skanking biker

[QUOTE=joejack951]One does not need recreational facilities to learn how to love riding. I didn't grow up around any bike paths. QUOTE]


I never said so. When I was a kid, there were no bike paths either. I was simply pointing out that fact that many cyclists develop their love of cycling because of the recreational opportunities allowed by bikeways. In turn, this results in more cycling advocates and more people utilizing the roadways, and hence, more people to put pressure on the politicians to design safe roadways. The more people that safely use the roadways, the more comfortable and accepting motorists will become.

In fact, I beleive one of the primary reasons motorists get so angry at cyclists is because (in addition to the perceived notion of "slowing them down") there is also the sesame street factor--one of these things does not belong here. If 99% of the time you drive you do not encounter cyclists, I think you are more likely to not know how to drive appropriately around them. There is a gut instinct that says--hey--that doesn't belong here. On the other hand, if you are used to cyclists being part of the traffic flow and know to watch for them, you will more than likely treat them with more respect and acceptance, simply because you are used to seeing them.

I know this is not "scientific evidence" but case in point. The City of Madison, Wisconsin has some of the best biking "facilities" I have seen in this part of the country, including bike lanes, bikeways and wider lanes on newer roads. Madison is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in which to live if you like to cycle. There are bikeshops almost on every corner downtown (ok-maybe an exaggeration but there are a lot) and many people commute to work on the roads, as well as on the bikepaths. In fact, the city is probably better at clearing the bikeways in winter than the roads--thus, some of the bikeways are, in fact, safer in the winter. I am not saying the city is some biking utopia and that there are no problems w/ vehicle/bicycle interaction, (like the wonderful bikelane/buslane in the middle of the street with parking on eithrer side) but it does provide a good contrast to other cities in which I have lived like Milwaukee or Greenbay.

While lately these cities have attempted to become more bike-friendly, there are few biking facilities in these cities and while you will see a few people commuting to work on the roadways, there are not a whole lot. Further, at least in Milw., the biking facilities I have seen are not maintained well and are not connected. Also the number of bike shops is limited in these places. In Madison, the bike facilities are integrated into the rest of the road system so that you can get to most anywhere in the city safely on a bike.

In short (i know, too late), I believe that well-designed roads integrated with well-designed biking facilities can create a "culture of cycling" in a city that can lead to greater cycling awareness, advocacy, and safer cycling.


I know I never would have even dreamed of cycling to work in traffic had I not first felt comfortable doing so on a bikeway.