Here's a great article on the problem with biking in America and its contrasted with biking in Amstram. I especially like the way he contrasts biking with cycling.
http://bygonebureau.com/2008/08/25/the-problem-with-biking/
Letitia
Thanks for the article, Letitia. I recently attended a planning workshop in Carlsbad and one of the focuses for improved safety and awareness was education for both cyclists and drivers, a common theme with some of the recent road rage incidents we've read about and experienced ourselves. It's still not clear how we get to the nirvana of Amsterdam, though. I still wear lycra and a helmet when I commute (but no flashy jerseys) and look pretty klunky with racks and panniers. I think what Dave White is trying to do is along the right lines as well, with all the "pedal to ..." events. However, it should not take organized events to get us to want to ride our bike somewhere. One thing lacking is parking infrastructure - what do you do with your bike when you get there? Ever tried to go grocery shopping on your bike or go to a mall? You feel forced to keep your expensive bike always in sight or by your side. Like the article, I have no clue as to solutions that will really work, though. I used to have a really cheap raleigh 3-speed that I took everywhere and never even locked - is that the answer? Perhaps the current economic and energy conditions may be the best motivation of all.
I just got back from a 6 day Pyranean Traverse. Cycling in France was awesome. Cars are so aware of cyclists and the LAW is that a car has to be 3 meters from a cyclist when passing. The cars wait till the way is clear in the opposite direction and then move almost to the other side of the road when passing cyclists. We need that law here. Cars refuse to go over the center line here, even when the road is clear in the opposite direction. You feel them almost touching you as they pass.. Also, even though the roads are narrow in France, there are no big SUV's and Pickups.
Also, I spend a week before in Paris and a week after in Barcelona. In both cities there are free bicycles racked and locked around the city. Commuters access the free bike, take it to work and lock it to the racks that are everywhere.. they have an integrated lock that you just place into the rack and it locks on.. to a different rack near work. I think there is some pass that they register for that unlocks the bike and registers that it was returned somewhere else. It is all computerized. They never use the same bike twice. The bikes are maintained by the goverment. In Barcelona there was a Clearchannel logo on the bikes. They can take a different bike or take the metro home. Men in suits and women in dresses are riding through heavy traffic without helmets. It looks very scarey in both cities but they seem to feel safe. And, it seems like the most common and easiest way to commute.
Here are my pictures of the traverse if anyone is interested. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31198681@N06/sets/ . I'll be adding a few more to those this weekend that were left out, although there are way too many of them already. I took less as the week went on.. . And soon I'll be putting up pictures of Paris and Barcelona which have pictures of the commuter bikes.
Judy
That was 1.5 meters.. not 3 :)
I asked Dave White and Kathy Keehan at the SDCBC (bike coalition) if they were aware of the cool facilities in Paris and Barcelona which Judy brought up. This was Dave's response:
"right, Kathy and SDCBC are aware. Oceanside has a Dasani Blue bike shared program and CCDC downtown is looking at a pilot shared bike program. Bike parking can always be improved. My sense is that if more people wanted to ride bikes locally (in lieu of their car), they would demand facilities. Of course, this is a gradual trend, and we at the Coalition are trying to nudge the process along whenever possible. People like you - out and about - are the best source for information gathering and for stimulating grass-roots change.
Of course, events like the Pedal to the . . . series are aimed at opening the eyes of citizens who may not have thought of bike transport, as well as rallying those that do so regularly."
Here are the pictures of the commuter bike parking in use in Paris and Barcelona. There are also some pictures of the bikes in use in Paris. Parisians are very well dressed! There was also a juried photo exhibition of cycling related photos going on in Barcelona when I was there and I took a few photos of the photos.
In Barcelona, the bikes are provided by the government in conjunction with ClearChannel. ClearChannel owns the same radio station whose DJ's promoted violence to cyclists. They also do billboard advertising..etc. ClearChannel also provides bicycle systems in D.C. and San Francisco as well as other European cities.
Paris and Barcelona are both fairly flat. They also have dense populations. The bikes are located in conjunction with Metro stops and other public transportation. People work relatively closer to where they live than in San Diego. Or, they take public transportation into the city and then use the bikes. Many people do have their own bikes as well.
Judy
We don't need to go to Europe to see bike parking facilities, just go to SanFrancisico. I was there in Aug and there were bike parking facilities on the city streets. We provide lots of parking spaces for cars, why can't cities provide racks or post to chain a bike?
I was in Paris a year ago and was impressed with the number of people I saw using the rental bikes from the stands all over the city. As Judy said, ladies in skirts, men in suits and ties and all kinds of folks used the bikes. On cool days they were wrapped in scarves and warm jackets. I've read several articles on the bike program in Paris and how successful it has been. There is a problem with the bikes being stolen and I've been told many end up in Africa and one was found in Romania. Apparently the advertising money brought in is more than enough to off set the cost of the stolen bikes.
Letitia
YES YES! The most efficient way to get around just about any city is by cycling. But, in the United States, we make far too much money, and we can certainly afford the relatively inexpensive gasoline for our automobiles. I have never been to Europe. Do they have Semi-trucks running countless 1000's of miles in all different directions, hauling the same kind of freight that was once effociently transported by rail? I wonder? Oh that's right, this is America, we want our stuff now! Rail is too slow.
Well, too bad the price of gasoline is now heading down. It's a shame. I believe it's a just another scheme by the right winged filthy rich oil cartel in this country to keep prices down, so that we stay addicted to fossil fuel for as long as possible... Wait a minute weren't the higher prices we've been paying for the last six months, a shameless plot by the same group of greedy.... Oh ~ by golly, now I'm really confused.
OH forgetabout it! Everything's going to be rosey again after January 23rd 2009.
I was on PCH on the DEE Ride thursday. I was riding along in Leucadia, looking ahead into parked cars.... When all of a sudden about 50 feed ahead of me ~ THE DOOR!~ Thrown open. No LOOK! Thrown open by an old guy in a newer Mercedes, and thrown open with such force that it closed right back up... So, this motorist threw it open again, and this time, he held his arm out firmly, so that should stay open. This guy wasn't looking for me and my bicycle, nor was he even paying attention to motor traffic. BRRRRR... The chilling thought, is that he will soon be back behind the wheel, and probably approaching from behind. ACK!
Great Article by the way! Thanks Letty..