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Businesses and Bicycles
I'm in the process of writing a research essay on how businesses (as
well as government agencies) in the United States are encouraging the use of bicycles. This would include things like building bike ways, providing lockers and shower facilities at work, giving incentives to employees and customers, creating a significant amount of parking space for bikes, and reducing the dangers of riding a bicycle. The other important part of the paper will by *why* these institutions are encouraging bike use. For health insurance companies, the answer is obvious: exercise reduces many health problems, including obesity. For areas of cities that have very limited space (for instance, downtown areas), the answer is also obvious: parking space takes up valuable land and costs money to build. I've been able to find some cases around the Internet and by talking to people in my own metropolian area (Portland), but hearing about other instances - especially from those who directly benefit from them - is valuable as well. Thank you, Aaron DeVore |
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#2
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Businesses and Bicycles
For my business, it's personal. I like to ride my bike. Therefore I
located my business in a cycling-friendly location near my home, and have an official policy that the place to park a bike is by an employee's desk where it's easy to keep track of. Customers are also welcome to bring their bikes inside. -- is Joshua Putnam http://www.phred.org/~josh/ Updated Infrared Photography Gallery: http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html |
#3
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Businesses and Bicycles
Aaron DeVore wrote:
For health insurance companies, the answer is obvious: exercise reduces many health problems, including obesity. I haven't found the health industry to be particularly bicycle-friendly. My current HMO (Kaiser) offers no bike racks or other parking facility so I have to lock my bike to some trees when I go there. The last time I was hospitalized the staff wasn't at all happy when I indicated that I didn't need to arrange for a ride home since my bike was presumably still locked up outside. They finally relented but insisted on a specific authorization from my physician. At my workplace a few of us insisted on some bicycle accommodations when we moved into a new facility and needed to redesign the floorplan anyway. Showers were added to one set of bathrooms both as an employee incentive and as a potential safety benefit since we did have some lab space adjoining that area. I also ordered and installed some Nashbar bike holders inside one of the building entrances. |
#4
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Businesses and Bicycles
"peter" wrote: (clip) (Kaiser) offers no bike racks (clip) The last time I was hospitalized (clip) the staff wasn't at all happy when I indicated that I didn't need to arrange for a ride home since my bike was presumably still locked up outside.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Kaiser branches I am familiar with offer no bike racks, but I do occasionally see bikes locked to the posts outside. From their number, I believe that bike racks would little used. Uou don't say what your were hospitalized for, but I can easily understand that there could be medical complications that they would be concerned about. They also have a firm policy that upon release from the hospital, you will be wheeled to your car by a nurse. You could feel fit enough to do push-ups, and they would still inisist on it. I am sure this is not an "anti-walking" attitude--it is based on a conservative health/liability concern, and is understandable. I still remember my doctor's (at Kaiser) voice and words, as he said to me several years ago, "I want you to keep riding your bicycle. It is SO good for you." |
#5
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Businesses and Bicycles
Leo Lichtman wrote:
"peter" wrote: (clip) (Kaiser) offers no bike racks (clip) The last time I was hospitalized (clip) the staff wasn't at all happy when I indicated that I didn't need to arrange for a ride home since my bike was presumably still locked up outside.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Kaiser branches I am familiar with offer no bike racks, but I do occasionally see bikes locked to the posts outside. From their number, I believe that bike racks would little used. I wouldn't expect them to be overflowing either, but made the comment in response to Aaron's original post that the health insurance industry would have clear motives for encouraging cycling. Placing a few bike racks near the entrance wouldn't cost much and would send a message that bicycling there either as an employee or as a customer is encouraged rather than merely tolerated. Uou don't say what your were hospitalized for, but I can easily understand that there could be medical complications that they would be concerned about. The objections were not from a medical standpoint as shown by the willingness of my physician to sign off on the special authorization (I had previously signed him up as one of my sponsors for an MS century fundraiser to be held the weekend after my release). The objections were from the administrative personnel. [BTW, the hospitalization was not at Kaiser.] They also have a firm policy that upon release from the hospital, you will be wheeled to your car by a nurse. You could feel fit enough to do push-ups, and they would still inisist on it. Yes, and I didn't object to that although I thought it was a bit silly. They just wheeled me out to the side of the entrance where my bike was locked. I am sure this is not an "anti-walking" attitude--it is based on a conservative health/liability concern, and is understandable. Actually I don't understand the policy. These days hospitals encourage patients to become ambulatory as quickly as possible and it seems odd that they insist that the same patient who was just doing multiple brisk laps walking around the hospital floors must then sit down in a wheelchair to go out the front door. I don't really see why walking out shouldn't be considered the norm and the wheelchairs used only when medically indicated or requested. I still remember my doctor's (at Kaiser) voice and words, as he said to me several years ago, "I want you to keep riding your bicycle. It is SO good for you." |
#6
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Businesses and Bicycles
"peter" wrote: (clip) They just wheeled me out to the side of the entrance where my bike was locked. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Now, THAT is funny. I thought I could find evidence that Kaiser encourages cycling, so I went to their website. They certainly encourage exercise, and they DO mention cycling. There is a calorie computing formula which includes cycling, and even mountain biking, but you have to look for it. I could find nothing specifically talking up the advantages of cycling. I'm trying to think of a way to influence them on this. They have support groups on all sorts of health related themes. I think HMO sponsored or coordinated bike rides would be a great idea. Maybe I'll ask my doctor to point me in the right direction. |
#7
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Businesses and Bicycles
I have a document prepared for local employers and employees I could
share. It's a flip-book. One side is targeted to the business owners and facilities managers who make accomodations for bicycles, giving good reasons and sound financial analyses, and the other side targeted to the bicycle user or commuter. Having both parties read both sides of such a booklet is the first step to accomodations. Too bad the ADA doesn't list bicycle addiction as a disabling condition. If it were, I'd be able to bike everywhere! Doug |
#8
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Businesses and Bicycles
On 2 May 2006 12:42:35 -0700, "Aaron DeVore"
wrote: I'm in the process of writing a research essay on how businesses (as well as government agencies) in the United States are encouraging the use of bicycles. This would include things like building bike ways, providing lockers and shower facilities at work, giving incentives to employees and customers, creating a significant amount of parking space for bikes, and reducing the dangers of riding a bicycle. To the best of my knowledge, no major employer in Houston presently provides more than just a bike rack in the employee parking garage, if that. Although the city government has made a good show of publicly encouraging the use of bikes, both in general and for commuting (May is Bike Month, and there is a Bike To Work Week coming up as well; many designated bike routes and lanes exist and are reasonably well marked across the city), employers have been slow to embrace the idea. In part, this is driven by the still-accurate perception that the vast majority of their employees have no interest in using a bike for transportation. Some of the downtown office buildings have bike racks in a secure location; most do not. The racks get some usage, but when an employer has 500 people working in a building, and there are only two bikes in the five-slot rack, the employer tends to look at the issue as being too small to worry about. Much of this may still be being driven by the long commutes that are typical in this city; when one lives 15 miles away from work via the shortest route, and would have to cycle 16 or 17 miles via any reasonably safe route for a bike, the idea of commuting via human power is swiftly abandoned. As the urban redevelopment (in full swing now) proceeds, and commutes of just three or four miles become common, I expect that attitudes will change. From where I live, I can reach any downtown destination in less than 45 minutes via bike or 15 minutes by car, even during rush hour. I'm probably at the limit of the area where bike commuting to downtown would be regarded as feasible. At least 90% of Houston's population lives farther from downtown than I do at this point, and most commuters travel more than 10 miles to their jobs no matter where they live and work. The other important part of the paper will by *why* these institutions are encouraging bike use. Before you can get to "why", you must pass "if". For health insurance companies, the answer is obvious: exercise reduces many health problems, including obesity. The largest insurance firm in this area is one of the places where I have never seen an employee cycling to work, and I pass by frequently during the morning rush hour. There are usually cyclists riding down the streets past it, some of whom are familiar faces to me and/or my daughter, but never have I seen anyone on two wheels entering the parking garage or approaching the entrances to the building. They are clearly *not* encouraging or facilitating cycling to work. (This employer is also not known as a place that one would actively seek to be employed, if in possession of full knowledge of the nature of the workplace; the working conditions are reportedly far less than congenial.) For areas of cities that have very limited space (for instance, downtown areas), the answer is also obvious: parking space takes up valuable land and costs money to build. Balancing that issue, note that parking lots have become a profit center and tax dodge in many locales. I've been able to find some cases around the Internet and by talking to people in my own metropolian area (Portland), but hearing about other instances - especially from those who directly benefit from them - is valuable as well. I hope that you find more positive indicators than I suspect will turn up. This might be a good topic for a long-term study given the flux in societal structure and attitudes that may occur in the coming years if fuel costs continue to rise as expected. Best of luck. -- Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to reply via email. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts. |
#9
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Businesses and Bicycles
On Wed, 03 May 2006, Werehatrack wrote:
The largest insurance firm in this area is one of the places where I have never seen an employee cycling to work, and I pass by frequently during the morning rush hour. There are usually cyclists riding down the streets past it, some of whom are familiar faces to me and/or my daughter, but never have I seen anyone on two wheels entering the parking garage or approaching the entrances to the building. They are clearly *not* encouraging or facilitating cycling to work. (This employer is also not known as a place that one would actively seek to be employed, if in possession of full knowledge of the nature of the workplace; the working conditions are reportedly far less than congenial.) Is that before or after AIG bought them? AIG is well known for their cheapness. Don www.donwiss.com/joyrides (e-mail link at page bottom). |
#10
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Businesses and Bicycles
Aaron DeVore wrote: I'm in the process of writing a research essay on how businesses (as well as government agencies) in the United States are encouraging the use of bicycles. This would include things like building bike ways, providing lockers and shower facilities at work, giving incentives to employees and customers, creating a significant amount of parking space for bikes, and reducing the dangers of riding a bicycle. The other important part of the paper will by *why* these institutions are encouraging bike use. For health insurance companies, the answer is obvious: exercise reduces many health problems, including obesity. For areas of cities that have very limited space (for instance, downtown areas), the answer is also obvious: parking space takes up valuable land and costs money to build. I've been able to find some cases around the Internet and by talking to people in my own metropolian area (Portland), but hearing about other instances - especially from those who directly benefit from them - is valuable as well. Thank you, Aaron DeVore |
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