Month: January 2011

by Stephen Miller

Expanding bicycle infrastructure requires political support. That means showing residents and elected officials that cyclists are not some strange, alien species, but fellow people just like them.

Photo by somervillebikes on Flickr.

Since people who ride every day are currently a small portion of the population, advocates must work with those who don’t ride bikes to show why expansion is in the local community’s best interest.

There are, of course, issue-based arguments, supported by facts and numbers. We hear these arguments all the time: cycling is good for the environment, good for public health, good for congestion reduction, and good for the bottom line. Even most bike lane opponents won’t disagree.

But there’s another line of argument that bike advocates employ less often. It’s an empathetic appeal that demonstrates that cyclists are just like you. They’re everyday citizens, getting around town. Failure to show this reality to decision makers, the press, and the public at large can have adverse consequences. In the absence of a positive or even neutral image of cyclists, an alternative, more explosive narrative can gain steam.

This negative narrative has two parts. First, because there is not much of a social contract between cyclists and other road users, it’s easy to believe that cyclists are reckless scofflaws who don’t deserve respect because they don’t give respect. Cyclists become aliens on two wheels who run red lights and play chicken with you as you try to guess their next unpredictable move. This thinking transforms cyclists into something that is nothing like you.

The second part comes into play when governments begin providing bike lanes or other provisions for cyclists. It starts to look like the road is being taken away from responsible users like you and given to a reckless minority. This is where the backlash begins, as citizens speak up against this perceived injustice.

There is an alternative to this acrimony, though. DC bike advocates are already making the case that people riding bikes are no different than anyone else, and deserve a safe way to get around.

…
Continue reading “People riding bikes aren’t jerks, they’re just like you”

Christine Franck ventures forth on a quest to walk to FedEx/Kinko’s on a nice Sunday morning. Her harrowing tale is told very well and even has some illustrations, some highlights:
Indeed turning down Bulla Road, a simple, residential street lined with little bungalows was pleasant. After a long dreary Midwest winter the forsythia’s bright, sunny blooms and pastel plastic Easter eggs hung from trees were cheery. Not one car passed me as I walked on the edge of the narrow road. Nor one person.
…
Reaching the intersection, I was pleased to see at least a three foot wide grass strip on the edge of the road. Even so, being wedged between four lanes of zooming traffic on one side and a six foot tall fence on the other made me feel I was balancing on the narrowest beam. Not one blade of grass appeared to have been trod before my pioneering footsteps.
Crossing the great divide formed by the entrance, or was it the exit, drive of an old condominium development was a real challenge. The grass path I had been following dead-ended into a four foot deep, two foot tall briar patch of ornamental landscaping.
…
Now, I’m pretty good at crossing a busy street. Having learned how to perform the delicate ballet between car, pedestrian, and Vespas while living in Rome, I don’t give crosswalk signals more than a second glance. Being used to zipping halfway across a street, mid-block, and gracefully balancing on the dividing line between passing buses before dashing the rest of the way across a busy New York street, I thought I could handle anything. But this relatively small suburban intersection looked wide as the Grand Canyon.
…
As I walked triumphantly across the parking lot to my destination, a small car drove in front of me. I was not surprised to find inside the common suburban species of an obese woman driving her three obese children. They filled every available inch of space inside the car with their fleshy volume.
…
Continue reading “A pedestrian braves the challenges of sprawl”

from Streetsblog.net by League of American Bicyclists Blog

We were shocked to learn of the dreadful shooting in Tucson, Ariz., yesterday – we are still waiting to learn the full extent of the casualties and the status of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her staff. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved. Representative Giffords is a cyclist and member of the Congressional Bike Caucus, according to an interview she gave to the Tucson Velo website in October (thanks to Branan Cooper for sharing this with us). Tucson has a special place in the League’s heart; it seems almost inconceivable that such an act would occur in a community we have always found to be so friendly and welcoming. Mayor Walkup, everyone involved in El Tour de Tucson, city and county staff, and the entire local cycling community must be shocked and appalled at these tragic events. We hope beyond hope that those cycling leaders can meet with Representative Giffords during the National Bike Summit in March.

Andy Clarke
President, League of American Bicyclists

Continue reading “Hearts go out to Rep. Giffords and Tucson community”