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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of
cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? It's healthy for you as well as for your pocket and for the environment. And it can be combined with public transportation for greater flexibility. Well, Paris is just making that possible, but France is the site of the Tour de France. That surely is behind that overdue decision. But hey, we do have a champion or two to show. And we even have some politicians who are into bicycling and not SUVing. Reality check, it ain't happening here in your lifetime. Too many vested interests. That would take a revolution, but that's another subject... "Official Washington likes to think that it is bicycle-friendly. But we often hear a different story, involving dodging bricks, menacing drivers, annoying registrations, and brazen theives. For all but the most hardcore cyclists among us, the thought of negotiating D.C.'s streets on two wheels is harrowing, which is a shame. Washington is blessed with compact development, historic neighborhoods, and beautiful scenery which may be a bit spread out to enjoy on foot, but is easily covered by bike. Many who would love to tour the miles between Arlington Cemetary and the Capitol and beyond on two wheels are relegated to tour busses and Metro, which both limits their mobility and annoys the hell out of commuters. So, in the spirit of the upcoming Bike to Work Day on May 18, we pass on a solution from across the pond: municipal bikes. In Paris, city officials have long wrestled with similar issues: Thousands of sightseers filling the roads with cars (and the air with exhaust) while attempting to visit its many historic sites. In response, the Parisian goverment is launching an effort this summer to provide cheap rental bikes. Lots of them. From WaPo: On July 15, the day after Bastille Day, Parisians will wake up to discover thousands of low-cost rental bikes at hundreds of high-tech bicycle stations scattered throughout the city, an ambitious program to cut traffic, reduce pollution, improve parking and enhance the city's image as a greener, quieter, more relaxed place. By the end of the year, organizers and city officials say, there should be 20,600 bikes at 1,450 stations -- or about one station every 250 yards across the entire city. Based on experience elsewhere -- particularly in Lyon, France's third-largest city, which launched a similar system two years ago -- regular users of the bikes will ride them almost for free. At first, we cringe at the thought of hundreds of street-clogging lost tourists and a cottage industry of bike thefts. With more examination, though, there's a lot to like. Providing bikes in those numbers creates a critical mass that changes the way the city deals with them -- pushing DDOT to crate a more continuous and extensive bike network in the city. Streets and paths appropriate for bikers would get even more so, which pulls bicycles off of streets that aren't, lessening the dangerous competition with autos. In Denmark, Copenhagen's City Bikes program has been established for years, resulting in huge shifts in transportation, pollution, and the city's image. As for theft, both Copenhagen and Helsinki's bicycle programs have actually reduced it. The free bike use provided by the program both eliminates the need for theft and removes a considerable market for resale. Now that we've got a triathlete Mayor, isn't it time to get Washington some bikes?" http://www.dcist.com/2007/05/02/what_were_missi.php WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE http://webspawner.com/users/donquijote THE BANANA REVOLUTION http://webspawner.com/users/donquijote40 BIKE FOR PEACE http://webspawner.com/users/bikeforpeace |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
"donquijote1954" wrote in message oups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
On Wed, 16 May 2007 19:08:13 GMT, "George Conklin"
wrote: "donquijote1954" wrote in message roups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. And for the obverse: come visit cities of the like of Vancouver BC, Seattle WA, and Portland OR in the fall, winter, and spring. Why the Bloody Hell would anyone ride a bicycle, and risk getting drowned in any month from October to April? The Bicycle Lobby lives in a Dream World. |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
One of the obstacles with regard to using a bicycle in my town is
that the local shopping centers forbid them. When I asked one of the shopping center's management for the reason they're ban bicycles from their property, they told me that their insurance requires it. On May 16, 11:16 am, donquijote1954 wrote: Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? It's healthy for you as well as for your pocket and for the environment. And it can be combined with public transportation for greater flexibility. |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
In rec.bicycles.misc Nobody wrote:
On Wed, 16 May 2007 19:08:13 GMT, "George Conklin" wrote: "donquijote1954" wrote in message groups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. And for the obverse: come visit cities of the like of Vancouver BC, Seattle WA, and Portland OR in the fall, winter, and spring. Oh, you mean like where I commute by bike year round? And where I see people also commuting year round by bike? If you live in Seattle, you don't let little things like rain stop you from doing things. Why the Bloody Hell would anyone ride a bicycle, and risk getting drowned in any month from October to April? -- copied from a previous post of mine -- My reasons look more like this: 1. Enjoyment 2. Exercise as part of everyday life [1] 3. Money saving - I save a shedload of money by not having a second car. 4. Ease of parking [3] 5. I enjoy working on my bikes - I'm mechanically inclined 6. The social aspect - I see and talk to people on my bike I would never get a chance to see in a car.[4] 7. It is often faster. In many cases [5] I get home faster from work than the people driving.[6] 8. Pastry - I eat pastry instead of filling my car with gasoline. 9. Engineering reasons [7] 10. I don't like driving. [8] 11. Greeny-weeny reasons. 12. By riding my bike I build up self-righteousness points that i can spend on making my friends feel bad about themselves for driving. [9] The Bicycle Lobby lives in a Dream World. I would say in a better world, but you're allowed your opinion. And god, can't you people stop replying to DQ's trolls? Killfile the idiot already. [1] I used to weigh 280 lbs, I weigh about 200 now. My father and brother are both type II diabetics. [2] [2] Additionally I'm a computer programmer, so my everyday job is very sedentary. [3] No joke this. You try and fight for parking at my favorite Asian grocer with the little old Chinese ladies. F$#% that noise. I roll up and park right at the front of the store. Parking at Pike Place market is a dream on the bicycle. [4] Footnote elided [5] Baseball games, snow, heavy rains, wind storms. This last winter many of my coworkers were trapped for many hours on roads completely jammed with traffic caused by downed trees and powerlines. One poor guy spent most of the night in his car. I rolled up to the downed sections picked up my bike, walked around, and was home about 15 minutes later than usual. [6] The best case - where the highway was completely empty - it used to take me 25 minutes to get to work. It takes 40 minutes by bike. 30 minutes extra a day. In return I get 80 minuts of quality exercise I enjoy. And of course on the many days where traffic was not so good it could take much much longer in the car. [7] Using a 3000 lb car to move a single 200 lb person from point to point is just an inefficient solution. It's always grated at my engineering sensibilities. Not to mention the huge amount of infrastructure needed. [8] I'm far too concious of just how much damage you can do with a car to yourself of other people. Driving is fine at 2am when I'm the only idiot on the road, but how often does that happen? [9] That's a joke people. God, don't you people have any sense of humour at all? -- Dane Buson - Everybody is somebody else's weirdo. -- Dykstra |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
On 16 May 2007 17:56:11 -0700, in misc.transport.urban-transit
drydem wrote in .com: One of the obstacles with regard to using a bicycle in my town is that the local shopping centers forbid them. When I asked one of the shopping center's management for the reason they're ban bicycles from their property, they told me that their insurance requires it. Ask them for the evidence. Tell them you want to see the insurance policy that says that. If the policy actually says that, then start screaming to your state's insurance commissioner's office. There is no reason to allow such a limitation -- still my guess is that he made it up to deflect responsibility. On May 16, 11:16 am, donquijote1954 wrote: Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? It's healthy for you as well as for your pocket and for the environment. And it can be combined with public transportation for greater flexibility. |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
In article ,
Nobody writes: On Wed, 16 May 2007 19:08:13 GMT, "George Conklin" wrote: "donquijote1954" wrote in message groups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. And for the obverse: come visit cities of the like of Vancouver BC, Seattle WA, and Portland OR in the fall, winter, and spring. Why the Bloody Hell would anyone ride a bicycle, and risk getting drowned in any month from October to April? As a lifelong cycling car-free Vancouverite, I avow bicycling is my best option in wet weather. My inexpensive but effective rain gear keeps me nice & dry -- drier than if I hoof it. Fenders, and turning the bike lights on (even in the gloomy/ overcast/stormy/rainy daytime) complete my wet weather defense system. And cycling in the rain is much more pleasant than riding on some steamy, crowded, jerky, disease-ridden, slow public transit bus. Vancouver drivers and cyclists are becoming quite well habituated to the presence of each other. From what I've read and heard, the same seems to be in effect in Seattle and Portland (OR). I do know for sure that each of these cities enjoy thriving bicycling cultures. The Bicycle Lobby lives in a Dream World. I note many drivers experience a false sense of privacy as they sit in their cars, whistfully picking their noses. Dream world indeed! Anyways, we're not big enough to have a "Lobby" (despite the grandiose affectations of such as the League of American Bicyclists.) At best we have a bunch of hat-in-hand advocates who can't even agree on what's best for the bicycling community. I think it's because there are at least /two/ major bicycling communities (probably more,) each with their respective needs & wants, and the advocates unsuccessfully try to generalize what's best for all, and end up competing against each other. So we're also too fragmented to have a Lobby. I used to have inclinations toward cycling advocacy. Now I have inclinations toward what's good for the City in which I live -- and citizens' mobility within the City is a big part of "what's good". It doesn't matter to the property-tax-paying businesses in the City how their clienteles get there, as long as they and their money get there. I guess this is where some driver might pipe up and say: "I can't get there soon enough with all these bikes in my way!" And some cycling advocate might say: "I can't get there at all with all these cars in my way!" And then there'll be those who hold their peace, and quietly, safely get to where they want to be, regardless of their transport of choice. No fuss, no muss, in all kinds of weather. A pleasant urban environment that doesn't get its citizens anxiously grinding their teeth in their sleep or coming down with athsma is also good. -- Nothing is safe from me. Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
On May 16, 2:08 pm, "George Conklin"
wrote: "donquijote1954" wrote in message oups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. Wow George your a dick not going to lie. |
#9
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
In rec.bicycles.misc Mr.Cool [Defender of Cities] wrote:
On May 16, 2:08 pm, "George Conklin" wrote: "donquijote1954" wrote in message oups.com... Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks? Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for a few cents. Wow George your a dick not going to lie. That should be "Wow George, you're a dick. I'm not going to lie." See how much more erudite you sound now? [1] It's "your", as in "your crack pipe". It's "you're", as in "you're dumb as a bag of hammers". [1] I'm not a member of the George Conklin Fan Club, but don't mangle the language for Jehu's sake. -- Dane Buson - "A University without students is like an ointment without a fly." -- Ed Nather, professor of astronomy at UT Austin |
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What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands
donquijote1954 wrote:
Didn't you say you were leaving Usenet? (Or at least the cycling newsgroups?) |
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