1nterceptor

Read then full article:
https://www.commutebybike.com/2011/10...d-know-better/

My friend Michael related a conversation about transportation costs that he had recently with “Cheryl,” a social services professional who works with low income families. Michael assumed Cheryl had a good deal of insight into the challenges faced by people who struggle to make ends meet on minimum wage. He commented to her that given the employment and economic uncertainty that nearly everyone is facing, more transportation funding/planning/consideration should be devoted to public transit and bicycle infrastructure. To his surprise, Cheryl exclaimed, “bicycle what!?”

Michael said that Cheryl remained unconvinced and just looked at him like he was a kook. The conversation went nowhere. Cheryl, the social services caseworker who helps economically disadvantaged people find solutions to keep clothes on their backs, food on the table and roofs over their heads, does not know that low wage workers are often one broken down car away from being unemployed. How can it be that the person who should know better is utterly clueless? As a poorly paid social worker (and I was once a poorly paid social worker so I know of what I speak), did Cheryl never think “damn, a new alternator and a motor mount? Looks like it’s Ramen noodles and beans for the next few months.”

john4789

Nice post. An interesting side note: many lower income people suffer from poor diet due to a many cheap processed foods and a fast food routine. As a result they are at risk for health problems at a far greater rate than the general public. They cannot afford health care and costly injuries often bankrupt them.

These people need the health benefits of cycling like none other. If the reduced transit cost were not enough, the reduced risk of costly medical care should seal the deal.

fuji86

Many perpetuate poor health with their poor diets too. Makes me ill to see them with full carts of groceries in line and the choices that they are making. But what can you do, eat to live, not live to eat should rule the day. Let's not feel too sorry for many, they eat far more for free than most of us do because the food stamps that are given to them are wasted on cookies, twinkies & soda. In FL, Rick Scott wants the unemployed to take drug tests for their benefits, I think the morbidly obese need to sign on with a dietitian and fitness counselor as well. Some of these people really need to have some accountability & responsibility for their situation in life. If they never look for a job ever again, they should at least be getting off their fat butts and getting fit ? I know when I've been a victim of the economic situation, I've used that time to regain a certain balance in my life, even more than I have done with a work commitment. Not only do they need to retool their job skills, but revitalize and energize their lives with a healthier lifestyle. There's really no excuse not to, plenty of time all day long ?

Cyclaholic

I find that people that are smart enough to figure out the personal economic benefits of a bicycle over a car, then actually pursue that course of action, rarely need a social worker to help them with their personal finances.

unterhausen

on the contrary, I think a lot of people that seek help from social workers are only temporarily in need. It doesn't take much, turning 50 and losing a job is a real problem in the U.S. And those are the people that need creative solutions to their problems.

fuji86

It's definitely a case by case situation, the most recent situation I found myself in, others lost their jobs elsewhere, then brought in to take our jobs. Nothing worse than having to train somebody for your job, especially when it's bestowing job skills on them that they never developed. What sucks even more, knowing they are using Microsoft Windows & terminal services to shadow their employees over the network without a users permission to sabotage and/or steal knowledge to expedite the hostile takeover. How you can tell, next time your mouse cursor gets jittery and makes a stuttering move when you don't have it in your hand. That only happens when a sys admin or a managerial employee is shadowing you. I read a study not long ago, cited that 1 in 4 cases of sabotage are carried out by a manager.

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/292190

Digital_Cowboy

I really "loved" this line from that article:

<Quote>
“Who would use a bicycle to go grocery shopping? You can’t go grocery shopping on a bicycle. Nobody does that!”
</Quote>

Hmm, I do so all the time. I have a Yakima Big Tow Trailer, between that, my pannier bags and top bag I haven't meet the load of groceries that I can't haul. Plus I ride the 13.3 miles out to the VA. It's generally a nice ride. Although every now and then I do have to deal with the JAM, but thankfully not too often.

cranky velocist

Bicyclists are often very poor advocates for the working class - we don't demand reasonably priced hybrids or utility bikes, we demand newer and newer ways to shave off tenths of a pound at very high costs. Customer service at the local LBS can have a "pretty woman" customer experience more often than not, too. Used bikes are sold 'as is', i.e. not fully functional, and the cost of repairs is high. Bike clinics are a beautiful thing, but there are not enough of them and they usually are not targeted towards the working classes.

The people who use their bikes the most, are often the least equipped.

I worked in agriculture in a rich costal San Diego suburb for awhile. It was like I didn't exist to the industry, fellow bikers, or even the police in a town which usually looked out for cyclists on the road/bike paths.

The ability to bike was the difference between living very easily despite a small paycheck, and forking over ALL of my money to the kind of used car I later had in college. Literally, about 50% of my earnings would have gone to the car I had a couple years later.

I have a decent ride now, and I can throw on a nice jersey when I want to make a good impression at a LBS - my situation was both temporary, and self imposed. A post-high school wanderlust....

But the money needlessly thrown away on cars by people without much discretionary income is breath-taking. Its like a tax on an unemployment check or food stamps going straight to Detroit.

irwin7638

I'm not surprised that the social worker was shocked at your suggestion. We live in a totally car-centric society. People in the US see bicycles as toys. A comment was made on Copenhagen Chic recently that it is instructive to compare the Raliegh USA website to the Danish version. The USA site is filled with racing and sport gear while the Danish version focuses on commuter and utility equipment. Your social worker probably considers bikes an unnecessary luxury because that's the only version she sees-spandex hamsters on expensive crotch rockets.

Marc

degnaw

When I was in Erie, PA (a fading industrial town with a very large lower-class population), I only saw about one adult cyclist per week despite riding daily through a dense urban area.

Though if you walk into any bike shop, it's kinda understandable - the cheapest bikes are usually $350 or more, and most people on tight budgets aren't willing to spend that much for a vehicle of limited utility (as perceived by them, not me).

stonefree

himespau 

true. most lower income riders I see are migrant workers on broken down x-mart bso's. Somehow if bikes are going to be seen as a reasonable alternative to car travel they need to be seen not as toys for kids or expensive luxuries.

pedalhead

Good description of Erie. I called it a "post-industrial service economy". Lots of places to shop, no manufacturing anymore except small industry and GE, and their days are numbered. Plenty of poor people, and about the easiest town to roll on a bike - it is pretty flat. I used to ride everywhere when i lived there. The thing is, people there would not steal your bike if it was locked up, they would just destroy it by stomping on it.

Mithrandir

Indeed. I am well off compared to the majority of Americans. It's not that I make a ton of money... I don't. I just spend much less than I make.

I commute by choice, mainly for fitness, mostly for fun, partly for budget, and somewhat for morality (waste not want not, etc). It's almost painful to see how many friends and family members come up to me and subtly hint that if I'm having money issues that there's a number of avenues I can turn to for help, as if they cannot even comprehend why someone would bicycle commute unless they were having a major financial crisis. Please! It never even occurs to them that I'm better off physically, mentally, and financially for doing this.

... well maybe not mentally

genec

BINGO! Oddly enough "migrant workers" have few issues riding bikes in what may be their native country just south of the border... for some reason, bikes ARE accepted there as a normal means of transit.

I know when I was touring south of the border, I found I was treated totally different by local motorists than I was typically treated north of the border. In fact local motorists often gave me plenty of room on the road when I was south of the border, while those visiting from north of the border (had license plates from north of the border) often crowded me.

That "toy" attitude is an American issue.

Mithrandir

Same situation here in Buffalo. My office building of 4000 people only has 2-3 bikes (including mine) locked up outside on any given day. My commute is 19 miles one way and I'll be lucky to see one other person bicycle commuting on any given trip. People just don't commute here. Too sprawling I guess. Sure there's the whole "What about winter?" aspect, but even on some of the nicest days during summer, I still never see anyone.

chandltp

I still do ride everywhere living here. I've not had any negative experience with anyone messing with my bike while it was locked up though. Where did you have the problem?

Now getting drivers to understand I shouldn't be hugging the mirrors on a parked cars is another story.

If people perceived bikes to be a replacement for cars, $350 would seem like a bargain, even if you bought one every year instead of repairing it.

dougmc

Looks like that's a $300 trailer.

Really, if you're riding a bike because it's all you can afford, you probably will have a hard time affording a $300 trailer, or a $1000+ cargo bike. Many people are surviving on < $100 Walmart bikes.

Of course, there is a bright side to this ... the trailers that carry two children side by side are very common and easily found at garage sales and Goodwill and such for around $30 and they work very nicely for groceries. As an added bonus, if the cover is up and people can't see that there's not a child in there (or if there is a child in there) they won't give you 3' space when passing any more -- they'll give you 12' or more, just to be safe.

Digital_Cowboy

Agreed, it's not a cheap trailer by any stretch of the imagination, but it is strong and it is dependable. I also agree that the Burly and Burly like trailers are easily had at Goodwill, garage sales, and what have you. They can also be had at a pretty reasonable price at box stores.

I also have to agree with you about how much more space people give cyclists when they're pulling a trailer behind them. It'd just be nice if it didn't take towing something behind one to get respect on the road.

Chris516

This made me think of when I bought my bike in 2003. I convinced the bike shop to let me pay for it over three months since that was the only way I could pay for it. I gave them a record of every form of identification I had. So if they ever had become concerned, they would have an easy way to get a hold of me.

Chris516

How is the drag coefficient?

ModeratedUser150120149

Move this to Politics for that is exactly what this statement is, a political one. Not only political but inflammatory for those of us who work or have worked in this area.

genec

Really? Political? I did not see one mention of party or people relating to politics. And as a 50+ year old that lost my job a while back (for the first time), I can tell you it is a real problem.

(full disclosure, after drawing unemployment and working several temp gigs over a couple year period, I am now again fully employed)

Best thing about being unemployed... riding my bike when and where I wanted. Worst thing... feeling helpless and undesired.

cranky velocist

If you see a statement of fact as politically motivated, you might want to re-evaluate how you look at facts, and politics.

Digital_Cowboy

I don't tow it when I'm going out to the VA. Just when I go shopping and will have a load that is too large to fit in my pannier & top bags. But when I've used it for shopping I can still maintain a speed of 15+MPH.