Nielsa said:
It's mainly a matter of hearts and minds, no? Engineering wise, it's not an expensive operation to make those bike lanes that are raised 2-3 inches. One of the people in the video said it: "we just have to squeeze the cars a little."
Sometimes you have roads that are wide enough that you can easily add a decent bike lane. Otherwise, "squeezing the cars" could mean going from a boulevard with six car lanes, to five car lanes and two bike lanes. Or, like in some cities I've seen, you have two bike lanes, two narrow car lanes (too narrow for trucks and buses) and two wide car/bus/truck lanes.
Even if the road loses some capacity for car throughput, (which is not necessarily the case) people in the bike lanes means less people making car congestion.
In some of the main car roads in Bordeaux there's a combined lane for buses and bikes. Plenty of possibilities. You just need people in local government to make the decisions. There's the Times Square/Broadway pedestrian zone in New York, right?
I guess this is easier here in most European cities where you have a relatively compact core where people gather to work and/or socialize.
PS Biking to work or school up one of those San Fransisco hills that are famous from movies - like doing a mini Fleche Wallonne every day?
It very much is a matter of hearts and minds; - of achieving a certain critical mass in people's thinking. There is a lot that could be done, in this and other countries, to kick-start cycling popularity.
In countries with a national health plan (that would be almost every industrialized nation other than the U.S.), tax incentives could be provided to those who take up cycling, as well as to those employers who facilitate it.
A really ambitious program could involve heavy taxation of automobile purchases, and of their use on city streets, and for fuel. This money would be earmarked for building out cycling infrastructure in the cities, and even between cities and states (and also for public transport - buses, light rail, etc). A voucher could be issued to every person between five and one hundred, for the purchase of a human powered vehicle, be it recumbent, trike, two-wheeled, etc. - with the proviso that said vehicle had to be assembled inside the country whose government was providing the voucher, and at least the frame manufactured there from domestic materials.
I think such a program, or something similar, could result in a jobs boom and a fitness boom. Of course, success would be entirely contingent upon people's enthusiasm and eagerness to participate in some way. And that would be down to the media, and to people's cost-benefit perceptions. Beyond perceptions, it would have to be something that really would be of demonstrable benefit to society, both individuals and businesses - of all kinds.
Ultimately, it would need to be done in steps, and at the behest of the public through plebiscites of some kind, rather than by fiat from above. But, obviously, a start must be made through the build out of infrastructure in the cities, and tax incentives. I know - I sound like a true Social Democrat, don't I?
San Francisco commuters
Funny you should mention Fleche Wallonne. When you live in a city comprised of many hills, many of which are hair-raisingly steep, you get used to it after a while. It starts to seem normal. Yet, at the same time, you can challenge yourself on every ride, if you wish - and it's easy, very easy, to imagine you are riding in one of the hillier Spring Classics (which of course makes it all the more imperative that you blast through that light that's about to turn red). You know you've become acclimated when you find you enjoy the climbing almost as much as the descending.
We have hills (and serious mountains) in LA, but it isn't the same, alas.
RedheadDane said:
I guess Copenhagen has a bit of an advantage due to it being as flat as it is. But I'd say things are pretty cool around here too.
There's been a steady growth of cycling lanes around the city, unfortunately some roads are so narrow that isn't really possible. Of course you
could simply make them bikes only but I'm afraid even in
this country that would cause an up-roar.
maltiv said:
While Norway is crazy about professional cycling, cyclists on the road are not accepted at all. The bike lanes are mostly either non-existent, poorly executed or unusable, whilst riding in the road more often than not leads to inpatient car drivers risking lives to pass you (despite the cyclist doing 48 in the 50 zone...). Which is very weird, considering how controlled and safe Norwegians normally drive, relatively. However, the situation has improved slightly, but still a looong way to go in order to become as good as for example Denmark or Mallorca.
You know, here in the US, we think Europe as a whole has long since made its accommodation with cycling and public transport. So it's refreshing to hear that that isn't necessarily the case. At least there is the awareness there that it has to happen.
I feel sorry for the Chinese. No sooner will the vast majority be off bikes and into cars, than they'll have to exit the cars and get back on the bikes.
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