Pedal Pusher: Cities and Commuters alike are starting to embrace bicycles

[marmar]

from the American Prospect:



Pedal Pusher

As gas prices rise and congestion worsens, cities and commuters alike are starting to embrace bicycles.

Dana Goldstein | May 30, 2008



This spring, as the presidential candidates were busy arguing over the advisability of lifting the gas tax for the summer months, I bought a bike. It was something I had been meaning to do since I first moved from Rhode Island to Washington, D.C., two years ago, when I sold the bumper sticker–clad Ford Escort that had taken me from my junior year of high school through college. I had real affection for that car, but selling it wasn’t a difficult decision. Insurance payments would have taken a huge bite out of my entry-level paycheck, and I didn’t relish the hassle of on-street parking. Ditching the Escort helped me feel fully committed to a new, urban lifestyle.

But as I quickly learned, car ownership remains the norm in D.C. Although a full 12 percent of District residents walk to work—the second highest rate in the nation after Boston—over two-thirds of Washington households own a car. Car-ownership rates have even risen in low-income communities, in part because they are less served by public transportation and taxis. Entire D.C. neighborhoods, such as Georgetown, are inaccessible via Metro, an otherwise excellent subway system. As a result, chores ranging from food shopping to furniture buying are more difficult here for the carless.

So one sunny day, I stopped by the local bike shop after work and walked out with a 24-gear hybrid, perfect for both commuting and recreation. In the weeks since, I’ve saved over $100 on bus and Metro fares; in just a few months, I’ll recoup the entire cost of the bike. Even better, I’ve joined a tight-knit but growing group of bike-commuting enthusiasts. Fewer than half of 1 percent of American commuters bike to work; after all, many parents have to drop kids off at school, some folks have physical handicaps that make it impossible, and the explosion of outer-ring exurbs means many commutes are far too long to bike. But the average American commute remains just 25 minutes in length—bike-able for sure, given accessible streets.

In Washington, D.C., since 2000, the number of cycling commuters has risen by 50 percent to encompass 5 percent of all workers. Indeed, the city is becoming a national leader in decreasing traffic and pollution by encouraging cycling. In mid-May, the city rolled out a bike-sharing program called SmartBike, in partnership with, of all companies, Clear Channel Outdoor, the division of the radio giant dedicated to open-air advertising. For a $40 annual membership fee, SmartBike members can rent bikes at 10 kiosks throughout the city for up to the three hours at a time. Since 2000, the District has installed 700 bike racks and spent $10 million on paved bike trails. Public buses here even feature bike racks for fatigued riders looking to avoid the hills. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=pedal_pusher

[Warpy]

1. I live near the university in a university town

so most strip malls and public buildings here have bike racks already.

More hostile places always have "no parking" signs, and those will do in a pinch.

[Night_Nurse]

2. Good for you...

and not only are you saving $$, you're keeping your heart and body healthy - win/win situation :-)

My BF owns a bicycle shop; perhaps his business is one of the few that will do better because of the high gas prices, we'll see. He has been selling a lot of them lately, whether that's due to people wanting to save $ on gas, or due to the fact that it's springtime in Michigan will remain to be seen.

Regardless, good luck to you!

[Deja Q]

3. For people with bad inner balance mechanisms, how about three wheeled bikes?