7 ms·

This is only tangentially related to the article, but I'd like to say one of the reasons why bikes aren't more popular in many American cities is because the ro

This is only tangentially related to the article, but I'd like to say one of the reasons why bikes aren't more popular in many American cities is because the road systems give no thought to bikes at all. I vacationed to the bay area recently, where bikes seem comparatively more popular, and noted the difference in roads between there and where I live. It wasn't so much that the bay area was good for bikes, but just kept them in mind. When there wasn't a bike path, there was a paved shoulder. When there wasn't a paved shoulder, there were signs and markings to help bikes and cars share the road. Where I live, it approaches dangerous to bike on the road. When a road has a speed limit of 45 mph, turns, and no shoulder at all, it's difficult to bike. This is not in a rural area.

RyanMcGreal 13y ago
The evidence clearly indicates that bike ridership follows continuous bike infrastructure. When a city builds more and better bike lanes - especially protected cycle tracks and neighbourhood greenways - the rate of cycling shoots up.
- cobrausn 13y ago
  I'd imagine it also has a lot to do with climate. Where I live is too hot and humid to bike most months out of the year without having to take a shower when I get where I was going. Not really practical. EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston Keep in mind that I have a 15 mile ride to work, and no, moving is not an option.
  - evanb 13y ago
    That's true, but Minneapolis, at the opposite end of the climate spectrum, is one of the most bike-friendly places, and bicycle commuting remains strong through the winter.
    - cobrausn 13y ago
      I would rather bike in cold than subtropical heat, personally.
      - scarlson 13y ago
        Our summer heat indexes get up to 130F, people still bike here.
        ahlatimer 13y ago
        Heat indexes in Houston regularly get above 130F in the summer. Sometimes up into the 160s. Check out http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/downloads/heatindex_rh_f_20x12.pdf http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/downloads/heatindex_rh_... and keep in mind that Houston will be 90-100F in the summer with 60-90% humidity. That's not to say you can't bike for significant parts of the year, but there are definitely days where it wouldn't just be uncomfortable, it would be unsafe, to bike to work in Texas. Add to that that certain cities, like Austin, are also fairly hilly.
        scarlson 13y ago
        I get that there's likely going to be days where it's plain unsafe to bike. That shouldn't restrict you from ever biking though, as seems to be the excuse some people are using.
        Freestyler_3 13y ago
        but this one day, or one week, or maybe perhaps two weeks of not being able to bike means I should never ever touch a bike! Not to start about hills... but boy those hills sure are a challenge. Men are made to be going uphill in car, not on bike. I also live in a place where there are no downhills just uphills no matter where you go. -- Sorry! but I had the urge to use large amounts of sarcasm just to make a small point, there are people -not necessary lazy- that don't want to change their easy comfy ride into a bike ride.
  - rzt 13y ago
    Imagine if more workplaces had a small shower stall one could use after commuting in? Or a bike locker area with secure parking? I have the luxury of being not only 2.5 miles from my workplace (I ride in daily), but I can bring my carbon fiber race bike into my office and lean it against my desk. I am very lucky. I've gotten very good at doing a mild cleanup upon arrival at the office if I go for a longer training ride before work: a damp washcloth, reapplication of deodorant, and I'm usually good. I do shower and shave before leaving my house, though, so I am starting things off fresh.
  - dmm 13y ago
    With a higher level of fitness you sweat less. Cycling at lower speeds is easier than walking and and at higher speeds produces it's own wind. > Where I live is too hot and humid to bike most months out of the year That's such a defeatist statement, "too hot and humid to bike most months". I have a lot of faith in you. You could probably think of a way! It's not literally impossible! Maybe you could ride in the morning, before or just after sunrise. Maybe you could ride in a set of clothes, wipe yourself down in the bathroom, and then change into a fresh outfit to work in. You should try those things and three other strategies that you think of and then maybe I'll accept that statement "it's hard to bike during the summer".
    - scarlson 13y ago
      There's so much misinformation about cycling going on in this thread. There really needs to be better education regarding commuting via bike. "I sweat too much" = you're likely out of shape. "The weather is too inclimate" = wear appropriate clothing. "I live too far away" = 15 miles in an hour is very reasonable. Minnesota has heat indexes in the summer similar to the Middle East, in the winter we can get windchills <= -20F, yet Minneapolis is one of the best cities for cycling in the United States.
      - sejje 13y ago
        I'm not out of shape, and I sweat "too much," as in by the time I finished an hour of bike-riding in sunny FL, there would be no part of my clothing that was not wet. (I'm not exaggerating, and I have spent a lot of time on my bike in FL). This has been true for my entire life, including as a teenage boy who spent an average of maybe six hours per day playing basketball...certainly in shape. I read once that some percentage of people naturally sweat excessively compared to others. I feel very certain I'm in that percentage. What is appropriate clothing for my example? I'd guess most appropriate would be naked, though I'd still be drenched. There is no clothing that can fix this. I love riding bikes, but it has never been a feasible solution for my transportation to work, given that I don't want to arrive looking and feeling disgusting, drenched in sweat. I could handle your cold, though. Perhaps you've never experienced extreme humidity coupled with high-90s.
  - Theodores 13y ago
    I don't buy that at all. I think you are making excuses. Life was feasible before air conditioned automobiles. If you shower before you ride then you have twelve hours or so head start on bacteria - it takes them that long to multiply, excrete and cause a stink. So even if you are glistening with sweat at work then you can change your clothes, wash your hands and face, sit at desk, work, no smell needed. If you do stink then maybe it is because you lack fitness and basic hygiene, which is nothing to do with there not being a shower at work. When was the last time anyone washed a seat in a car? Never! A car seat is one of the most disgusting places to sit. Would you not change the sheets on your bed for years? No. Yet sit in the same seat in a car, year after year, with a greenhouse around it, sucking in carbon monoxide from the tailpipe in front - no idea why people think that is hygienic. You need to get practical!
    - cobrausn 13y ago
      Hah, right. I'll gloss over the number of assumptions about me that you make and we'll just address the real crux of the issue. Biking 15 miles to work is not practical in 100+ degree weather with humidity averaging between 60 and 90 percent. Moving to be within biking distance of work is not practical when jobs change every few years and there are two of us living in the house which is fairly central to both workplaces. And I wash the interior of my car yearly - your phobia about 'dirty car seats' is fairly silly.
      - baddox 13y ago
        Not only is that not practical, it's not safe or healthy. People die of heat exhaustion sitting in their houses when air conditioners fail or power goes out.
      - reycharles 13y ago
        I'm curious. Isn't the breeze you get when biking enough to cool you down? I live in Denmark and we don't often have that kind of weather, but the breeze that you get when riding your bicycle can be really nice in the summer.
        13y ago
  - RyanMcGreal 13y ago
    That's a common cop-out. It's too hot, it's too cold, it's too windy, it's too hilly, etc., ad nauseam. The evidence tells a different story: where high quality, continuous bike infrastructure exists, you have a high rate of cycling regardless of climate, geography, demographics or whatever.
- kevinpet 13y ago
  As you said "continuous" is important. I'm looking at you, Palo Alto, with your protected bike lane that goes one block and ends at an intersection with two one-way streets.
  - RyanMcGreal 13y ago
    You're right - I use the word "continuous" advisedly. No one would drive on a road that didn't connect to other roads.
- yetanotherphd 13y ago
  Is this something you have concluded on your own from the evidence, or is there some article you can cite that summarizes the evidence for this?
euphemize 13y ago
Definitively. Urban planning in N-A cities is focused on how to have cars circulate/park as efficiently as possible, unlike most European cities. Car lanes are large, sidewalks and bike lanes are slim. Lights instead of roundabouts, parking garages instead of bike racks.
ronnier 13y ago
Another reason, if you live in a city like where I grew up (Port Arthur, Tx), you had better be ready to be viciously attacked if you are out on a bike (or even out walking).
- rthomas6 13y ago
  By animals or by people?
  - ronnier 13y ago
    People.
    - rthomas6 13y ago
      I am confused by this. Are you talking about being attacked as in being mugged or something? As in biking/walking being unsafe because of crime? Or do people in your hometown attack bikers and pedestrians because they're biking/walking? If it's the second one I'd be interested to hear more about it because that's fascinating.
      - ronnier 13y ago
        Pure random attacks, completely unprovoked, to take your bike. Me being a white didn't help either as usually such events included a lot of racial hate towards whites.
- philwelch 13y ago
  I think that might be part of what happened to Trayvon Martin. Walking to the corner store rather than driving was probably what seemed "suspicious".
- Theodores 13y ago
  Someone is risk averse! On a bicycle you have the Highway Code (or equivalent) on your side, you are also able to go into pedestrian mode if need be. Therefore you do not have to stop for anyone or anything if you do not want to. There are softer targets than cyclists and softer cyclists than you. So long as you have your wits about you then there is no need to be apprehended when on a bicycle. You can even change your route to avoid having to stop, e.g. at a junction. You can also change your pace without arousing suspicion. There is no need to use a 'car park' or other area targeted by thieves. With an unassuming but well locked bicycle you need not have your ride be a cause of concern, even if locked up in an area you do not know well. In some cities parking is so expensive that the loss of a bicycle seat or wheel is 'affordable' risk. By sticking to the tin box you are part of the problem and not the solution. Cities need regular citizens walking about in them to feel safe.
DavidBradbury 13y ago
I live in an area that is incredibly bike friendly, but many people don't bike. Most of them either have far too long to commute or it simply isn't realistic given the weather. In the summer you see a bit more, but (at least for me), it is far more realistic to bring my bike to work hooked up to my car, and use that to get around from there.
- dmm 13y ago
  Most adults could easily bike through cold, snowy, or wet weather with some simple equipment(fenders) and the right clothes, unless it's in a literal blizzard. Maybe you should harden up and accept that life comes with the occasional slight discomfort.
  - DanBC 13y ago
    > Maybe you should harden up and accept that life comes with the occasional slight discomfort. Harsh! Perhaps start-ups need to offer showers and changing rooms and safe bike storage, instead of ping-pong tables and air hockey?
    - dmm 13y ago
      Showers would be nice. Though if you take a hot shower beforehand it sharply reduces the bacteria that cause most odours for at least 10hrs. A quick wipe down when you get to the office is then usually sufficient. If it's really hot you could take a change of clothes and change in the toilet stall. As for safe storage of your bike, just take it into the office and lean it against your desk. Don't ask permission.
atsaloli 13y ago
I don't bike in Los Angeles because I have a family to provide for and I don't think it is safe at all. I do live close to work and I walk to work, because I like to keep a small footprint from both an economic (my expenditures) and environmental perspective; but my work is moving for the 2nd time in 8 years and it is not convenient to move house to follow it. I do wish I could bike to work but I just don't feel safe. If there was a bike lane all the way to work, I'd feel safe enough to bike it.
- rzt 13y ago
  Biking is a safe activity –– very safe in fact. Good route selection is a big part of making it part of one's lifestyle. Sometimes it's nice to have some strength in numbers; can you commute in with a coworker?
  - josefresco 13y ago
    "In 2011, an estimated 48,000 pedalcyclists were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Sixteen percent (or an estimated 8,000) of the pedalcyclists who were injured were age 14 and younger." 677 bicycle deaths vs 230 deaths for those walking. Interestingly many more pedestrians were injured than pedalcyclists injured in that same time period. source: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811767.pdf http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811767.pdf
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - atsaloli 13y ago
    If I was willing to risk biking to work, going with a buddy would be nicer. I just don't like the risk of body versus car. If there were dedicated bike lanes going to work, I'd be in them. As it is, I walk or take my car.
  - sejje 13y ago
    It's not as safe as driving. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromort http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromort
  - 13y ago
Shivetya 13y ago
well the land used has something to do with it. They used special road funds around here to resurface and fix roadways. One of the requirements were to install bike paths. Small problem, the hills are many, varied, and of enough incline and length, to make them a challenge even to seasoned riders. So its rare to see them there. If anything I am more bound to find them on the 45mph roads as those tend to be flatter. Some of them do have bike lanes. Now we have change the purpose of some parks to be more family friendly and bike friendly, these are normally connected to purpose built bike and walking trails; the Silver Comet is one. So I think geography does influence it a bit. Even if I were within a few miles of where I needed to go the land just isn't all that much fun to zip about, unless on a motorcycle then those curves and hills are most fun.
- rthomas6 13y ago
  I agree with your point about the hills, except the bay area in California is also like that. Even San Francisco itself has incredibly steep hills and still has a lot of bikes. By the way, how did you know where I live?
mildavw 13y ago
I live, and bike commute year round, in a bike-friendly city (Portland, OR). I don't attribute my pleasant ride to bike infrastructure but rather to the work the city did in the late 60's to fight urban sprawl with a thing called the "urban growth boundary." It stopped farmland around the city from being turned into subdivisions which forced people to fill in and maintain the older neighborhoods close to downtown. My 5 mile commute to downtown is through quiet, nice neighborhood streets, no special bike infrastructure needed. Note that Portland is investing in bike infrastructure now, and it makes certain crossings easier, but I think the bikers came first, not the infrastructure.
buckbova 13y ago
I live five miles from work. There are bike lanes the whole way with no freeways inbetween. I drive. I didn't move close to my job to spend 30+ minutes a day commuting. I don't want to show up sweaty to the office. I can run errands or meet someone for lunch. After work I wouldn't need to go home to get my car if I, on a whim, wanted to go across town for whatever reason. Bay area is popular for biking because they make it difficult to park. Where I live they make it easy with large free parking lots. I'm in a large coastal city.
- joshmlewis 13y ago
  I agree! I sweat really easily and so biking to work would almost definitely make me sweat and look distressed before I even started the day. It is good to get some exercise I suppose, but I have a membership at the local Y and drive there.
  - radley 13y ago
    Sign up for a local gym and use their shower.
    - pablasso 13y ago
      So you have to from the gym to the office and sweat after the shower anyway?

RyanMcGreal 13y ago

The evidence clearly indicates that bike ridership follows continuous bike infrastructure. When a city builds more and better bike lanes - especially protected cycle tracks and neighbourhood greenways - the rate of cycling shoots up.

cobrausn 13y ago
I'd imagine it also has a lot to do with climate. Where I live is too hot and humid to bike most months out of the year without having to take a shower when I get where I was going. Not really practical. EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston Keep in mind that I have a 15 mile ride to work, and no, moving is not an option.
- evanb 13y ago
  That's true, but Minneapolis, at the opposite end of the climate spectrum, is one of the most bike-friendly places, and bicycle commuting remains strong through the winter.
  - cobrausn 13y ago
    I would rather bike in cold than subtropical heat, personally.
    - scarlson 13y ago
      Our summer heat indexes get up to 130F, people still bike here.
      - ahlatimer 13y ago
        Heat indexes in Houston regularly get above 130F in the summer. Sometimes up into the 160s. Check out http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/downloads/heatindex_rh_f_20x12.pdf http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/downloads/heatindex_rh_... and keep in mind that Houston will be 90-100F in the summer with 60-90% humidity. That's not to say you can't bike for significant parts of the year, but there are definitely days where it wouldn't just be uncomfortable, it would be unsafe, to bike to work in Texas. Add to that that certain cities, like Austin, are also fairly hilly.
        scarlson 13y ago
        I get that there's likely going to be days where it's plain unsafe to bike. That shouldn't restrict you from ever biking though, as seems to be the excuse some people are using.
        Freestyler_3 13y ago
        but this one day, or one week, or maybe perhaps two weeks of not being able to bike means I should never ever touch a bike! Not to start about hills... but boy those hills sure are a challenge. Men are made to be going uphill in car, not on bike. I also live in a place where there are no downhills just uphills no matter where you go. -- Sorry! but I had the urge to use large amounts of sarcasm just to make a small point, there are people -not necessary lazy- that don't want to change their easy comfy ride into a bike ride.
- rzt 13y ago
  Imagine if more workplaces had a small shower stall one could use after commuting in? Or a bike locker area with secure parking? I have the luxury of being not only 2.5 miles from my workplace (I ride in daily), but I can bring my carbon fiber race bike into my office and lean it against my desk. I am very lucky. I've gotten very good at doing a mild cleanup upon arrival at the office if I go for a longer training ride before work: a damp washcloth, reapplication of deodorant, and I'm usually good. I do shower and shave before leaving my house, though, so I am starting things off fresh.
- dmm 13y ago
  With a higher level of fitness you sweat less. Cycling at lower speeds is easier than walking and and at higher speeds produces it's own wind. > Where I live is too hot and humid to bike most months out of the year That's such a defeatist statement, "too hot and humid to bike most months". I have a lot of faith in you. You could probably think of a way! It's not literally impossible! Maybe you could ride in the morning, before or just after sunrise. Maybe you could ride in a set of clothes, wipe yourself down in the bathroom, and then change into a fresh outfit to work in. You should try those things and three other strategies that you think of and then maybe I'll accept that statement "it's hard to bike during the summer".
  - scarlson 13y ago
    There's so much misinformation about cycling going on in this thread. There really needs to be better education regarding commuting via bike. "I sweat too much" = you're likely out of shape. "The weather is too inclimate" = wear appropriate clothing. "I live too far away" = 15 miles in an hour is very reasonable. Minnesota has heat indexes in the summer similar to the Middle East, in the winter we can get windchills <= -20F, yet Minneapolis is one of the best cities for cycling in the United States.
    - sejje 13y ago
      I'm not out of shape, and I sweat "too much," as in by the time I finished an hour of bike-riding in sunny FL, there would be no part of my clothing that was not wet. (I'm not exaggerating, and I have spent a lot of time on my bike in FL). This has been true for my entire life, including as a teenage boy who spent an average of maybe six hours per day playing basketball...certainly in shape. I read once that some percentage of people naturally sweat excessively compared to others. I feel very certain I'm in that percentage. What is appropriate clothing for my example? I'd guess most appropriate would be naked, though I'd still be drenched. There is no clothing that can fix this. I love riding bikes, but it has never been a feasible solution for my transportation to work, given that I don't want to arrive looking and feeling disgusting, drenched in sweat. I could handle your cold, though. Perhaps you've never experienced extreme humidity coupled with high-90s.
- Theodores 13y ago
  I don't buy that at all. I think you are making excuses. Life was feasible before air conditioned automobiles. If you shower before you ride then you have twelve hours or so head start on bacteria - it takes them that long to multiply, excrete and cause a stink. So even if you are glistening with sweat at work then you can change your clothes, wash your hands and face, sit at desk, work, no smell needed. If you do stink then maybe it is because you lack fitness and basic hygiene, which is nothing to do with there not being a shower at work. When was the last time anyone washed a seat in a car? Never! A car seat is one of the most disgusting places to sit. Would you not change the sheets on your bed for years? No. Yet sit in the same seat in a car, year after year, with a greenhouse around it, sucking in carbon monoxide from the tailpipe in front - no idea why people think that is hygienic. You need to get practical!
  - cobrausn 13y ago
    Hah, right. I'll gloss over the number of assumptions about me that you make and we'll just address the real crux of the issue. Biking 15 miles to work is not practical in 100+ degree weather with humidity averaging between 60 and 90 percent. Moving to be within biking distance of work is not practical when jobs change every few years and there are two of us living in the house which is fairly central to both workplaces. And I wash the interior of my car yearly - your phobia about 'dirty car seats' is fairly silly.
    - baddox 13y ago
      Not only is that not practical, it's not safe or healthy. People die of heat exhaustion sitting in their houses when air conditioners fail or power goes out.
    - reycharles 13y ago
      I'm curious. Isn't the breeze you get when biking enough to cool you down? I live in Denmark and we don't often have that kind of weather, but the breeze that you get when riding your bicycle can be really nice in the summer.
      - 13y ago
- RyanMcGreal 13y ago
  That's a common cop-out. It's too hot, it's too cold, it's too windy, it's too hilly, etc., ad nauseam. The evidence tells a different story: where high quality, continuous bike infrastructure exists, you have a high rate of cycling regardless of climate, geography, demographics or whatever.
kevinpet 13y ago
As you said "continuous" is important. I'm looking at you, Palo Alto, with your protected bike lane that goes one block and ends at an intersection with two one-way streets.
- RyanMcGreal 13y ago
  You're right - I use the word "continuous" advisedly. No one would drive on a road that didn't connect to other roads.
yetanotherphd 13y ago
Is this something you have concluded on your own from the evidence, or is there some article you can cite that summarizes the evidence for this?

euphemize 13y ago

Definitively. Urban planning in N-A cities is focused on how to have cars circulate/park as efficiently as possible, unlike most European cities. Car lanes are large, sidewalks and bike lanes are slim. Lights instead of roundabouts, parking garages instead of bike racks.

ronnier 13y ago

Another reason, if you live in a city like where I grew up (Port Arthur, Tx), you had better be ready to be viciously attacked if you are out on a bike (or even out walking).

rthomas6 13y ago
By animals or by people?
- ronnier 13y ago
  People.
  - rthomas6 13y ago
    I am confused by this. Are you talking about being attacked as in being mugged or something? As in biking/walking being unsafe because of crime? Or do people in your hometown attack bikers and pedestrians because they're biking/walking? If it's the second one I'd be interested to hear more about it because that's fascinating.
    - ronnier 13y ago
      Pure random attacks, completely unprovoked, to take your bike. Me being a white didn't help either as usually such events included a lot of racial hate towards whites.
philwelch 13y ago
I think that might be part of what happened to Trayvon Martin. Walking to the corner store rather than driving was probably what seemed "suspicious".
Theodores 13y ago
Someone is risk averse! On a bicycle you have the Highway Code (or equivalent) on your side, you are also able to go into pedestrian mode if need be. Therefore you do not have to stop for anyone or anything if you do not want to. There are softer targets than cyclists and softer cyclists than you. So long as you have your wits about you then there is no need to be apprehended when on a bicycle. You can even change your route to avoid having to stop, e.g. at a junction. You can also change your pace without arousing suspicion. There is no need to use a 'car park' or other area targeted by thieves. With an unassuming but well locked bicycle you need not have your ride be a cause of concern, even if locked up in an area you do not know well. In some cities parking is so expensive that the loss of a bicycle seat or wheel is 'affordable' risk. By sticking to the tin box you are part of the problem and not the solution. Cities need regular citizens walking about in them to feel safe.

DavidBradbury 13y ago

I live in an area that is incredibly bike friendly, but many people don't bike. Most of them either have far too long to commute or it simply isn't realistic given the weather. In the summer you see a bit more, but (at least for me), it is far more realistic to bring my bike to work hooked up to my car, and use that to get around from there.

dmm 13y ago
Most adults could easily bike through cold, snowy, or wet weather with some simple equipment(fenders) and the right clothes, unless it's in a literal blizzard. Maybe you should harden up and accept that life comes with the occasional slight discomfort.
- DanBC 13y ago
  > Maybe you should harden up and accept that life comes with the occasional slight discomfort. Harsh! Perhaps start-ups need to offer showers and changing rooms and safe bike storage, instead of ping-pong tables and air hockey?
  - dmm 13y ago
    Showers would be nice. Though if you take a hot shower beforehand it sharply reduces the bacteria that cause most odours for at least 10hrs. A quick wipe down when you get to the office is then usually sufficient. If it's really hot you could take a change of clothes and change in the toilet stall. As for safe storage of your bike, just take it into the office and lean it against your desk. Don't ask permission.

atsaloli 13y ago

I don't bike in Los Angeles because I have a family to provide for and I don't think it is safe at all. I do live close to work and I walk to work, because I like to keep a small footprint from both an economic (my expenditures) and environmental perspective; but my work is moving for the 2nd time in 8 years and it is not convenient to move house to follow it. I do wish I could bike to work but I just don't feel safe. If there was a bike lane all the way to work, I'd feel safe enough to bike it.

rzt 13y ago
Biking is a safe activity –– very safe in fact. Good route selection is a big part of making it part of one's lifestyle. Sometimes it's nice to have some strength in numbers; can you commute in with a coworker?
- josefresco 13y ago
  "In 2011, an estimated 48,000 pedalcyclists were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Sixteen percent (or an estimated 8,000) of the pedalcyclists who were injured were age 14 and younger." 677 bicycle deaths vs 230 deaths for those walking. Interestingly many more pedestrians were injured than pedalcyclists injured in that same time period. source: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811767.pdf http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811767.pdf
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- atsaloli 13y ago
  If I was willing to risk biking to work, going with a buddy would be nicer. I just don't like the risk of body versus car. If there were dedicated bike lanes going to work, I'd be in them. As it is, I walk or take my car.
- sejje 13y ago
  It's not as safe as driving. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromort http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromort
- 13y ago

Shivetya 13y ago

well the land used has something to do with it. They used special road funds around here to resurface and fix roadways. One of the requirements were to install bike paths. Small problem, the hills are many, varied, and of enough incline and length, to make them a challenge even to seasoned riders. So its rare to see them there. If anything I am more bound to find them on the 45mph roads as those tend to be flatter. Some of them do have bike lanes. Now we have change the purpose of some parks to be more family friendly and bike friendly, these are normally connected to purpose built bike and walking trails; the Silver Comet is one. So I think geography does influence it a bit. Even if I were within a few miles of where I needed to go the land just isn't all that much fun to zip about, unless on a motorcycle then those curves and hills are most fun.

rthomas6 13y ago
I agree with your point about the hills, except the bay area in California is also like that. Even San Francisco itself has incredibly steep hills and still has a lot of bikes. By the way, how did you know where I live?

mildavw 13y ago

I live, and bike commute year round, in a bike-friendly city (Portland, OR). I don't attribute my pleasant ride to bike infrastructure but rather to the work the city did in the late 60's to fight urban sprawl with a thing called the "urban growth boundary." It stopped farmland around the city from being turned into subdivisions which forced people to fill in and maintain the older neighborhoods close to downtown. My 5 mile commute to downtown is through quiet, nice neighborhood streets, no special bike infrastructure needed. Note that Portland is investing in bike infrastructure now, and it makes certain crossings easier, but I think the bikers came first, not the infrastructure.

buckbova 13y ago

I live five miles from work. There are bike lanes the whole way with no freeways inbetween. I drive. I didn't move close to my job to spend 30+ minutes a day commuting. I don't want to show up sweaty to the office. I can run errands or meet someone for lunch. After work I wouldn't need to go home to get my car if I, on a whim, wanted to go across town for whatever reason. Bay area is popular for biking because they make it difficult to park. Where I live they make it easy with large free parking lots. I'm in a large coastal city.

joshmlewis 13y ago
I agree! I sweat really easily and so biking to work would almost definitely make me sweat and look distressed before I even started the day. It is good to get some exercise I suppose, but I have a membership at the local Y and drive there.
- radley 13y ago
  Sign up for a local gym and use their shower.
  - pablasso 13y ago
    So you have to from the gym to the office and sweat after the shower anyway?