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It's less about rural population and more about smaller metro populations. Places where there aren't bike lanes - where people on mopeds are really risking thei

It's less about rural population and more about smaller metro populations. Places where there aren't bike lanes - where people on mopeds are really risking their lives trying to go twelve miles. The rural population quote of 17% are legitimately rural counties where population density below a certain point exists. Most smaller metro counties have rural infrastructure supporting a higher population density and simply are not safe for bikes, and a large number of people who are classified as urban are the people making up the population in metro counties. The US Census classifies as rural and urban so it's really hard to know exactly what, but assuming that anyone living in an urban area who is physically capable of doing so could ride a bike is incorrect.

sleepybrett 4y ago
I spent ~six months of the pandemic in my family's mountain cabin, very rural. Nearest major grocery store about 20mi, closest convince store 5mi. I did most of the trips to both on an e-bike that I borrowed from a neighbor, which spurred me to buy my own when i returned to seattle. The two lane highway with it's shoulder painted bike lane that was the only way to traverse either trip was a bit sketchy and nerve wracking, especially on the weekends. The speed limit is 40mph, but when it's not ski season it's not ever that busy and so people speed on it constantly. But even given the longer 20mi trip I'd often look forward to it even though it was about an hour each way.
- frumper 4y ago
  That sounds like a fun route to pull a trailer with my 2 kids in to go grocery shopping. Add in that I wouldn't be able to load up as much and I'd probably need to make that trip more often. I'd rather drive and spend that time playing with my kids in the back yard.
  - dghlsakjg 4y ago
    Nobody is asking you to switch over to bicycles exclusively, they are just saying that it would be nice if there was better non car infrastructure. That way, there will be less traffic for people like you who choose to live in a way where a car is necessary, and more options for others who don’t want to travel in traffic with cars.
    - sleepybrett 4y ago
      Yeah, let me be clear, I had access to a car, i had to use one to get there and in case of emergency (not a lot of car share up on mount rainier). I just chose to see what an ebike would enable for me.

sleepybrett 4y ago

I spent ~six months of the pandemic in my family's mountain cabin, very rural. Nearest major grocery store about 20mi, closest convince store 5mi. I did most of the trips to both on an e-bike that I borrowed from a neighbor, which spurred me to buy my own when i returned to seattle. The two lane highway with it's shoulder painted bike lane that was the only way to traverse either trip was a bit sketchy and nerve wracking, especially on the weekends. The speed limit is 40mph, but when it's not ski season it's not ever that busy and so people speed on it constantly. But even given the longer 20mi trip I'd often look forward to it even though it was about an hour each way.

frumper 4y ago
That sounds like a fun route to pull a trailer with my 2 kids in to go grocery shopping. Add in that I wouldn't be able to load up as much and I'd probably need to make that trip more often. I'd rather drive and spend that time playing with my kids in the back yard.
- dghlsakjg 4y ago
  Nobody is asking you to switch over to bicycles exclusively, they are just saying that it would be nice if there was better non car infrastructure. That way, there will be less traffic for people like you who choose to live in a way where a car is necessary, and more options for others who don’t want to travel in traffic with cars.
  - sleepybrett 4y ago
    Yeah, let me be clear, I had access to a car, i had to use one to get there and in case of emergency (not a lot of car share up on mount rainier). I just chose to see what an ebike would enable for me.