5 ms·

This is happening all over the nation. Here in small Durham, NC, we've seen biking more than double over the last 6 years. Most of the increase is young creat

This is happening all over the nation. Here in small Durham, NC, we've seen biking more than double over the last 6 years. Most of the increase is young creative workers who've come for Durham's growing tech and advertising scene. It's also causing some growing pains -- we had three cyclists killed last year by cars.

ams6110 11y ago
I passed a car v. cyclist crash this morning on way to work. Cyclist had evidently been riding in the pedistrian crosswalk, against the flow of traffic. Couldn't tell if he had hit a car turning across the walkway, or the car had hit him. Looked like no injuries, though the bicycle was pretty mangled.
- thirsteh 11y ago
  That's something that annoys me about bikes in the US vs. Europe: People in Europe are generally taught to obey the same laws as everybody else, whereas US bicyclists, in NYC in particular, just completely wing it. When I first moved here I didn't understand why everybody hated on bicyclists; now, after nearly being hit by a bicycle slamming through a crowded crosswalk at least 10 times, I do. Yes, red lights apply to you too, bicyclists.
  - michael_h 11y ago
    When I bought my first "nice" bike a few years ago, the guy wheeled it out to me and said, "This is a vehicle, so ride it like a vehicle. Yes, even at stop signs." Then he warned me about Escalades.
  - cmurf 11y ago
    Yes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop In Denver, cars running red lights is a big problem, I see it multiple times per day, and it's terrible. Since becoming a bicyclist, I've completely reversed my position on photo red light (tickets). I still don't approve of photo radar, it's mainly a way for cities to make money. But running red lights needs to be stopped, no pun intended.
cowardlydragon 11y ago
I visited Houston for my mom's medical problems, and it shocked me how bike unfriendly the city was.... ... it was 80 degrees in February. ... I live in Minneapolis and this flaggergasted me. It's a year-round bike city completely wasting that opportunity.
- at-fates-hands 11y ago
  >> I live in Minneapolis and this flaggergasted me. Minneapolis has always ranked as one of the top bike friendly cities in the country. The ironic part is most lists also include Madison, WI and Chicago IL, both midwestern cities who have year round commuters. But I agree, I have no idea why so many southern states have so many anti-biking cities.
  - freehunter 11y ago
    Madison has many bike lanes that are separated from other vehicle traffic. That helps biker confidence by quite a bit. Of course, there are a also a lot of bike/bus only lanes, and the buses tend to be just as aggressive to bikers as other drivers are (and as buses are to other drivers).
  - panglott 11y ago
    I suspect that bike-friendliness correlates with transit-friendliness. Most cyclists are proponents of transit diversity and multi-modal transport. And conservative states are more hostile to funding transit because it requires government subsidies (vs. "investment" in parking and roads). There are plenty of small- to medium- conservative cities that don't even have any kind of bus service.

ams6110 11y ago

I passed a car v. cyclist crash this morning on way to work. Cyclist had evidently been riding in the pedistrian crosswalk, against the flow of traffic. Couldn't tell if he had hit a car turning across the walkway, or the car had hit him. Looked like no injuries, though the bicycle was pretty mangled.

thirsteh 11y ago
That's something that annoys me about bikes in the US vs. Europe: People in Europe are generally taught to obey the same laws as everybody else, whereas US bicyclists, in NYC in particular, just completely wing it. When I first moved here I didn't understand why everybody hated on bicyclists; now, after nearly being hit by a bicycle slamming through a crowded crosswalk at least 10 times, I do. Yes, red lights apply to you too, bicyclists.
- michael_h 11y ago
  When I bought my first "nice" bike a few years ago, the guy wheeled it out to me and said, "This is a vehicle, so ride it like a vehicle. Yes, even at stop signs." Then he warned me about Escalades.
- cmurf 11y ago
  Yes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop In Denver, cars running red lights is a big problem, I see it multiple times per day, and it's terrible. Since becoming a bicyclist, I've completely reversed my position on photo red light (tickets). I still don't approve of photo radar, it's mainly a way for cities to make money. But running red lights needs to be stopped, no pun intended.

cowardlydragon 11y ago

I visited Houston for my mom's medical problems, and it shocked me how bike unfriendly the city was.... ... it was 80 degrees in February. ... I live in Minneapolis and this flaggergasted me. It's a year-round bike city completely wasting that opportunity.

at-fates-hands 11y ago
>> I live in Minneapolis and this flaggergasted me. Minneapolis has always ranked as one of the top bike friendly cities in the country. The ironic part is most lists also include Madison, WI and Chicago IL, both midwestern cities who have year round commuters. But I agree, I have no idea why so many southern states have so many anti-biking cities.
- freehunter 11y ago
  Madison has many bike lanes that are separated from other vehicle traffic. That helps biker confidence by quite a bit. Of course, there are a also a lot of bike/bus only lanes, and the buses tend to be just as aggressive to bikers as other drivers are (and as buses are to other drivers).
- panglott 11y ago
  I suspect that bike-friendliness correlates with transit-friendliness. Most cyclists are proponents of transit diversity and multi-modal transport. And conservative states are more hostile to funding transit because it requires government subsidies (vs. "investment" in parking and roads). There are plenty of small- to medium- conservative cities that don't even have any kind of bus service.