Old 01-22-14, 08:00 AM
  #112  
phoebeisis
New Orleans
 
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Earlier the "why so few bikes in the pictures" was addressed.
Crowded-you would arrive at work rumpled-and bikes were kinda expensive.
Found some sight-said they were $15-$20-or more.
Guessing that was a week's pay-maybe more.
Plus-HOW DO YOU SECURE A BIKE?
Cost you a weeks pay-are you goiung to have to haul a huge chain and lock-lock it to what.
So other than cost-same reason biking to work isn't popular now-arrive rumpled-sweating-dangerous-walking or public transportation or car is just BETTER.
A bike around all those horses-wagons-dangerous
Plus-flats-HUGE problem back then-how are you going to fix your flat.
Biking has a better chance now-easier to lock them up-safer-flats probably 10x less common and actually fixable on the fly-and much cheaper to buy a bike-maybe just 6 hours of labor.
But public transportation is still "better" in many bike cities-theft still a HUGE problem-still more dangerous than alternatives-still requires some athletic skills and youth.
Biking for transportation was NEVER common in USA- except maybe during the war-but doubt it was common even then
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