I like BikeSnob because he's like me - he tells it like it is. No sugar coating, no pandering. Just straight up. Lots of people don't like that because either they are a) easily offended when they shouldn't be, b) part of the group being talked about.
In college people always said I was just a pessimist - but I'm not, I'm a realist. I observe the world, and see it how it really is.
I read his article, and agree with pretty much the entire thing. If you stop for a moment and hop off the "omg someone dropped a dime on the sidewalk i'm so offended lets crucify him" train (which runs rampant in this outrage-a-day world), you'd realize his summary of cycling activity is pretty spot on.
His jab at cyclists hiding in the winter and only coming out now while it's nice may seem harsh, but you have to remember that someone who rides year round is already committed to cycling being their main mode of transport. Whether to work, or otherwise. But folks who wait for the sun and 70s - and only riding during this one week - aren't really changing their view about anything. It's just kind of like going camping for a week in a tent without running water and a bathroom, and then going back to your 5,000 sqft house with 6 bathrooms.
I think this was my favorite paragraph:
If anything, cyclists are cynical about Bike to Work Week because we want bicycle commuting to be more inclusive. We don’t want it to be something people do once a year out of a sense of obligation, like paying your taxes or calling grandma on Mother’s Day. We want people to discover the joy and practicality of cycling, and for riding a bicycle to become a default mode of transport for lots and lots of people in cities and towns all over America.
Bike to work week should be about trying to get others to drop their cars, and get on the bike. But, I agree with him, that it doesn't really do that. It's like the camping trip. It's a fun thing you do once a year.
Don't get me wrong, I want bike week to work. I want more people to stop driving. It's just never going to happen, and I've accepted that. I'll continue to advocate for people to do it, and for awesome bike infrastructure, but, like I said, I'm a realist, and I have already accepted that the majority of Americans will never, ever, ever, consider riding a bike - anywhere - except for recreational outings for a few hours. They won't give up their cars - they simply cannot conceive of such a thing. It's really that simple. They just don't want to. And you can't argue with someone who has already made up their minds.