Originally Posted by
Bizman
Do you think trikes fit the infrastructure? What about horse and buggy? What about a farm tractor? Where I live these things along with bikes (DF & recumbent) are a common sight on the road. I ride a Velomobile 99% of the time, I think it fits the infrastructure fine along with any of the other modes of transportation I list.
A Velomobile is actually faster and can keep up with traffic better than the other modes of transportation I list. I am curious as to why you think Velomobiles don't fit the available infrastructure if these other modes of transportation are already out there? Just because someone doesn't use what someone else does as a way of transportation, does that mean it shouldn't be on the road? I am speaking of rural & city roads, not interstates.
in my experience of riding a Velomobile most people are excited to see it as their are so few of them around. I think one of the things that keeps people away from them is that they just don't now about them. Then there are the people who can't phathom going anywhere under there own power. A Velomobile is very comfortable hot or cold and keeps you out of the elements.
I'm familiar with the country you're speaking of, the people you are speaking of are probably my cousins. And even the ones who are no longer Amish don't use velomobiles. It's not because they couldn't see the advantages. It's because the advantages don't balance the disadvantages, and they live in a world of gasoline and diesel where a bike is a convenience for short distances and for long distances you get in the car and turn on the heater / AC... or make the horses do the work. In this world the velomobile is a toy for retired engineers, just like a kit plane in a world of 747's. It cannot in any reasonable sense "keep up with traffic" which on those roads is going 50 or faster, and has hundreds of horsepower to accelerate and can turn at nearly 1g. It takes as much garage space as a car. For the price you can buy a used car and a lot of gasoline. If you are stuck cycling, you can buy a decent DF bicycle on minimum wage and it will last for years and years. The cheap bike is small, light, easy to use. If you can't fix it then a local bike shop can. And I'm 100% certain it's easier to pedal up a hill than a velomobile. Once you are going down the other side of the hill, who cares how aerodynamic it is? Normal people, not dedicated cyclists, will coast. If you're cold you own a coat for that.