4 ms·

What about bikes?

by notatcomputer68 8y ago

What about bikes?

komali2 8y ago
We got trapped in Houston during Rita. Then we bought motorcycles and it never happened again.
dredmorbius 8y ago
Deals poorly with walls of fire and choking smoke. Or elderly, disabled, infants, children, pets, ...
- Filligree 8y ago
  No single solution works for everything. If most people get out on bicycles, then there's more space for the ones that have to use cars.
  - photojosh 8y ago
    You get the same objection to everyday bike commuting; what about those who can't? Well, they can stay in cars, but if even a small percentage of able-bodied adults got on a bike instead, then that's your problem solved.
  - dredmorbius 8y ago
    There are circumstances for which I'd suggest a bike is a reasonable mobility tool. Say, after a major earthquake, where immediate hazards are few, fuel supplies are limited, mobility options few, and when the ability to pick up the bike or wheel it through areas where the roadbed is badly damaged or littered with debris would be a strong plus for a bicycle. Having done quite a bit of cycling myself (multiple century and double-century rides -- miles, periods of 200-300+ mile weeks regulary, a 30+ mile round-trip commute, extensive tours), personal experience with much of the regions burnt by recent wildfires (I'd visited a friend in Chico fall of 2015, and drove out via the next highway north of Paradise, CA-32 to Lassen), with its mountainous terrain and very close-in forests (I was struck by how dry the region was three years ago, and was concerned at the time of what I'd do if a fire were to start), and been relatively close to smaller (though still multi-acre) wildfires, and watched footage of the Paradise evacuation, I would not want to rely on a bike to get me away from one under the circumstances prevailing for Paradise. The timeline of the fire, warnings, alerts, and evacuation were short. The fire was massive and intense. Flames were immediately adjacent to if not on the roadbed. One of the factors disabling vehicles were tires exploding from heat. And the primary road out (Skyway) is not a constant descent -- there are up-and-down sections. Cycling through that would simply be insane. Flat terrain, a constant descent, ample warning: possibly. Conditions of Paradise in November 2018: not a chance in the hell that it was.
dbcurtis 8y ago
Absolutely. I was involved in volunteer emergency response for one of my past employers. I learned that for earthquake prep we kept a container full of cheap bicycles in the parking lot.
pugworthy 8y ago
Riding bikes through choking smoke is not going to be very effective.
- Doxin 8y ago
  It'll be more effective than walking at the very least ;-)

What about bikes?

komali2 8y ago

We got trapped in Houston during Rita. Then we bought motorcycles and it never happened again.

dredmorbius 8y ago

Deals poorly with walls of fire and choking smoke. Or elderly, disabled, infants, children, pets, ...

Filligree 8y ago
No single solution works for everything. If most people get out on bicycles, then there's more space for the ones that have to use cars.
- photojosh 8y ago
  You get the same objection to everyday bike commuting; what about those who can't? Well, they can stay in cars, but if even a small percentage of able-bodied adults got on a bike instead, then that's your problem solved.
- dredmorbius 8y ago
  There are circumstances for which I'd suggest a bike is a reasonable mobility tool. Say, after a major earthquake, where immediate hazards are few, fuel supplies are limited, mobility options few, and when the ability to pick up the bike or wheel it through areas where the roadbed is badly damaged or littered with debris would be a strong plus for a bicycle. Having done quite a bit of cycling myself (multiple century and double-century rides -- miles, periods of 200-300+ mile weeks regulary, a 30+ mile round-trip commute, extensive tours), personal experience with much of the regions burnt by recent wildfires (I'd visited a friend in Chico fall of 2015, and drove out via the next highway north of Paradise, CA-32 to Lassen), with its mountainous terrain and very close-in forests (I was struck by how dry the region was three years ago, and was concerned at the time of what I'd do if a fire were to start), and been relatively close to smaller (though still multi-acre) wildfires, and watched footage of the Paradise evacuation, I would not want to rely on a bike to get me away from one under the circumstances prevailing for Paradise. The timeline of the fire, warnings, alerts, and evacuation were short. The fire was massive and intense. Flames were immediately adjacent to if not on the roadbed. One of the factors disabling vehicles were tires exploding from heat. And the primary road out (Skyway) is not a constant descent -- there are up-and-down sections. Cycling through that would simply be insane. Flat terrain, a constant descent, ample warning: possibly. Conditions of Paradise in November 2018: not a chance in the hell that it was.

dbcurtis 8y ago

Absolutely. I was involved in volunteer emergency response for one of my past employers. I learned that for earthquake prep we kept a container full of cheap bicycles in the parking lot.

pugworthy 8y ago

Riding bikes through choking smoke is not going to be very effective.

Doxin 8y ago
It'll be more effective than walking at the very least ;-)