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A plug for a technology that amplifies the reach of transit: the folding bicycle (e.g., Bromptons). You can't run trains to everybody's home or workplace, but

A plug for a technology that amplifies the reach of transit: the folding bicycle (e.g., Bromptons). You can't run trains to everybody's home or workplace, but you can run trains to within a couple of miles of the endpoints of the commutes of many persons. Can some of this large budget somehow be used to subsidize folding bikes?

phinnaeus 11y ago
Seattle has a problem with casual bike ridership: it's very hilly. There are a bunch of bike commuters, but they all already own their own bikes. There is also a bike share system which is failing horribly primarily for this and one other reason: the stations were spaced horribly around town and riders can not know with confidence that there will be a station near their destination to park. Also, 8-9 months of the year Seattle is pretty miserable to bike in without the proper gear -- even with the proper gear it's very far from what I would call "appealing."
- TulliusCicero 11y ago
  > There is also a bike share system which is failing horribly primarily for this The point of bike share is for casual cyclists or people who want to pair bike share with transit for the last mile (which is annoying to do with your own bike). It's a niche that's not really intended to compete with people owning their own bikes. > the stations were spaced horribly around town and riders can not know with confidence that there will be a station near their destination to park. Agreed. Apparently this is supposed to get better with the city taking over the program, because then they can pair the stations with transit stops better. > Also, 8-9 months of the year Seattle is pretty miserable to bike in without the proper gear -- even with the proper gear it's very far from what I would call "appealing." Seattle isn't really that rainy. It's actually less rainy than Munich, for example, and Munich has more than 4x the bike mode share as Seattle.
  - prodigal_erik 11y ago
    > Seattle [is] actually less rainy than Munich Seattle doesn't get heavy rain, it's just damp for weeks at a time. How do they compare in dry days per year rather than total amount?
  - btgeekboy 11y ago
    Correct, the sheer quantity of rain that falls is not as great as other cities. But this past week has been the first in a long time (dare I say months) that it's not been cloudy, damp, and 45F.
- CydeWeys 11y ago
  Seattle might be a good candidate for electric-assist bicycles. Those are more expensive, though, so you have to be sure they'll be used before buying them.
- pklausler 11y ago
  Portland has pretty much the same weather and is at least no less hilly than Seattle. But Portland seems to have a nicer system of bicycle trails and dedicated bike lanes.
TulliusCicero 11y ago
Folding bikes are already inexpensive. The main reason biking isn't more popular is that the infrastructure largely isn't there. Most bike infrastructure even in Seattle consists of sharrows or unprotected bike lanes. So building out better bike infrastructure would definitely help.
CydeWeys 11y ago
Cheap bike-sized rental lockers at transit stops might work too. I've seen those in the DC area. I'd much rather leave the bike at the station during the day than have to carry it with me into work and back.

phinnaeus 11y ago

Seattle has a problem with casual bike ridership: it's very hilly. There are a bunch of bike commuters, but they all already own their own bikes. There is also a bike share system which is failing horribly primarily for this and one other reason: the stations were spaced horribly around town and riders can not know with confidence that there will be a station near their destination to park. Also, 8-9 months of the year Seattle is pretty miserable to bike in without the proper gear -- even with the proper gear it's very far from what I would call "appealing."

TulliusCicero 11y ago
> There is also a bike share system which is failing horribly primarily for this The point of bike share is for casual cyclists or people who want to pair bike share with transit for the last mile (which is annoying to do with your own bike). It's a niche that's not really intended to compete with people owning their own bikes. > the stations were spaced horribly around town and riders can not know with confidence that there will be a station near their destination to park. Agreed. Apparently this is supposed to get better with the city taking over the program, because then they can pair the stations with transit stops better. > Also, 8-9 months of the year Seattle is pretty miserable to bike in without the proper gear -- even with the proper gear it's very far from what I would call "appealing." Seattle isn't really that rainy. It's actually less rainy than Munich, for example, and Munich has more than 4x the bike mode share as Seattle.
- prodigal_erik 11y ago
  > Seattle [is] actually less rainy than Munich Seattle doesn't get heavy rain, it's just damp for weeks at a time. How do they compare in dry days per year rather than total amount?
- btgeekboy 11y ago
  Correct, the sheer quantity of rain that falls is not as great as other cities. But this past week has been the first in a long time (dare I say months) that it's not been cloudy, damp, and 45F.
CydeWeys 11y ago
Seattle might be a good candidate for electric-assist bicycles. Those are more expensive, though, so you have to be sure they'll be used before buying them.
pklausler 11y ago
Portland has pretty much the same weather and is at least no less hilly than Seattle. But Portland seems to have a nicer system of bicycle trails and dedicated bike lanes.

TulliusCicero 11y ago

Folding bikes are already inexpensive. The main reason biking isn't more popular is that the infrastructure largely isn't there. Most bike infrastructure even in Seattle consists of sharrows or unprotected bike lanes. So building out better bike infrastructure would definitely help.

CydeWeys 11y ago

Cheap bike-sized rental lockers at transit stops might work too. I've seen those in the DC area. I'd much rather leave the bike at the station during the day than have to carry it with me into work and back.