't have a very good reason to believe there are people that are going to use it.
The very example that was given of Spain is an example of how the infrastructure followed the need in my opinion. And the charts in the site I posted gives at least some thought to the effect of infrastructure after the fact. I am saying there is no reason to wait and dream about the Netherlands when the road ways are already there and the laws allow us access to those road ways. Do I believe there is some resistance, sure but there will always be some resistance. Build it and they will come was a nice movie line but if there isn't already a group that wants to come when you build it no one shows up.
From my very first post on this subject I have said we who ride have more influence on our communities than people that drive and say they would be interested if it was easier. Because I have found that people will say anything but getting them to do it is another matter. So sure we can use the infrastructure but do we need it in places like the west coast where the weather is mild and we can ride 12 months a year before we ride or commute? I don't see why. Maybe riding motorcycles for years on busy California freeways has made me less timid than whoever it is that believes the infrastructure to cycle has to come fist but that is just how I view it. I like riding by bikes and I like it enough that I will ride on the street with or without a bike lane. I like bike lanes and even like bike paths and dedicated bike roads. But I am no longer willing to pine away whishing it was easier because more people will join me. Because until I see them on a bike I don't believe they really want to commute to work, play, shop or vacation. At least where I live there is nothing to stop them. That just happenes to be my take because of my experience.