Bike Share Alpharetta, designed to fail?
05-29-16, 07:31 AM
#26
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Fort Worth's bike sharing, and overall bicycling vibe, seems to be promoted successfully by a convergence of factors:
This stuff doesn't happen successfully without a concerted effort -- or at least a coincidental effort -- by many factions. In Fort Worth a lot of credit goes to the self-directed groups who sponsor public rides several times a month.
- * Bike rental stations at many public transportation stations around downtown and toward the popular cultural and touristy outskirts -- the museum district, Stockyards, Trinity Trails and popular parks, etc.
- * A geographically flat downtown (the outskirts are progressively hilly, although never mountainous).
- * A reasonably well planned downtown revitalization that's been going on gradually for 20 years. It attracts visitors and locals to rent bikes from the local bike share plan.
- * A current mayor who's a cycling enthusiast herself (Betsy Price), and participates in many cycling events year 'round.
- * Retirees who are active cyclists and promoters of cycling.
- * Younger adults riding their own cruisers and hipster bikes in the revitalized neighborhoods near downtown.
- * Active groups of mostly middle aged cycling enthusiasts leading and participating in weekly and more frequent group rides around the downtown and nearby areas in the evenings and at night.
- * A decent combination of bike lanes and sharrows, particularly in Fort Worth and adjacent Benbrook just to the SW of Fort Worth.
- * Fairly effective social media updates (could always be better, but it's not bad).
- * Signs to remind motor vehicle drivers to share the roads with cyclists. I've seen these as far west as Willow Park, a semi-rural area 20 miles west of downtown. Fort Worth is putting up even more bicycling signs.
- * Lots of supportive bike shops at all levels of the economy (although, alas, it appears Benbrook Bicycles is closing shop this week -- it's one of the more affordable shops that carried good used bikes).
- * Not least (or last, I've just run out of ideas), our local bicycle mounted law enforcement and private security folks. They help set a good model. And they accompany some group rides. When drivers see uniformed cyclists, it conveys an important message.
This stuff doesn't happen successfully without a concerted effort -- or at least a coincidental effort -- by many factions. In Fort Worth a lot of credit goes to the self-directed groups who sponsor public rides several times a month.
05-29-16, 04:24 PM
#27
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I lived in Irving Tx in the late 80's, 90's, mostly working in the Dallas area and just a little in Ft Worth. Bicycles weren't on my radar at the time but I have a faint recollection of hearing that Ft Worth or at least parts of it were favored by cyclists. I never learned exactly why that was so, other than people in general having a different style or attitude in Ft Worth. Not in such a crushing hurry on the roads.
Fort Worth has always been pretty laid back. That's why I prefer the Panther City epithet over the tired old Cowtown moniker. There are lots of cowtowns scattered throughout the midwest and west. But the Panther City nickname seems to fit better. It began as a snide remark by a Dallas newspaperman in the late 1800s when Fort Worth was in an economic slump -- referring to Fort Worth as being such a slow town that a panther was seen sleeping in the middle of Main Street. But Fort Worth soon adopted the nickname and many local businesses still use the Panther City name and sleeping panther logo.
