As Gas Prices Soar So Does City Biking 342
Hugh Pickens writes "As California's gas prices hit record highs, the millions of dollars spent in recent years on commuter bike lanes and public transportation projects in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other major cities are being seen in a new light by many drivers. Jason Dearen reports that San Francisco is seeing a 71-percent increase in cyclists in the past five years, and Los Angeles is reporting a 32 percent increase from 2009-2011. Both findings gibe with the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which found a 63 percent increase in bicycle commuters from 2000 to 2010 in the nation's 70 largest cities. 'In some ways it's a perfect storm of events that is starting to take place,' says Claire Bowin, head of policy planning for Los Angeles' planning department. Getting people out of cars 'is a very daunting task, but on other hand we have largely benefited from a growing community here that is demanding these things.' Los Angeles is building almost 1,600 miles of bike infrastructure (PDF) over the next five years. Los Angeles County's Metrolink, which features open train cars for bike riders is seeing record ridership. Changing attitudes about cars — caused by climate change — are helping these efforts as people in their twenties and thirties have adopted biking in larger numbers than previous generations (PDF)."
How do you Americans do it? (Score:3, Interesting)
Here in central Europe, the city centers are tight, and so it's easy and quick to get everywhere, while with cars, you barely fit through the tight streets and it's a parking nightmare. So pretty much everyone I know uses a bicycle or public transport by default, and only takes the car if it's further away, there's something to transport, or there's another good reason.
But your cities and roads are far more spread out. And the environment is rather hostile to bike riders, from what I've been told. (Partially because apparently, many bike riders are rather crazy themselves and because the bike lanes are badly designed. [We have that too, though.])
So: How do you do it? Because that sounds a lot more frustrating than what we've got.
(And if you add the weight problem... Although that would probably quickly improve for bike riders.)
P.S.: Was there ever a time when people rode the bike to everywhere, like Marty McFly? Or are those just TV stories?
Winter Biking? (Score:5, Interesting)
I live in the Helsinki area in Finland, and while for the most part Bike access is OK it seems the winters are almost impossible to solve. I used to bike all year round, and while it's quite enjoyable with the right equipment I kept running into the problem that the roads were plowed first and the bike lanes much later in the day, or sometimes not at all.
Does anyone live in a city where the winter biking thing actually works? (One with snowfall, that is.) Just curious, really.
Re:Winter Biking? (Score:4, Interesting)
It works here, in the south of the Netherlands. In my city, bus routes and bike lanes are the first places where snow is removed, often within a few hours after it fell. Also because a lot of people continue biking, even if the snow hasn't been removed, there will be tracks where the people who cycled before you have crushed the snow to the point where it melts. However, our winter day temperatures don't often stay below zero for more than a few days at a time, so a snow period seldom lasts for more than a week. I once visited the middle of Finland at the end of the winter and I think the snow that falls there during the winter doesn't melt until spring; I don't know if that is the case for the Helsinki area as well.
Re:How do you Americans do it? (Score:2, Interesting)
... But your cities and roads are far more spread out.
It's very different in different parts of the USA. Here in the suburbs outside Buffalo, NY, the land is mostly flat. It's easy to cycle, but as you say things are more spread out. I've been making about half my local trips by bike for the last 30 years...when the weather is above freezing.
On the plus side, starting about 20(?) years ago, New York State roads (major roads) have mostly been rebuilt with wide shoulders/edges (average about 1.5 meters, marked by a white line) which is quite good for cycling. Most of the buildings are set far back from the road, so it's not a big problem to make the roads wider. As they are rebuilt now, many shoulders are being marked as bike lanes. A nearby overpass on a higher speed road has some features that are very scary for cycling--so I emailed to the cycling coordinator at the local Department of Transportation office. Within a few days he had taken a look and designed changes for the next time the road will be repaved (a couple of years from now--fingers crossed for a good result).
Many local stores, banks and other utility destinations have "airlock" doors with room to leave a bike inside (between the two sets of doors). I don't lock my expensive bike, because it's inside, off the street. It might help that it's a "friendly" looking small-wheel Alex Moulton bike, not an aggressive mountain bike. The supermarkets (food stores) have plenty of room to take the bike inside and use it instead of a shopping cart.
There are still some problems that limit utility cyclists to the hard core. Probably the major one is that car drivers have not been taught to respect cyclists, so we really have to look out for ourselves. I used to motorcycle all the time and bring that experience to cycling--I'm willing to be aggressive and take a lane when I need to (not often). County and town roads (not maintained by the State DOT) usually don't have the wide shoulder, but they also have less and slower traffic. Another problem is ice in the winter, lots of freeze-thaw cycles with our weather. The road crews don't always clear the snow & ice from the edge of the road--when it's like this, I don't even attempt to cycle.
I've tried utility cycling in other states and often the major roads have little (or no) hard edge/shoulder, often with a nasty drop off to the gravel or dirt on the edge -- no consideration for cycling at all. Maybe others will comment on cycling conditions in their area?
Re:Biking is better (Score:3, Interesting)
...There really should be a better solution. I think super-slippery seat material and underpants might solve it. But I haven't found anything suitable yet. Also, actually, air resistance *is* a problem if you're quick. As are too soft wheels and road resistance. Optimizing those gave me 5 km/h speed improvement *each* (over the "I don't give a fuck" method). ...
Look around, there is underwear available with a chamois ("shammy") insert for cycling. I've also taken a hammer and flattened painful seams in the seat area of jeans--use a zig-zag sewing machine to re-assemble the fabric without the bumps.
I've spent some time measuring bike air resistance in wind tunnels and you are absolutely right about clothes. If you change from loose flapping clothes to tighter ones, you might see an air drag reduction of about 10%. The next step from tight normal clothes to spandex is worth about another 10%. Depending on your air drag and choice of tires (and tire pressure), these two sources of drag might be about equal at 12-15 mph, as soon as you are going faster, air drag dominates. Reference, "Bicycling Science":
http://books.google.com/books/about/Bicycling_Science_3rd_Edition.html?id=0JJo6DlF9iMC [google.com]
Re:Wrong (Score:2, Interesting)
The damage caused by bikes and pedestrians does however pale compared to the damage done by weather and "normal" aging.
A normal road used by pedestrians and cyclists will not break down significantly earlier than a normal road that is not used at all...
Re:Biking is better (Score:4, Interesting)
Riding a recumbent fixes this. Stop riding an out of date bicycle. I can ride 2X the distance in comfort on my recumbent than the best trained regular bike guy can. Plus it pisses them off that I can ride and take photos and eat some almonds, whine they are always standing on the pedals.
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Biking is better (Score:5, Interesting)
Riding a recumbent fixes this
The problem with recumbent cyclists riding in traffic is they're invisible. A cyclist riding a traditional bicycle with a blinking light on his helmet is up high and very visible to me as a driver - I give him space. Often with recumbent cyclists people don't see them until they're on top of them. I think if your region has lots of cycling infrastructure that keeps you separate from cars (Vancouver / Amsterdam) then recumbents make sense, but not if you're in traffic.
Re:Just Think (Score:4, Interesting)
Start riding. Thirty miles a day is a lot at first, because you aren't in shape, so you have to ramp up to it. You start out with maybe three easy miles a day, but do it consistently, every day. After a few weeks it'll seem easy, so start ramping up. Pay attention to how your butt feels after the ride—if it's seriously sore, you're going too far. But if you just keep adding miles, you'll get up to thirty in a month or two, depending on what kind of condition you're in. The main thing is that if you start off too aggressively, you'll injure yourself and stop, whereas if you start gradually, you'll be able to build up to the point where thirty miles in two bite-sized chunks is easy.
Re:Its the economy stupid! (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, China is going in the other direction. Car ownership in China has exploded in the last decade, and where once bicycles were everywhere, now traffic jams are prevalent. The level of pollution that comes from the cars is skyrocketing (on top of other forms as well) and the enormous numbers of novice drivers are causing major accidents. There are some people who are filing an insurance claim a month.
Re:Just Think (Score:3, Interesting)
I live in Houston.
It is **very** bike unfriendly. Most of the city streets do not have sidewalks. There are vast sections next to the highways that do not.
My friend, lilo (founder of Freenode.net), was biking home one night at 11:30 PM just a short distance from the old Freenode headquarters when he was hit and killed by a 2-time-DUI driver and instantly killed.
A coworker of mine used to bike 20 miles every week, just for exercise, until he was hit by an uninsured illegal alien driver. The driver was quickly deported to Mexico where he served no extra time (just a few weeks in total), while my coworker died.
Everyone in Houston pretty much has these stories. ANd then there's teh road rage. There are so few bikers, the ones who try to bike in the streets get cokes thrown all over them, strings of profanities, chain car honking at them, road rage, etc. I once saw a guy in front of me swerve so hard into the biker's lane that the biker fell down. Then the guy rolled down his window and started cackling in laughter.
That's what's it's like to bike in Houston...
OH and did I mention most of the year it's close to 100% humidity, 95-110 F, and there are LEGIONS of mosquitos between early March and late September??? And it rains all the time. Who in their right mine would even ride a motorcycle in those conditions?!
The US needs more practical bikes (Score:5, Interesting)
Part of the problem with biking culture in the US it is an evolution of racing/track/BMX bikes. These are designed for weight reduction and aerodynamics rather than comfort. Exposed chains are almost universal, necessitating having your leg cuff rolled up or rubber banded, if you try to wear normal clothes.
Meanwhile in places like The Netherlands and Denmark, bikes are built to be practical for normal people in normal clothes to ride in a comfortable position. Step-through bikes are the norm and are not considered "women's" bikes.
The first image on this page is a Dutch-style bike. The lower pics are the closest thing America has to offer. http://clevercycles.com/blog/2007/06/26/dutchness/ [clevercycles.com]
Notice on the Dutch bike:
1) UPRIGHT POSTURE -- for comfort rather than aerodynamics
2) FULL CHAIN CASE -- So you can wear *regular clothes* without getting grease all over them or having them get caught in the gears.
3) COAT GUARD OVER REAR WHEEL -- If you wear loose, long clothes like coats, jackets, or skirts (or a tux), it will not get caught in the rear spokes.
4) LARGE FENDERS -- Also to keep your clothes clean if the ground is wet or dirty!
These things add weight to the bike or add wind resistance. Sports bikes in the US shun all these things. Unfortunately, sports bike design has affected even "city" bikes in the US, which means that people barely remember what a full chain case or coat guard are anymore.
In the Netherlands, people go out clubbing on their bikes wearing their sexy outfits. Members of parliament bike to work wearing their suit and tie.
If we want people to switch to bikes in the US, we need features like these so people don't have the inconvenience of having to change clothes or roll up their pant leg (and still risk grease or nicks on their calves). These are all obvious solutions that are just not as obvious to American bicyclists because they never see them now.
Re:Its the economy stupid! (Score:5, Interesting)
Yup. I ride my bike to work downtown 3-4 days a week, but I drive a fancy shiny BMW on the weekends/road trips out of town. My 15 mile commute home takes the same 45 minutes by bike or car due to the lack of direct highways, school zones and traffic (also it's downhill all the way to my house) and only takes about 5-10 minutes longer to get to work than taking the car.
Besides what I save on gas, bike repairs are hundreds of dollars cheaper and you can't get speeding/school zone speeding/stop sign/red light tickets on a bike, and I've effectively doubled the lifespan of my car. I'm down from 10,000-12,000 miles to 4,400 miles so far this year, and that includes monthly roadtrips to houston for sailing. Rather than replacing my "gently used" car every 4-5 years, at this rate I'll be able to hang on to this one for ten.
Also I've lost 30 lbs and people have started asking me "what are you doing to stay in shape?" when I'm able to keep up with them at the lunch buffet yet keep losing weight.My company dropped my health insurance policy by $60 a month due to their "healthy habits" incentive program, I don't have to pay to park downtown ($5 a day). The $300 a year I put in to my bicycle more than pays for itself.