Bike Boom

Commuting by bike in the US is on the rise. It's a bike boom!

"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and 2011, bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."

Though the previous paragraph says:

"The Dutch use their bikes for 26 percent of all their trips compared with 1
percent of Americans. Danes use bikes for 19 percent of their travel, while
the Germans tap them for 10 percent.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

"Gus" writes:

Commuting by bike in the US is on the rise. It's a bike boom!


I'd say so. Speaking anecdotally, the surging fuel
prices seem to be a huge factor, and some people - having
discovered the benefits - stick with it after prices level
off or even recede and everyone else settles in and just
accepts them once again.

Another factor seems to be health. I see a lot of people
that I'd guess are either trying to lose weight and or
get on the upside of the premature death by heart disease
curve.

But these are ostensible benefits. We all know what
makes us bike commuters: Twice a day, I get to be a kid
on a bike! :-)

"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and 2011, bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."


I don't put much stock in statistics, myself, but that
jibes with my anecdotal observation. I don't put much
stock in the label "bike friendly", either, but places
with that lable will *generally* have more people riding,
which means more opportunity for commuters dying inside
their cages to notice and think maybe there is a better
way. A few of them will even make the leap that it might
actually be feasible enough to try.

Though the previous paragraph says:

"The Dutch use their bikes for 26 percent of all their trips compared with 1
percent of Americans. Danes use bikes for 19 percent of their travel, while
the Germans tap them for 10 percent.


Three words: Ten dollar gas. (That's a small piece
of a much bigger thing - cutting off the car culture
at the knees.)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

Yay! Portland :-)

(The kids are apparently running out of "King of the
Hill" reruns on Netflix, and have started in on
"Portlandia" :-)

"Dan" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

...We all know what makes us bike commuters: Twice a day, I get to be a
kid
on a bike! :-)

It is fun, until a car shows up. But it is fun when no cars around or at
least no stressed out motorists late for work around, or ones that actually
do "share the road" and don't think they "own the road" and believe cyclists
are in *their* way.


"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and 2011,
bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in
communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."


I don't put much stock in statistics, myself, but that
jibes with my anecdotal observation. I don't put much
stock in the label "bike friendly", either, but places
with that lable will *generally* have more people riding,
which means more opportunity for commuters dying inside
their cages to notice and think maybe there is a better
way. A few of them will even make the leap that it might
actually be feasible enough to try.

When I lived in Denver-- which was bike friendly except for those damn
thorns-- there was a section of a road, I believe Evans Ave, that was one of
the worst places to ride a bike in Denver. Extremely narrow road, heavy
traffic, nowhere for a bike to go. No sidewalk or berm to take to in case
of emergency. But on the telephone pole (dangerously close to the road) was
a green sign that said: "Bike Route"

Where I live now, they are trying; but for the inexperienced cyclist it must
be frustrating. There are bike lanes, which last about a mile or so. But
then just stop. Sign that says: Bike Lane Ends. But no guidance as to
what to do. Generally where it ends is a danger point. There is one near
the univeristy. Nice wide bike path over a bridge but at the bottom ot the
bridge it just stops. Right at the onramp to a freeway.


http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

Yay! Portland :-)

(The kids are apparently running out of "King of the
Hill" reruns on Netflix, and have started in on
"Portlandia" :-)


I watched the King of the Hill July 4th episode yesterday. Hadn't watched
that show in like a decade. Hard to believe it was on 13 years....
Portlandia is on my to watch list. But how can training videos be all that
entertaining?

Dan writes:

"Gus" writes:

Commuting by bike in the US is on the rise. It's a bike boom!


I'd say so. Speaking anecdotally, the surging fuel
prices seem to be a huge factor, and some people - having
discovered the benefits - stick with it after prices level
off or even recede and everyone else settles in and just
accepts them once again.

Another factor seems to be health. I see a lot of people
that I'd guess are either trying to lose weight and or
get on the upside of the premature death by heart disease
curve.

But these are ostensible benefits. We all know what
makes us bike commuters: Twice a day, I get to be a kid
on a bike! :-)

"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and 2011, bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."


I don't put much stock in statistics, myself, but that
jibes with my anecdotal observation. I don't put much
stock in the label "bike friendly", either, but places
with that lable will *generally* have more people riding,
which means more opportunity for commuters dying inside
their cages to notice and think maybe there is a better
way. A few of them will even make the leap that it might
actually be feasible enough to try.


And that's where facilities (e.g. bike lanes and such)
come in. Frank and I don't need bike lanes to get any-
where. We both see drawbacks to bike lanes, and don't
want to see them everywhere, but here we diverge: Frank
doesn't want to see them anywhere.

I find it difficult to believe that a competent cyclist
like Frank has difficulty with bike lanes (though I
understand they often contradict his vehicular cycling
thing). I think his problem with then must be more
philosophical vision. I can take them or leave them,
myself - and do; but I do make some good use of them.


But the people driving cars everywhere and thinking
that bicycling is simply not a feasible alternative -
some of them can be moved by the presence of available
bike lanes. Once they get out there they will come
to realize that *they* don't need bike lanes, either
(though I think bike lanes will always have a place on
*some* roads).

Bike facilities also serve as writing on the wall of
the winds of change (that's not really *mixing*
metaphors, is it?) to the rest of the people who
don't make the leap for whatever reason.

Once the winds of change really blow in, next stop,
Amsterdam and Copenhagen!

Though the previous paragraph says:

"The Dutch use their bikes for 26 percent of all their trips compared with 1
percent of Americans. Danes use bikes for 19 percent of their travel, while
the Germans tap them for 10 percent.


Three words: Ten dollar gas. (That's a small piece
of a much bigger thing - cutting off the car culture
at the knees.)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

Yay! Portland :-)

(The kids are apparently running out of "King of the
Hill" reruns on Netflix, and have started in on
"Portlandia" :-)

"Gus" writes:

"Dan" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

...We all know what makes us bike commuters: Twice a day, I get to
be a kid
on a bike! :-)

It is fun, until a car shows up. But it is fun when no cars around or
at least no stressed out motorists late for work around, or ones that
actually do "share the road" and don't think they "own the road" and
believe cyclists are in *their* way.


I'm really lucky to have a commute that includes a
goodly dose of everything: Lots of rural contryside,
plenty of hills, small towns, and a busy city.

The city is stressful, yes, but that's a sort of fun
of its own. With the stress induced adrenalin running
high, road warrior mode complements the quiet miles and
vice versa. (I couldn't take too much of it, though, and
it's always a relief to get out of town. At the same time,
it can be thrilling to arrive in the city all warmed up
and ready to runmble.)


"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and
2011, bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in
communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."


I don't put much stock in statistics, myself, but that
jibes with my anecdotal observation. I don't put much
stock in the label "bike friendly", either, but places
with that lable will *generally* have more people riding,
which means more opportunity for commuters dying inside
their cages to notice and think maybe there is a better
way. A few of them will even make the leap that it might
actually be feasible enough to try.

When I lived in Denver-- which was bike friendly except for those damn
thorns-- there was a section of a road, I believe Evans Ave, that was
one of the worst places to ride a bike in Denver. Extremely narrow
road, heavy traffic, nowhere for a bike to go. No sidewalk or berm to
take to in case of emergency. But on the telephone pole (dangerously
close to the road) was a green sign that said: "Bike Route"

Where I live now, they are trying; but for the inexperienced cyclist
it must be frustrating. There are bike lanes, which last about a mile
or so. But then just stop. Sign that says: Bike Lane Ends. But no
guidance as to what to do. Generally where it ends is a danger
point. There is one near the univeristy. Nice wide bike path over a
bridge but at the bottom ot the bridge it just stops. Right at the
onramp to a freeway.


Yeah, that's why I don't think much of the "Bicycle Friendly"
label - often just Chamber of Commerce marketing BS.

But it's good to see them trying, and there are usually some
sincere people involved.


http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true


snip

"Dan" wrote in message
...

And that's where facilities (e.g. bike lanes and such)
come in. Frank and I don't need bike lanes to get any-
where. We both see drawbacks to bike lanes, and don't
want to see them everywhere, but here we diverge: Frank
doesn't want to see them anywhere.

I find it difficult to believe that a competent cyclist
like Frank has difficulty with bike lanes (though I
understand they often contradict his vehicular cycling
thing). I think his problem with then must be more
philosophical vision. I can take them or leave them,
myself - and do; but I do make some good use of them.


But the people driving cars everywhere and thinking
that bicycling is simply not a feasible alternative -
some of them can be moved by the presence of available
bike lanes. Once they get out there they will come
to realize that *they* don't need bike lanes, either
(though I think bike lanes will always have a place on
*some* roads).


I don't think the average person is going to bike unless it's safe. If you
get someone out there and they have a bad experience it will turn them off
for good. Biking on a road does feel unsafe in many cities. I think traffic
has to be somehow tamed and behavior changed. There was a park here years
ago that had a narrow road through it and cars would whizz along and use it
as a cut-though. Hardly anyone used the park. One day, they changed the
road so it was one way and only one lane and lowered the speed limit.
Suddenly there was an entire lane for walkers and cyclists to use.
Motorists were not happy at first, but soon the road was no longer dangerous
and the park became a peaceful place to go and became extremely popular with
walkers and bikers.

Personally, I think bike lanes give cyclists-- especially inexperienced
ones-- a false sense of security. And I don't like how they often suddenly
start and stop with no connectors. Usually they stop because the road turns
into a road that is not very bike friendly. And the ride becomes stressful.

"Dan" wrote in message
...

I'm really lucky to have a commute that includes a
goodly dose of everything: Lots of rural contryside,
plenty of hills, small towns, and a busy city.

The city is stressful, yes, but that's a sort of fun
of its own. With the stress induced adrenalin running
high, road warrior mode complements the quiet miles and
vice versa.

I've ridden in downtown Boston and Chicago and there is a certain
exhilaration of being in the "flow" in the midst of the traffic choas, and
coming out alive. Dodging taxis in Chicago was a fun game. Good test of
reflexes and awareness of your surroundings.


Yeah, that's why I don't think much of the "Bicycle Friendly"
label - often just Chamber of Commerce marketing BS.

I think sometimes they just buy some "Bike Route" signs and then send out a
road maintenance crew in a truck to go around and put some up randomly every
few blocks.

On 07-05-2013 23:18, Dan wrote:
I'd say so. Speaking anecdotally, the surging fuel
prices seem to be a huge factor, and some people - having

I'm not sure that's a big difference, since I have to eat more
now that I'm pedaling everywhere.

But there's a significant drop in maintenance costs, and
a 100% drop in insurance costs.

--
Wes Groleau

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible
will make violent revolution inevitable.
— John F. Kennedy

"Gus" writes:


Where I live now, they are trying; but for the inexperienced cyclist
it must be frustrating. There are bike lanes, which last about a mile
or so. But then just stop. Sign that says: Bike Lane Ends. But no
guidance as to what to do. Generally where it ends is a danger
point. There is one near the univeristy. Nice wide bike path over a
bridge but at the bottom ot the bridge it just stops. Right at the
onramp to a freeway.


http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

Bike lanes are reasonably continuous around here (San Diego), but there
are exceptions. See, for example, the google view of 10831 Camino Sante
Fe, San Diego. There is a "Bike lane begin" sign on the north bound
side, right at the bottom of the hill. The lane ends approximately five
feet later.

Here's a minor nuisance I've noted with the lanes around here. The sign
crew likes to paint a representation of a bike in the lane, with an
arrow pointing in the direction of travel. No problem with the concept,
but they use this really thick "paint", so you get this annoying bump
everytime you have to ride over one. Like I said, minor, but
annoying---the paint used for the line itself would work better; it
isn't thick nor does it get slippery in the rain.

--
Joe Riel

On Fri, 5 Jul 2013 22:59:04 -0400, "Gus"
wrote:

Commuting by bike in the US is on the rise. It's a bike boom!

"The US is definitely gaining ground, though. Between 2000 and 2011, bicycle
commuting in America was up 47 percent overall and 80 percent in communities
that are bike-friendly, according to the US Census Bureau."

Though the previous paragraph says:

"The Dutch use their bikes for 26 percent of all their trips compared with 1
percent of Americans. Danes use bikes for 19 percent of their travel, while
the Germans tap them for 10 percent.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society...ors_picks=true

Is the 1% (U.S.) rate before or after the 47% increase?

--
Cheers,

John B.