tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46535089867884345162024-03-18T18:00:15.961-07:00planbikeCycling as serious transport for better health, community, and economy now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-57262679274939826052017-07-04T18:14:00.000-07:002017-07-09T16:18:18.187-07:00London Bike Experience 2017: Part I Unwavering resolve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Unwavering resolve</h3>
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NOTHING stops London cyclists. As evidence, witness this video. <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="252" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nhJRou9QeYw" width="448"></iframe></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Keep calm and pedal on</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just another day in the sea of car</td></tr>
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It's been a while since the last post on this blog. A lot has changed with the world since 2015. Fortunately, one thing that hasn't is Londoner's commitment to cycling as serious transport.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Inspiring layover</h3>
I first witnessed this on my way to the <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/10/paris-bike-infrastructure-impressions.html">Journée Sans Voiture</a>: Paris' closure of major parts of the city to cars. Flying in and out of London, gave me a chance to catch a truly magical London Critical Mass and an all too brief daytime tour of the city for the day before my return. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Critical Mass in London</td></tr>
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As great as the Paris tour was, I returned home most spellbound by the transformation I witnessed in London. The irony was Paris had the bike lanes but London had the riders. The contrast in ridership was stark: not only between the two cities but between present day and the 1990s London I first witnessed.<br />
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I knew I had only scratched the surface of the London cycling experience so I vowed to return soon for a deeper look. It took two years but I finally made it back.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Price or passion?</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINWYjqDXOu3fELThX6pxCUcKwXAZX5tEt7jmKk9KMuEh5l5-cWgywliTAng5_Ndu1TMjdkAYu9kkTWo68180PrvBeLyHaX_fapOWKxQQCZvU021vvuYLiYYSNvHSE7DCA5rE5M0FCbbt5/s1600/DSC02346.ARW" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINWYjqDXOu3fELThX6pxCUcKwXAZX5tEt7jmKk9KMuEh5l5-cWgywliTAng5_Ndu1TMjdkAYu9kkTWo68180PrvBeLyHaX_fapOWKxQQCZvU021vvuYLiYYSNvHSE7DCA5rE5M0FCbbt5/s200/DSC02346.ARW" width="200" /></a>Originally, when I shared how moved I was by the volume and range of people cycling in London, one ex-pat Londoner in America said it was due to the <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge">Congestion Charge</a> not romance for cycling.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Passion!</h3>
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My heart sank a bit at this but I was determined to find this was false and that I did. Every London cyclist I asked said it was a massive cultural shift in the city: that their love of bike racing and commuting was real. One rider described bike commuting: "like a magic carpet ride around the city". Another enjoyed the feast for the senses you get with a bike that a bus or car cannot match. None said anything about the price of driving.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginIdtaTyPSuknI6y2EFiohidHMgV2Y2LTQab0ou3HIsxKIAmPsjcO3jxE7ICNuR_6qbGAI9JgTEXl12MjtKX-7ddbcyGTTmro7fxcBe_DIhV3mw15tlX3L0C_saZWm1S0RK2w30xpk4kv/s1600/DSC06275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginIdtaTyPSuknI6y2EFiohidHMgV2Y2LTQab0ou3HIsxKIAmPsjcO3jxE7ICNuR_6qbGAI9JgTEXl12MjtKX-7ddbcyGTTmro7fxcBe_DIhV3mw15tlX3L0C_saZWm1S0RK2w30xpk4kv/s200/DSC06275.JPG" width="200" /></a>Nevertheless, beyond the fun there is a lot of pragmatism to be found in cycling London. It is a truly superior way to get around a city with few long straight roads and extremely heavy congestion with really no chance of any vehicle (motorized or otherwise) going above 30 KPH for long. Bikes perform beautifully under such conditions and Londoners clearly realize that.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Cycling courage</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrounded by two-stories of steel</td></tr>
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Amsterdam and Copenhagen get props for embracing bikes but Londoners must be commended for embracing the bike despite the lack of safety measures those bike meccas enjoy.<br />
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That a great auto-loving nation can make such a transformation is moving enough. It is exponentially so when considering the parade of fatal accidents London cyclists endure due to lack of infrastructure and untrained lorry drivers. The courage of Londoners through adversity is legendary. It is quite evident that extends to cycling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1sVtFn2iJOfGT0TGAZgfgmO8cjv-DzN9C3NZeog5L8Fli98JiuC3lZs8uJqO4YbUBkw6p1IJ9lE4fu7OQK8r-IkvlhemzZdifemzGfsGcOnzYZXJDLyOORa9AmeZ2qLTJqRMZk95mwe0/s1600/DSC06319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1sVtFn2iJOfGT0TGAZgfgmO8cjv-DzN9C3NZeog5L8Fli98JiuC3lZs8uJqO4YbUBkw6p1IJ9lE4fu7OQK8r-IkvlhemzZdifemzGfsGcOnzYZXJDLyOORa9AmeZ2qLTJqRMZk95mwe0/s200/DSC06319.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Between my two visits, I read of half a dozen Londoners who perished cycling (often very preventably when lorries turned into them unable or negligent in watching out for them). One occurred in Chelsea during this visit. Yet, you still see sights like those in these photos: cyclists threading their 25lb machines betwixt jagged multi-ton vehicles. They carry on with this when it rains. Truly moving.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Rider Range</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRJtCGkuP0U-RJC9vVeO5M6Lwxovrl0_N8FrfWKiW2iKI1MPUzKEsT2cH1az2bcnm3P_dDn4hdAY6Tbdnmbqd4-E8OstpbJv1CXVqGoXaTR7N0RXC8M9oahIcGR8FvIt5Jh5lFw5rGtFh/s1600/DSC02433.ARW" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRJtCGkuP0U-RJC9vVeO5M6Lwxovrl0_N8FrfWKiW2iKI1MPUzKEsT2cH1az2bcnm3P_dDn4hdAY6Tbdnmbqd4-E8OstpbJv1CXVqGoXaTR7N0RXC8M9oahIcGR8FvIt5Jh5lFw5rGtFh/s200/DSC02433.ARW" width="200" /></a>A refreshing aspect of London's cycling community is the range of riders you find. Some communities have a decent age range but can be a lot of "boys on bikes", often from the same demographic. Not so in London. It has that contingent for sure but it also has a very strong gender, class, and ethnicity distribution.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Pedaling Parents</h3>
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Also impressive were the number of childseats on the bikes. In the US, one common excuse for not cycling I hear is that it is simply not practical to truck around small children and all their gear. Many London riders show otherwise.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: left;">London Women Represent</span></h3>
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Countless articles in the US lament how to get more women bike commuting. They talk about special infrastructure to coax these so-called timid riders onto the road, etc. However, seeing all the women cycling in London makes you wonder whether that's a factor. From Peckham to Shoreditch and the west end as well, I saw a large percentage of female riders.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoreditch rush hour</td></tr>
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There are dedicated bike lanes in London but they rarely last for the whole journey. Despite all the risks and lack of infrastructure, women glide fearlessly among the lorries as often as anyone else.<br />
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And, it is not just during rush hour. On a mid-afternoon visit to Peckham, it was mostly women riders: these gals.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO15_J0pt_lppL9EuNP7-D1khcYV8L7svp2uIuYkRd-RJ7OwjXIeVnW7nzM-09iTztX1bQnD3Gal4112ap6D2_werCP6-8MQpKXu5vgfsj7ze7bMrFoGWcw3a0-mu33YYNRRtbk234I3n/s1600/DSC00897.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO15_J0pt_lppL9EuNP7-D1khcYV8L7svp2uIuYkRd-RJ7OwjXIeVnW7nzM-09iTztX1bQnD3Gal4112ap6D2_werCP6-8MQpKXu5vgfsj7ze7bMrFoGWcw3a0-mu33YYNRRtbk234I3n/s200/DSC00897.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqR1bx-N_YPf2rAVOh_PsIT4Y1oepujeR3ZG8PfMMFs-kLLbnBffmsRZ8h5k0gNz45DyhNwbo3Y9nGEBqcYYowClfF58M1QqwMWuUHeWIoPZqA-yUT0eFPMPP3CunMQNJ88LgxL9SOqqRB/s1600/DSC00927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqR1bx-N_YPf2rAVOh_PsIT4Y1oepujeR3ZG8PfMMFs-kLLbnBffmsRZ8h5k0gNz45DyhNwbo3Y9nGEBqcYYowClfF58M1QqwMWuUHeWIoPZqA-yUT0eFPMPP3CunMQNJ88LgxL9SOqqRB/s200/DSC00927.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">Peckham bike commuters</td></tr>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Age, class, ethnicity, style represent as well</h3>
<div>
The diverse ridership does not stop with gender. In London, you regularly find the gambit of age, class, ethnicity, and style on bikes: not just sometimes, every day. Cycling is now clearly part of every kind of life there.<br />
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</div>
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Here is a sample of those braving the mixed-use London roads.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" class="tr-caption-container" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkCSniDY1u3mM3FqZgR-H953fSeJ7T2tq1P3HHUU4VlEtsANgDcHJv6zqmLTfjQnW7sQLKyrE1rGGnNxP_ztf0ZjNqeam_QzkfrikdnzoQzQLJl-tGwhjrLt71DUbIhSaCa8uHJ0rnAjt/s1600/DSC00856.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkCSniDY1u3mM3FqZgR-H953fSeJ7T2tq1P3HHUU4VlEtsANgDcHJv6zqmLTfjQnW7sQLKyrE1rGGnNxP_ztf0ZjNqeam_QzkfrikdnzoQzQLJl-tGwhjrLt71DUbIhSaCa8uHJ0rnAjt/s200/DSC00856.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N-xli2XYzGgg6y-I_ktzWY0l3SAtxRPx0FTxlGq1cuuSaAvU585YOhusrJs-rVhL6wwHKZwXHM6-0S1lFlm-MKyKw6VjYlVaX2l8wK-EJZrcvJ4HXlmZ2rxWQMIs8akHi_kxyeieHvld/s1600/DSC06067.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N-xli2XYzGgg6y-I_ktzWY0l3SAtxRPx0FTxlGq1cuuSaAvU585YOhusrJs-rVhL6wwHKZwXHM6-0S1lFlm-MKyKw6VjYlVaX2l8wK-EJZrcvJ4HXlmZ2rxWQMIs8akHi_kxyeieHvld/s200/DSC06067.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfKYQFjl6SDjbeB4eqRM3yNIY5YGLIKIY2puxNur4J0WLpPy60DkX9T7c9Sy0B_uVfuW8zoQiwVuB9cJobsjVk7RMCELG900TbYglbw-NUV88okAmeOhGN_wy_K9EFpdDAfJ-ebyhBo-l/s1600/DSC04273.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfKYQFjl6SDjbeB4eqRM3yNIY5YGLIKIY2puxNur4J0WLpPy60DkX9T7c9Sy0B_uVfuW8zoQiwVuB9cJobsjVk7RMCELG900TbYglbw-NUV88okAmeOhGN_wy_K9EFpdDAfJ-ebyhBo-l/s200/DSC04273.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy1UNIxgV6rhSbCZvtnjHaf0bSZRSpsjg7EEcFlLxxup5ZvfHyLc9KIYSr4uzxKCBayIbx4yDoWiZLQtBEacM2kha9s0nbmHMEVId8G5AV52CJ9PxDgq8RR1KX_B4Sn6f4JRETFKWbRrj/s1600/DSC00803.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy1UNIxgV6rhSbCZvtnjHaf0bSZRSpsjg7EEcFlLxxup5ZvfHyLc9KIYSr4uzxKCBayIbx4yDoWiZLQtBEacM2kha9s0nbmHMEVId8G5AV52CJ9PxDgq8RR1KX_B4Sn6f4JRETFKWbRrj/s200/DSC00803.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gDP-EzSKeaBRfXq1ab6DUQDBdQz74GFijPfBY1N3jH-EwQQ1eJvZJIhWVxXOAjq8M-CKzgcXftY-jQNxl3aKrJPIklhovdJnFYREi0uLwthKA1Jj7OWByaJGkggSwerYGdJ4w1b2M0OQ/s1600/DSC06399.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gDP-EzSKeaBRfXq1ab6DUQDBdQz74GFijPfBY1N3jH-EwQQ1eJvZJIhWVxXOAjq8M-CKzgcXftY-jQNxl3aKrJPIklhovdJnFYREi0uLwthKA1Jj7OWByaJGkggSwerYGdJ4w1b2M0OQ/s200/DSC06399.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja86hZVf83rWL8k1SwbcAP5lUbpuF-SvxccUNDyfn17SJ6pvlcbBC2_LRmUd5vmDvuVJANhxHXlwn3kF08pzNqd-EYLnSTfUS21yQuC7ABFnkTyLhpxkE0xbDU3Ti293hYkkQGPh53MYU6/s1600/DSC00820.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja86hZVf83rWL8k1SwbcAP5lUbpuF-SvxccUNDyfn17SJ6pvlcbBC2_LRmUd5vmDvuVJANhxHXlwn3kF08pzNqd-EYLnSTfUS21yQuC7ABFnkTyLhpxkE0xbDU3Ti293hYkkQGPh53MYU6/s200/DSC00820.JPG" width="200" /></a>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">All walks of life cycle London</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Diverse bicycles</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8jrHEl6PCr6W3BqtsDyTYKtocl8IQ2QpeVkRFfACkNKyi-flLsBMymd2zgiXVOqFfmd9WafNKUq9HX6nSwo29kD4ZKnl9EzwKgZolMQqGZeui__YGbpoIGMr55hDvkTvHz2da1_-8ka3/s1600/DSC06011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8jrHEl6PCr6W3BqtsDyTYKtocl8IQ2QpeVkRFfACkNKyi-flLsBMymd2zgiXVOqFfmd9WafNKUq9HX6nSwo29kD4ZKnl9EzwKgZolMQqGZeui__YGbpoIGMr55hDvkTvHz2da1_-8ka3/s200/DSC06011.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brompton in Chelsea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since Britain is the home of the <a href="https://www.brompton.com/">Brompton</a> (a global folding bicycle brand), it is no surprise that London sports a lot of those.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Folding Bike Free Trade</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTPZRWz2HoxRTr0cfxbLndcXH4_nVuBwzpQjI9OrzdMD7WeI3kOqQCGjyJsUF0ZAJIvyjCn0ojoVGIrp7dRaOC4BJHR5AhCnuwznfxAbiYDnwu4GLIAKrZLb7TXD8JfC779_h8070C-wH/s1600/DSC02223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSTPZRWz2HoxRTr0cfxbLndcXH4_nVuBwzpQjI9OrzdMD7WeI3kOqQCGjyJsUF0ZAJIvyjCn0ojoVGIrp7dRaOC4BJHR5AhCnuwznfxAbiYDnwu4GLIAKrZLb7TXD8JfC779_h8070C-wH/s200/DSC02223.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tern Folding Bike in Hampstead</td></tr>
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Found this <a href="http://www.ternbicycles.com/">Tern</a> rider in Hampstead: sporting the competing folding bike deep in the heart of Brompton country. Glad to see free trade alive and well in the cycling community.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtfMkfFBC2QCFHn-1yQWSPnr25FNI7ZQHX_UEHN0P_9ambL3GOIsmTqA0nli9Ww58zipKDZkMYdAHK6kFlgtvVfRlKhw_AEXsDPOES2h7WjcYchWH3RvcYOEd3uRH7ap0VgB7sR4dcf3v/s1600/DSC05224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtfMkfFBC2QCFHn-1yQWSPnr25FNI7ZQHX_UEHN0P_9ambL3GOIsmTqA0nli9Ww58zipKDZkMYdAHK6kFlgtvVfRlKhw_AEXsDPOES2h7WjcYchWH3RvcYOEd3uRH7ap0VgB7sR4dcf3v/s200/DSC05224.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exotic bikes</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Other Exotic Bikes</h3>
These guys represent a smattering of the different types of bikes found on London streets. The exotic bikes rival all the exotic cars. That middle one looks like a <a href="https://www.vanmoof.com/en_us/">Vanmoof</a>. Very cool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jzIVmg7Lx5u0ygIPyQ2I8K0aHoGDP4dpgpJ-delLo3TUudBrE6g8cuvtC48lTmilLwwejvlj-HbGxDTLhrAfEZpXYu7KsBM8njeyLd9NhhHJYSCj_24_jP1JDXdexzP_ef6d-u0-yuMr/s1600/DSC02758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jzIVmg7Lx5u0ygIPyQ2I8K0aHoGDP4dpgpJ-delLo3TUudBrE6g8cuvtC48lTmilLwwejvlj-HbGxDTLhrAfEZpXYu7KsBM8njeyLd9NhhHJYSCj_24_jP1JDXdexzP_ef6d-u0-yuMr/s200/DSC02758.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
This "red bike" just looked like a spontaneous custom paint job but to great effect. It was striking as it went by.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Against the wind</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YG-4Yq62H7hTG8wzymJWQj7Fk7m9FU6sTbJ8sIC7qkcj788FlFkS9ny9Gk9vASmzhUIwBh2oU_3hTTNL1JYZNtYkmww-9dLtkM3r35gUKIw6zrb5Jj4CoiY_B8q3NE-6BOPBSYhF-R1r/s1600/DSC06388.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YG-4Yq62H7hTG8wzymJWQj7Fk7m9FU6sTbJ8sIC7qkcj788FlFkS9ny9Gk9vASmzhUIwBh2oU_3hTTNL1JYZNtYkmww-9dLtkM3r35gUKIw6zrb5Jj4CoiY_B8q3NE-6BOPBSYhF-R1r/s200/DSC06388.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZlJFj5JB_IGNKdbNSNXjB1vQYB1vKiGZA95nfQ75k6kPmR9oePD7KbRTHgAY2xC67yjfW1YbXP0ezt2AkbIysJ2zG_GIZo-ozPbCpB_sdyYwTlp9pplcxqEDMbzHmLNBrDDq0x1R0jXI/s1600/DSC06393.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZlJFj5JB_IGNKdbNSNXjB1vQYB1vKiGZA95nfQ75k6kPmR9oePD7KbRTHgAY2xC67yjfW1YbXP0ezt2AkbIysJ2zG_GIZo-ozPbCpB_sdyYwTlp9pplcxqEDMbzHmLNBrDDq0x1R0jXI/s200/DSC06393.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London cyclists with masks</td></tr>
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One final moving but sad observation about London cyclists is their <b>resolve to endure, not just the kinetic risk of getting hit but, the atmospheric risks of air pollution</b>. Sights like these are still very common. It illustrates how pervasive car exhaust, particularly diesel exhaust, is throughout the city.<br />
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According to a study by <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-09/london-activists-ramp-up-fight-against-deadly-air-pollution/8168076">Kings College from 2015</a>, 10,000 Londoners die from air pollution annually. Sadly, you can feel why when you ride there. The exhaust is often overwhelming. That is the last thing you want when you are breathing deeply to power a bike. The fact that so many Londoners don't let that stop them is, again, a testament to their resolve.<br />
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London cyclists ride despite the lorries, the lack of lanes, the weather, and the air itself. I hope all sides can see their way to let that passion flourish as safely as possible.<br />
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Until then, God speed braving the chaos, Londoners! You inspire us all!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-18403642674317616502015-10-19T19:57:00.001-07:002015-11-27T17:08:02.595-08:00Paris Bike Infrastructure Impressions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2>
Journée Sans Voiture Reconnaissance</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3-YTzTJNujB0RNbyTRYwCVw8Z3KQv2z9HnABjd95O5LUkRiz-Sqz9rMJV3pFO92ImqDda_NNhSQ6t-Xuster1OQjbQgePSvGg_TOxOZ1_cjL-Odf21NuLxmlbmrLJLTaEBp0tH1N1Ba0/s1600/DSC00453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3-YTzTJNujB0RNbyTRYwCVw8Z3KQv2z9HnABjd95O5LUkRiz-Sqz9rMJV3pFO92ImqDda_NNhSQ6t-Xuster1OQjbQgePSvGg_TOxOZ1_cjL-Odf21NuLxmlbmrLJLTaEBp0tH1N1Ba0/s200/DSC00453.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Sunrise from bike path along the Seine</td></tr>
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On September 27, 2015, Paris rescued some its most beautiful spots from cars: <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/09/paris-journee-sans-voitures.html">Journée Sans Voiture</a>. I arrived the day before to get my bearings and see what these areas were like before the car ban.<br />
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<caption>Cycling at dawn underneath Voie Georges Pompidou past the Eiffel Tower</caption>
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<b>Many cities are satisfied to call a coat of green paint a bike lane</b>. Although Paris had a lot of this too, there were many great protected lanes showing considerable commitment to safe cycling: like the pedestrian/bike tunnel that goes underneath the Voie Georges Pompidou thoroughfare which runs along the Seine. It provided a safe way to a very nice bike path along the Seine right across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. A dawn ride on the last day, yielded stunning views of the Eiffel Tower under an utterly clear sky. <br />
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<h3>
Pre-Event Impressions</h3>
Even before my bike was unpacked, I found some great examples of the Paris bike experience. Just walking a half mile or so from the train station towards my hotel, I saw these sites.<br />
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<h4>
Not in Kansas Anymore</h4>
<h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOc6xzYnwzABjv1CMIAtRT_63NnccozN64bia29oHFmlI65mhy1JJL0tEisrPZtompN1_U4kOIjOu3lUTxNedsNPRALGt8hr1WhkVX04ts1EM5jgpPZuMBRt-hKG8nLrBD6FdxwGyg93c/s1600/DSC04778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOc6xzYnwzABjv1CMIAtRT_63NnccozN64bia29oHFmlI65mhy1JJL0tEisrPZtompN1_U4kOIjOu3lUTxNedsNPRALGt8hr1WhkVX04ts1EM5jgpPZuMBRt-hKG8nLrBD6FdxwGyg93c/s200/DSC04778.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Paris: more style than the average street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h4>
One of the first things I encountered was this scene:<br />
<ul>
<li>the beautiful Metro signage, lighting, and railing</li>
<li>the stylish cyclist</li>
<li>the lovely trees and architecture</li>
</ul>
It felt like Paris alright: just a gorgeous scene. But what about the actual bike infrastructure?<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Great function</h4>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERTAbSsaFSI/VglguNtZByI/AAAAAAABZPA/Y5E7BpPjo3Y/s1600/DSC04774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERTAbSsaFSI/VglguNtZByI/AAAAAAABZPA/Y5E7BpPjo3Y/s200/DSC04774.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">First bike lane seen outside train station.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was the first bike lane I saw: dedicated to cyclists, protected from cars. Definitely battling for respect from the pedestrians and with pavement not in the best shape. Nonetheless, it provides the most important thing in a bike lane: shelter from cars. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaCGpVQx2v_vNG2mex-PQ6rJ7YrlQMjYs5LLMswZKThwycuj2CFjno_s_a_rk-UgAtIPAXuzSrQftq7TkOadu6Z_qalb1GZdjWBxZw9Oix0m_P9C7phgUAObxWgviDZ3XEiVfm6m9wLeq/s1600/DSC04843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br />
<div>
<h4>
Spectacular form and function</h4>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZDDEsxmLfUf5yjiDFi0SluGJFRWzyfqxEzdw_ZoAhE3sUZc8OOsj1VgP9UncN8JGYUi9kmLbwqJkFWw7OCfgkTlSk2Hi-tmq3XP4Yf7Kvnuln_snQ6pM9CgcF-xa2wUOt7h-hRQ-OHDA/s1600/DSC04781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZDDEsxmLfUf5yjiDFi0SluGJFRWzyfqxEzdw_ZoAhE3sUZc8OOsj1VgP9UncN8JGYUi9kmLbwqJkFWw7OCfgkTlSk2Hi-tmq3XP4Yf7Kvnuln_snQ6pM9CgcF-xa2wUOt7h-hRQ-OHDA/s200/DSC04781.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The most beautiful bike lane I've </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">seen in Paris yet.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was the second bike lane I saw: absolutely gorgeous and safely away from cars. Unfortunately, not the norm but how could it be. Cycling through miles of lush garden might be too much to ask.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Qu'est-ce que c'est?</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9lFtE8hDIPY/ViWpnezRK-I/AAAAAAABg_c/Ijd_bgmAGcQ/s800-Ic42/DSC05144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9lFtE8hDIPY/ViWpnezRK-I/AAAAAAABg_c/Ijd_bgmAGcQ/s800-Ic42/DSC05144.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arc de Triomphe at Rush Hour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I did encounter some bike infrastructure design that was perplexing if not annoying. Although I highlight it below, this is not to say the Paris cycling experience is anything less than great in many places and way beyond many cities.<br />
<br />
<b>Arc de Triomphe avec voiture</b><br />
The first surprise was that the Arc de Triomphe was not included in the car ban. If there is any place in Paris more deserving of a car ban, it is there. More pics of the Arc and cyclists <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/09/paris-journee-sans-voitures.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Tight Squeeze</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EcLu79-fIuFpeR8VdopsFt_ZSQfthU0F-lcd4N1v9NlGdlfPINr5RG1axOQaJSauGSRrMdspH06j9_juHp5TgpsrGVM-ccxgEFTnUt_bXNsL_icUMESyB9CgsCtfiDhzDs0V1Z-yS_rT/s1600/DSC00320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EcLu79-fIuFpeR8VdopsFt_ZSQfthU0F-lcd4N1v9NlGdlfPINr5RG1axOQaJSauGSRrMdspH06j9_juHp5TgpsrGVM-ccxgEFTnUt_bXNsL_icUMESyB9CgsCtfiDhzDs0V1Z-yS_rT/s200/DSC00320.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Pretty tight and a ped risk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Quite a few bike lanes, like this painted lane near the Eiffel Tower, were questionable:<br />
<ul>
<li>Pedestrians on this corner might be hit if cyclists banked turns where this lane told them. </li>
<li>Not much space between bikes and fast moving cars. </li>
<li>At the end of the curve (upper right of the frame), there is a wicked sharp left. No one is making that left without stopping: just as they enter oncoming traffic.</li>
</ul>
This one might not be better than nothing because it guides cyclists into some sketchy circumstances.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Pedestrians beware</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT_ng2yPsoMLfB47V_cgQVWVxue3fM5us_AJr6e1Po6_saXtJH-rJc5iNJcF-kw6It_3lezHZzUBa6MXRlA6ZrDazwVqIXD7DGp5qwhMxWO30hLCfJV-r_8GrF1nxDvCnqGp_ZM_eyNAC/s1600/DSC04882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT_ng2yPsoMLfB47V_cgQVWVxue3fM5us_AJr6e1Po6_saXtJH-rJc5iNJcF-kw6It_3lezHZzUBa6MXRlA6ZrDazwVqIXD7DGp5qwhMxWO30hLCfJV-r_8GrF1nxDvCnqGp_ZM_eyNAC/s200/DSC04882.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Bike lane by the Louvre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Likewise, this one by the Louvre had a nice barrier between cars but not one between people on the curb. Notoriously oblivious pedestrians would have to be very cognizant that cyclists are whizzing right next to them. Still, this would be deluxe in many countries.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Baffling bevels</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaCGpVQx2v_vNG2mex-PQ6rJ7YrlQMjYs5LLMswZKThwycuj2CFjno_s_a_rk-UgAtIPAXuzSrQftq7TkOadu6Z_qalb1GZdjWBxZw9Oix0m_P9C7phgUAObxWgviDZ3XEiVfm6m9wLeq/s1600/DSC04843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaCGpVQx2v_vNG2mex-PQ6rJ7YrlQMjYs5LLMswZKThwycuj2CFjno_s_a_rk-UgAtIPAXuzSrQftq7TkOadu6Z_qalb1GZdjWBxZw9Oix0m_P9C7phgUAObxWgviDZ3XEiVfm6m9wLeq/s200/DSC04843.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">These bevels got old quick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There was this otherwise beautiful and obviously new lane which had bevels like this one for car driveways. They are steep enough to be quite jarring: needlessly so. Making these elevation changes more gradual seems easily doable and far more usable to bikes.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Sheltered sharrows: nice but uneven</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42wzMP58MWd8e5M5sYugv2L35z0Kp6XqHaVBNGSXqRvHhdXmL1-zwZA624dM6ve9ahYKLlxYuZO1IZOKtObQS4JflXfyCPmYg5DXsiwvJrjJbf-8Q0xI8AffDC44oS_GP9TIvRnNZwBm5/s1600/DSC04846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42wzMP58MWd8e5M5sYugv2L35z0Kp6XqHaVBNGSXqRvHhdXmL1-zwZA624dM6ve9ahYKLlxYuZO1IZOKtObQS4JflXfyCPmYg5DXsiwvJrjJbf-8Q0xI8AffDC44oS_GP9TIvRnNZwBm5/s200/DSC04846.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">This speed bump had some of<br />
the smoothest pavement<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were these sharrows in parking lot lanes adjacent to a boulevard. Nice enough except some had sketchy pavement and these speed bumps ensure you won't be getting anywhere fast. <br />
<br />
Some places notch speed bumps so cyclists can get through without launching off their bikes.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Reconnaissance Conclusions</h2>
<h3>
Slow ride, take it easy</h3>
All in all, during my ride around Paris I found myself constantly killing momentum to slow for cracks, bumps or turns. It seems the bike lanes are designed for the heavy and slow 15KPH bike share bikes: <a href="http://en.velib.paris.fr/">Paris Velib</a>. Nevertheless, many of us can and need to sustain 25kph or faster to make cycling a practical mode of transport.<br />
<br />
Protected bike lanes are the ideal but, when encountering these obstacles, it became very tempting to just jump in with the cars after all. Thanks to congestion, it was rarely difficult to keep up with them.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Still great and about to get better</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxFFZHcVXDKT9hPCqfGKLiTDNrXlJVuJ1n3Nb7HWgRs3CPyjjXSeu9XOjSW0DQ4ZI0fizOpHok4Dm7qYjY_g1irDTwDuhjNPbcrMNVK_mOOaZzQOMFIRUc679Cofhk-FpdVr7eFWTaUTT/s1600/DSC00420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxFFZHcVXDKT9hPCqfGKLiTDNrXlJVuJ1n3Nb7HWgRs3CPyjjXSeu9XOjSW0DQ4ZI0fizOpHok4Dm7qYjY_g1irDTwDuhjNPbcrMNVK_mOOaZzQOMFIRUc679Cofhk-FpdVr7eFWTaUTT/s200/DSC00420.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
All that said, many lanes were great: like this one near Belleville Metro Station. Decent spacing, nice distance from pedestrians, plenty of distance from both parked and moving cars. It's even tree-lined.<br />
<br />
Paris has clearly made huge investments in bike infrastructure and <a href="http://www.thelocal.fr/20150403/paris-to-double-number-of-cycling-lanes">stands ready to make a lot more</a>. Vive Paris for their commitment to bicycle transport. We could expect no less from the home of the Tour de France.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-42732617176871161792015-09-28T15:24:00.000-07:002017-07-03T08:32:13.551-07:00Cycling Car-Free Paris: Journée sans Voiture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back in August, I read that Paris would go car-free for one day: <a href="http://parissansvoiture.fr/fr/">Journée sans Voiture</a> (Car Free Day). I had always meant to go to Paris and seeing it car-free was irresistable.<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YiLbAU9GpEI" width="420"></iframe>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody><caption>
GoPro video of cycling Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées during Journée Sans Voiture (Paris' car-free day). The Arc was not included in the car ban but some of us cycled it anyway.</caption></table>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Global Trend</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZm_QolEJy1SFSm-rUdQdCpOn1RUozb-wZoGJmX8mVF8hDcolj__uKeRJw-waBMNSIf7FopqUP5PIdLMNkK_U98UcwA6R3yQFOZHTF4BpH-HSdfNmqq1MrSGl0y457U64Gz-U95vX9NEO/s1600/DSC04932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZm_QolEJy1SFSm-rUdQdCpOn1RUozb-wZoGJmX8mVF8hDcolj__uKeRJw-waBMNSIf7FopqUP5PIdLMNkK_U98UcwA6R3yQFOZHTF4BpH-HSdfNmqq1MrSGl0y457U64Gz-U95vX9NEO/s200/DSC04932.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">The Journée begins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Like <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/10/carless-in-los-angeles-road-to-ciclavia.html" target="_blank">L.A.'s first Ciclavia in 2010</a>, this felt historic. I had to be there to witness the city's high profile shift to the great pleasure of life with fewer cars.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Map of Paris Car Ban</h2>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4M-pT0p6MWpeVA4L1lz8bGTVtrS1MceXnBU8iY1vtsRDlDyO6hhdD0rODz6yOhVYjKYBC2eeHZOfpvG4MiQ2aVjgyq73xL12L_PKK26DpIPrDhAa3QMYxQ4eKpnGkdQ5QKafbz3Zoyd9/s1600/Carte-Journe%25CC%2581e-sans-voiture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4M-pT0p6MWpeVA4L1lz8bGTVtrS1MceXnBU8iY1vtsRDlDyO6hhdD0rODz6yOhVYjKYBC2eeHZOfpvG4MiQ2aVjgyq73xL12L_PKK26DpIPrDhAa3QMYxQ4eKpnGkdQ5QKafbz3Zoyd9/s200/Carte-Journe%25CC%2581e-sans-voiture.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Journée sans Voiture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92PiE0qL7jhHyFq7EMrk3pWsbpSeIqGGu2fDxdOCYcumVbzn5CPJcYE6UUrNGdma4QETx87MzHVZUMLEYtWQppIEQVS5gpSsFYIYmYw_X9aFPCKCrrdhvnb5aPndCsvlZIRq2lsKnJS5p/s1600/DSC04810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92PiE0qL7jhHyFq7EMrk3pWsbpSeIqGGu2fDxdOCYcumVbzn5CPJcYE6UUrNGdma4QETx87MzHVZUMLEYtWQppIEQVS5gpSsFYIYmYw_X9aFPCKCrrdhvnb5aPndCsvlZIRq2lsKnJS5p/s1600/DSC04810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a>The actual city plan turned out to involve total closure of a very small subset of the city. The <b>dotted pink line in the adjacent map shows the spots that would be 100% car-free</b>. Other areas included were not contiguous with this center section.<br />
<br />
The three key spots I most wanted to see car-free were the iconic:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Arc de Triomphe</li>
<li>Champs Elysées</li>
<li>Eiffel Tower</li>
</ul>
<div>
There are pictures below of each one of these with and without cars.</div>
</div>
<div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Journée sans Voiture: Grand but limited</h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbZCD2YkydzMEjnn2SYq9bn1a798z9C9Du3aunEubWwT1XRA0eJv2UGWPpDU8MslZ8rRDXljcUmn-72R5VHmF7r_bqrzMqTUdZvI1ohdmw4-jIIEmViKNA_XcEqUnoWOYccwNbCyo9il/s1600/DSC00297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbZCD2YkydzMEjnn2SYq9bn1a798z9C9Du3aunEubWwT1XRA0eJv2UGWPpDU8MslZ8rRDXljcUmn-72R5VHmF7r_bqrzMqTUdZvI1ohdmw4-jIIEmViKNA_XcEqUnoWOYccwNbCyo9il/s200/DSC00297.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SRO at the Champs Élysées</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The actual event was indeed grand. It made headlines around the world with these kinds of iconic shots. Parisians savored with gusto their freedom to roam iconic spots like the Champs Élysées and Eiffel Tower without fear of cars.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, there were suprising limits to the Journée sans Voiture.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3 id="”arcdetriomphe”" style="text-align: left;">
Arc de Triomphe</h3>
<h4>
Never Car-free</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBL20goxQi7iNR33ZgXVH4DQ-Zd3rGeA7Ky9aIE87l0gseVw3w14u-lml5zx2cEVOoZ14AMvlcqLEC3a5x5rECiNfU9SA86L9AiP-7D_4E1uAvdIwDRa8v3UkkHNbyGHE3M8bP45YvfV2/s1600/DSC00142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBL20goxQi7iNR33ZgXVH4DQ-Zd3rGeA7Ky9aIE87l0gseVw3w14u-lml5zx2cEVOoZ14AMvlcqLEC3a5x5rECiNfU9SA86L9AiP-7D_4E1uAvdIwDRa8v3UkkHNbyGHE3M8bP45YvfV2/s200/DSC00142.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Arc de Triomphe avec voiture: boo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's the Arc de Triomphe at night with cars. I had planned to make this a before shot with another shot from the next day showing the Arc "sans voiture". Unfortunately, the event did not include the Arc de Triomphe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Excluded from Journée sans Voiture</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlKzTDSzMTn7ZIMZbSShnDpv43RueHSwQCUN-oLplOuocrtVQvZjKMA6ejI1631d8b09nmaM6GIevqUHZOxLeMIvmX4QfZiZX2wDTuEbTjAZCaqssIe5KCBaew5_rIJQF9XskscYZ9OIC/s1600/DSC00484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlKzTDSzMTn7ZIMZbSShnDpv43RueHSwQCUN-oLplOuocrtVQvZjKMA6ejI1631d8b09nmaM6GIevqUHZOxLeMIvmX4QfZiZX2wDTuEbTjAZCaqssIe5KCBaew5_rIJQF9XskscYZ9OIC/s200/DSC00484.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical jam at the Arc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's right, the <b>Arc de Triomphe, perhaps the most iconic point of car domination in Paris, was excluded from the <a href="http://parissansvoiture.fr/en/" target="_blank">Journée sans Voiture</a></b> even though it is literally feet from the Champs Élysées. All the pictures of the event make it look like the Arc was included but sadly it wasn't.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Only 99% car-free at dawn</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnf4cP_P1QGuWcui4fq9os8j9vB7S72QVrl9HG5G04EJTCzqOdFSu7DxjcWtcTtzp_dnl7XZmnfdT_sBNPGMa0EN28Ry1Vy9mnTX7zxmAWzsHhP4jQ9Uzlkq5SI257sNAjMumxPfY3ujx/s1600/DSC04782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnf4cP_P1QGuWcui4fq9os8j9vB7S72QVrl9HG5G04EJTCzqOdFSu7DxjcWtcTtzp_dnl7XZmnfdT_sBNPGMa0EN28Ry1Vy9mnTX7zxmAWzsHhP4jQ9Uzlkq5SI257sNAjMumxPfY3ujx/s200/DSC04782.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">99% car-free but only</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">at the crack of dawn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This photo from 6 a.m. Sunday morning, way before any official car bans, is the closest I got to a car-free Arc de Triomphe. Beautiful. <b>How much more beautiful it would have been to see people picnicking all around the Arc de Triomphe</b>. C'est la vie...<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Belgians and I take the lane anyway</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA-B1TcXdzHXjX5HWfhLl4wzF-G6fYjFu0F6jmbOzi_AybpWoMtHnubqOmO7i_QCfbaiKz-TX8QP7M1YFgYtMq5j0s9ij-c6s06S0LK_Sja8YM6xTGYlV1zIYIWIDdM_SKgkRQ2hiMaSX/s1600/DSC04925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA-B1TcXdzHXjX5HWfhLl4wzF-G6fYjFu0F6jmbOzi_AybpWoMtHnubqOmO7i_QCfbaiKz-TX8QP7M1YFgYtMq5j0s9ij-c6s06S0LK_Sja8YM6xTGYlV1zIYIWIDdM_SKgkRQ2hiMaSX/s200/DSC04925.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Belgians taking the lane at the Arc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nevertheless, that didn't stop these brave Belgians (and myself), no strangers to car-free events, from taking the lane at Arc de Triomphe anyway, right in the middle of the day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Fast but not furious</h4>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN69Mom-Vn16KCwmI8GBALqiTkxf3BxEFwJ70qDeBlZREtIVSG6ywO5gPxmWo20WuTpVpOjDBwEwzgoR2xuqJKH3RJFIWtWVxQGOppwA_wTvPp0FlPJlLtcwQI-jIlHobmhrdI6wjVQ8-/s1600/arctriomphecar.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN69Mom-Vn16KCwmI8GBALqiTkxf3BxEFwJ70qDeBlZREtIVSG6ywO5gPxmWo20WuTpVpOjDBwEwzgoR2xuqJKH3RJFIWtWVxQGOppwA_wTvPp0FlPJlLtcwQI-jIlHobmhrdI6wjVQ8-/s200/arctriomphecar.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast but not furious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although there were quiet moments around the Arc roadway, they were invariably interrupted by cars cutting this big circle as straight and as fast as they could, like this guy. It is a little frightening but to hell with it. The day of the Journée sans Voiture seemed a good day to die cycling.<br />
<br />
Although they were fast, the cars were considerate for the most part. At least on this special day, I got a wide berth from cars and did not get honked or shouted at: fast but not furious.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Eiffel Tower</h3>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Mostly car-free already</h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92PiE0qL7jhHyFq7EMrk3pWsbpSeIqGGu2fDxdOCYcumVbzn5CPJcYE6UUrNGdma4QETx87MzHVZUMLEYtWQppIEQVS5gpSsFYIYmYw_X9aFPCKCrrdhvnb5aPndCsvlZIRq2lsKnJS5p/s1600/DSC04810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92PiE0qL7jhHyFq7EMrk3pWsbpSeIqGGu2fDxdOCYcumVbzn5CPJcYE6UUrNGdma4QETx87MzHVZUMLEYtWQppIEQVS5gpSsFYIYmYw_X9aFPCKCrrdhvnb5aPndCsvlZIRq2lsKnJS5p/s200/DSC04810.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower sunrise on 9/27</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I visited the Eiffel Tower early before the Journée started to see what it looked like with cars. The Eiffel Tower was included in the Journée sans Voiture. Although it enjoyed some road closures for the special day, it didn't look like it needed much.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1jk18WQ-4A2eauZlxFJg6eHTKKT4Pr2e6QoxL0sZemsZZdYZvLyluUm8v-YwDKgKgNC_33jUVv80oOh63uzc2iGzZJqTedWjZYxW2A7CtaH1xogzqWmMUcvo3UJH4ru4-o3t2GivGWCk/s1600/DSC04991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1jk18WQ-4A2eauZlxFJg6eHTKKT4Pr2e6QoxL0sZemsZZdYZvLyluUm8v-YwDKgKgNC_33jUVv80oOh63uzc2iGzZJqTedWjZYxW2A7CtaH1xogzqWmMUcvo3UJH4ru4-o3t2GivGWCk/s200/DSC04991.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken post Journée sans Voiture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It turns out, cars are already not much of an issue at the Eiffel Tower. Except for a major boulevard near one edge, the tower enjoys a healthy border around it, which in turn is surrounded by some relatively quiet streets. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX2eQ2EKjeWzjmnqCz8GZkRJLlWDel6XXCmAB7IBRTs9WQrb8FzxwEYD3m_2OaB1bdFYXXH1LfMavxwbitRSBBerxpjP-pEOcgTDpuLexFhbALkLDN8-WMzOozVI9EAzCW0-9D2QPpyKO/s1600/DSC04824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX2eQ2EKjeWzjmnqCz8GZkRJLlWDel6XXCmAB7IBRTs9WQrb8FzxwEYD3m_2OaB1bdFYXXH1LfMavxwbitRSBBerxpjP-pEOcgTDpuLexFhbALkLDN8-WMzOozVI9EAzCW0-9D2QPpyKO/s200/DSC04824.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Eiffel Tower: already<br />
car-free<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This adjacent pic shows one of the many gorgeous examples of roads that end at the park that surrounds the tower.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Avenue Gustav Eiffel indeed car-free</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDmdGilfc19npzEXNzXy2PiGbP-5H9J0oPfLhkGWv-OndsJRjLh0z1W5hQYLxAOCquHLDoRfpaK5ZlLGJoSPw12xVCG9KMfA2Czh003vIPW1r0oHAg86qUA8cgeBDT7_v6WxJYZ7MUCg0/s1600/DSC04838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDmdGilfc19npzEXNzXy2PiGbP-5H9J0oPfLhkGWv-OndsJRjLh0z1W5hQYLxAOCquHLDoRfpaK5ZlLGJoSPw12xVCG9KMfA2Czh003vIPW1r0oHAg86qUA8cgeBDT7_v6WxJYZ7MUCg0/s200/DSC04838.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Avenue Gustav Eiffel getting a<br />bath before Journée sans Voiture</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
The one road closest to the tower is the Avenue Gustav Eiffel which separates the Eiffel Tower from the Champ de Mars, the large lawn adjacent to the tower. Not sure what it normally looks like but it was indeed closed and thoroughly enjoyed by the visitors who took the opportunity to get pictures of the tower from closeup vantage points not possible when you are dodging cars.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
The Eiffel Tower is a truly spectacular place to bike and walk every day not just during the Journée sans Voiture.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Champs Élysées</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Spectacular with cars, even better without</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42wzMP58MWd8e5M5sYugv2L35z0Kp6XqHaVBNGSXqRvHhdXmL1-zwZA624dM6ve9ahYKLlxYuZO1IZOKtObQS4JflXfyCPmYg5DXsiwvJrjJbf-8Q0xI8AffDC44oS_GP9TIvRnNZwBm5/s1600/DSC04846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsxErQMS9DEn1PlCH9oFWEBvoA8Eb_jNZi69vTKgwF6V2hFB1jIfxpyKhquFmLoU5j-aJeFLzLRM0K3mc3xZGsiJBeShADWM8aF4eq5_oPhrwK1Dovgy2b_X7WFRRpspHHgSLBybCDrZB/s1600/DSC00283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsxErQMS9DEn1PlCH9oFWEBvoA8Eb_jNZi69vTKgwF6V2hFB1jIfxpyKhquFmLoU5j-aJeFLzLRM0K3mc3xZGsiJBeShADWM8aF4eq5_oPhrwK1Dovgy2b_X7WFRRpspHHgSLBybCDrZB/s200/DSC00283.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champs Élysées on 9/27/2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Champs Élysées was almost entired closed to cars, except for the last few yards towards the Arc de Triomphe. Despite the exclusion of the Arc, this was still was huge and spectacular to behold especially as everyone filled the space.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Champs Élysées packed with cars</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5MXLnwiJTwos-WBKmfCcklOE6QNJ5SHn-CllHzymM3YZhWEc_MCP7VRZ_EngW_REtAnRzibu-mlywBtcpEmvJWpR2WFMjiMtEmLho-wkY9I6CeyJmLb0YZ4W1lvWlOsJb7gArob02uGZ/s1600/DSC00229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5MXLnwiJTwos-WBKmfCcklOE6QNJ5SHn-CllHzymM3YZhWEc_MCP7VRZ_EngW_REtAnRzibu-mlywBtcpEmvJWpR2WFMjiMtEmLho-wkY9I6CeyJmLb0YZ4W1lvWlOsJb7gArob02uGZ/s200/DSC00229.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Champs Élysées: Journée sans<br />
Voiture Eve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is the Champs Élysées the night before: stuffed with cars. Gunning your car or motorcycle seems to be a Parisian past time. Luckily, for these pedestrians on this saturday night, the traffic is so bad that speeding in a car is impossible.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Father and Son Can't Wait</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh210VqN-1wlFR9NqhdLzMp13BQam6q-cMIkOw39DE8KzIHF4BWpXxF7LSr14ij8ZSYgEwYRV5sp1L137OeXkYaYFbDsA8uzAkqaGY1ZJexJH0qeOC_a0Rr3_uPKqG_oqto9DcU2wr0GkHQ/s1600/DSC00255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh210VqN-1wlFR9NqhdLzMp13BQam6q-cMIkOw39DE8KzIHF4BWpXxF7LSr14ij8ZSYgEwYRV5sp1L137OeXkYaYFbDsA8uzAkqaGY1ZJexJH0qeOC_a0Rr3_uPKqG_oqto9DcU2wr0GkHQ/s200/DSC00255.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">The Champs Élysées moments after<br />
temporary car ban.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is the Champs Élysées moments after they closed it to cars. This father and son couldn't wait. What a pleasure to see riders, skaters, strollers, et al. enjoying the car-free space.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Pique-nique sur les Champs Élysées </h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyDadNsTWRy2pB10zZP3CE_hb5PzDiz0MXIy2DlBQeXPy5qe9XhWCAyrVqd6dlqvzON3rVUlN93LZjJIcqpBjD4A9OsAYTnW53OhcmKO2ejNl13i1XCYNyzwY2WJiTsVqzQmDUrp5r12S/s1600/DSC04934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyDadNsTWRy2pB10zZP3CE_hb5PzDiz0MXIy2DlBQeXPy5qe9XhWCAyrVqd6dlqvzON3rVUlN93LZjJIcqpBjD4A9OsAYTnW53OhcmKO2ejNl13i1XCYNyzwY2WJiTsVqzQmDUrp5r12S/s200/DSC04934.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Picnic on the Champs Élysées</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is a family that setup a little picnic in the middle of the Champs Élysées. So cute! Too bad it is only for one day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Champs Élysées packed with People</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbZCD2YkydzMEjnn2SYq9bn1a798z9C9Du3aunEubWwT1XRA0eJv2UGWPpDU8MslZ8rRDXljcUmn-72R5VHmF7r_bqrzMqTUdZvI1ohdmw4-jIIEmViKNA_XcEqUnoWOYccwNbCyo9il/s1600/DSC00297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbZCD2YkydzMEjnn2SYq9bn1a798z9C9Du3aunEubWwT1XRA0eJv2UGWPpDU8MslZ8rRDXljcUmn-72R5VHmF7r_bqrzMqTUdZvI1ohdmw4-jIIEmViKNA_XcEqUnoWOYccwNbCyo9il/s200/DSC00297.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
The Champs Élysées shortly before end</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
of the temporary car ban.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is the space later in the day. Stunning! So beautiful to see such a huge turnout. Hopefully, the government feels rewarded for their decision and will expand both the geographic scope and the frequency of the the journée sans voiture.<br />
<br />
A closer look at Paris' bike infrastructure <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/10/paris-bike-infrastructure-impressions.html">here</a>. A lot more pics on <a href="https://instagram.com/planbike/">instragram</a> and <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/RTR5tbXEHWZ4MnmD7" target="_blank">here</a> for anyone interested.<br />
<h4>
Ironique ou tragique. Tu décides!</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tk6vH9mG4XcbelEmVynfWVccf9uVLvi1qGB7uFz2IelI45jLJyaMI82o45RPHLch_p66-0WWxzSzfKGW7F4WLvfgCLAR7cS3Si7Qw7-eE2Aax4o8i-9ZvBiyHcoAqvaUuIJswcLmEJAZ/s1600/DSC00317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tk6vH9mG4XcbelEmVynfWVccf9uVLvi1qGB7uFz2IelI45jLJyaMI82o45RPHLch_p66-0WWxzSzfKGW7F4WLvfgCLAR7cS3Si7Qw7-eE2Aax4o8i-9ZvBiyHcoAqvaUuIJswcLmEJAZ/s200/DSC00317.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Connard!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just moments after the ban on cars was lifted, down by the L'Hôtel des Invalides this guy decides to park in the middle of the bike lane. He couldn't resist tainting all the good will I guess. I'm using him here to highlight one of many advantages to protected bike lanes. He'd think twice if his oil pan was at risk of hitting a bike lane barrier.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com369tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-60638215070196219292015-07-18T22:27:00.000-07:002015-07-25T10:05:07.390-07:00Folding Bikes Part I: The Social Bicycle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m3B9b6cz0U8cxP1n2-GZeTojzVvJIdp5WgE8X56nOTRqFOL1omQSYYtV2MUaTBYbjbaDjafiI1MV3Yp4JRdrKnUqT6THJoLfaVrbJ3exb120KdgomIRiNswDFgawuVbTrwzNkpuwNTEZ/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Folding Bike on the Bay Bridge" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m3B9b6cz0U8cxP1n2-GZeTojzVvJIdp5WgE8X56nOTRqFOL1omQSYYtV2MUaTBYbjbaDjafiI1MV3Yp4JRdrKnUqT6THJoLfaVrbJ3exb120KdgomIRiNswDFgawuVbTrwzNkpuwNTEZ/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00397.JPG" height="133" title="Folding Bike on the Bay Bridge" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bike on the Bay Bridge</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To be truly bike-centric, in the still car-centric U.S., you need a bike that can work with the dominant infrastructure despite its limitations.</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
A Return to Cycling Hit Roadblocks</h3>
A few years back, I revived a huge passion for cycling and bike advocacy. My goal was to really use the bike as my primary, if not exclusive, mode of transportation. However, it quickly became apparent that this was impossible for the following reasons.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGA3Z6K1o0pxd1etD1mEeI_nD4_dh71MHixQM5gGgmk1vXKfZIVdqJ8Bb_gUqSoKLRz2n0qeXf1H062kt6yWzKA7cjhsrS4PGdJHK8XquZGsEMnqp4iHU9-PyOa6w8A4o-U_rbEeRzf4/s1600/DSC06118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGA3Z6K1o0pxd1etD1mEeI_nD4_dh71MHixQM5gGgmk1vXKfZIVdqJ8Bb_gUqSoKLRz2n0qeXf1H062kt6yWzKA7cjhsrS4PGdJHK8XquZGsEMnqp4iHU9-PyOa6w8A4o-U_rbEeRzf4/s1600/DSC06118.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Bridge Bike Lane not yet even halfway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First, in the bay area where I live, the two most centrally located bridges cater only to cars:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The San Mateo Bridge has no way for bikes to cross. </li>
<li>The Bay Bridge has half a bike lane that <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/03/cycling-treasure-island-part-i-getting.html" target="_blank">sits half finished</a>. <b><a href="https://www.bart.gov/" target="_blank">BART</a></b> has scarce space for bikes at crucial times. </li>
</ul>
Second, meeting friends out somewhere meant the bike or I got left behind if they travel to a second location.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCKtLU6nCYXXrxcB4c3Ntz2oMQQxiJY_VgEImLy-y9N0ADahsv3YtESDFzPn50x7S4l40Gsq6d1ogSUKNjlxsIr7GJ6Ae095gxXuZ_h7JAUqNv5PTMXzxQ9FV7UR5QHrsl_uXNEfyqVas/w1132-h800-no/DSC02297.cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCKtLU6nCYXXrxcB4c3Ntz2oMQQxiJY_VgEImLy-y9N0ADahsv3YtESDFzPn50x7S4l40Gsq6d1ogSUKNjlxsIr7GJ6Ae095gxXuZ_h7JAUqNv5PTMXzxQ9FV7UR5QHrsl_uXNEfyqVas/w1132-h800-no/DSC02297.cropped.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Bike lanes often stop at overpasses.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Third, inevitably, some trips were untenable for rigid schedules:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/02/agony-and-ecstasy-of-bleeding-edge-bike.html" target="_blank">distances too vast</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/07/900-vertical-feet-bike-commute-pack-few.html" target="_blank">climbs too steep</a></li>
<li>time too short</li>
</ul>
Finally, even off the bridges, car-centric infrastructure is pervasive. Many places are still designed for drivers and no one else. Technically, <b>you can ride it but at your peril.</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
</ul>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Limits to Bus, Train, Or Friend</h3>
Some of these issues were mitigated by heavy use of bus and train, and by inspiring a number of friends and family to create a network of bike racks on our cars.<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtKPmXKDBTLz5xeGNtk8CeOHDlkPequRP2TXKjYVCAD73OPJNgVVqpRTjrTf1KntdmCetZq70acfWZGne61kXtknPykVXaZXOJ2T-ocBVx_y3_fWnIAImVUF82whqe5gdkNrxqq8I26Ou/s1600/DSCN2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtKPmXKDBTLz5xeGNtk8CeOHDlkPequRP2TXKjYVCAD73OPJNgVVqpRTjrTf1KntdmCetZq70acfWZGne61kXtknPykVXaZXOJ2T-ocBVx_y3_fWnIAImVUF82whqe5gdkNrxqq8I26Ou/s200/DSCN2098.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; padding-bottom: 15px;">Friends with bike racks are few.</td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsde_HAoo7Pj9Hsw1WHIaD7FQaFTUmA9_5JLdoxVNM5gC3l0tQBVTW9kGriFFigJd9NbyvsrX-aJEP-SsZiSS2HXBoXS6140aPqOHc-WggsFE3_I4NHTjsWzGJ5WvN3irIVQnXCz99ONk/s1600/DSC01052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsde_HAoo7Pj9Hsw1WHIaD7FQaFTUmA9_5JLdoxVNM5gC3l0tQBVTW9kGriFFigJd9NbyvsrX-aJEP-SsZiSS2HXBoXS6140aPqOHc-WggsFE3_I4NHTjsWzGJ5WvN3irIVQnXCz99ONk/s1600/DSC01052.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; padding-bottom: 15px;">Bus bike racks fill up quick. </td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde40bllKFu56v9MPNfE-LdR7ZMzWH59vVzFPJZu2qZWhuElil1DZpS0DDkIXgaulW8Nb_4wOBnrGf7YwBXlEE2kjJuvz0ehcmPZw7zupWNL8B1TAR-A-0D5pwioGn9NgU9n4KNlvhDD9M/w1632-h1088-no/DSC02671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Folding Bike on BART at rush hour" border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde40bllKFu56v9MPNfE-LdR7ZMzWH59vVzFPJZu2qZWhuElil1DZpS0DDkIXgaulW8Nb_4wOBnrGf7YwBXlEE2kjJuvz0ehcmPZw7zupWNL8B1TAR-A-0D5pwioGn9NgU9n4KNlvhDD9M/w1632-h1088-no/DSC02671.JPG" title="Folding Bike on BART at rush hour" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Folding fits well with rush hour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Even then, having the bike all the time wasn't full-proof the way your primary transport needs to be:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Few friends had racks. Even then, bikes on them would get "racked" when we forgot and entered a garage</li>
<li>The few bike racks on buses were often full. So cyclists must wait up to an hour for another one which also might be full.</li>
<li>Train systems had varying restrictions:</li>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.bart.gov/" target="_blank">BART</a>,</b> at the time, had outright bans on bikes during rush hour: when cyclists needed it. They've since revoked this. Nevertheless, it is a real challenge getting a full size bike on board.</li>
<li><b>CalTrain</b> restricts bikes to two "bike cars" that are stuffed during rush hour. So cyclists are bumped to the next train like with the bus.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
PlanBike 1.0 Failed</h3>
All in all, in using a regular bike for all transport just didn't work in a vast car-centric metropolis. I could not count on:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>safe roads to the destination</li>
<li>enough time or speed for the hills and distance</li>
<li>enough rack space on a bus</li>
<li>enough "bike car" space on a train</li>
<li>enough friends with car racks</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Folding Flexibility To The Rescue</h2>
What to do? The answer turned out to be getting a folding bicycle. <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Overcoming Folding Perception</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3asp-V9u_v5Euxi-V1yETgLpPUSKzoUlc4blOvdfAVrri_x9d-RR8d5vl0JNOkjTrSlV02_XpFt8LeSOrXJcCAtVDKJor4YgXwFg_twUGb9nYPwtzJcXGGtrUBm_goHSjB29-JU4PBFh/w1632-h1088-no/DSC02785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3asp-V9u_v5Euxi-V1yETgLpPUSKzoUlc4blOvdfAVrri_x9d-RR8d5vl0JNOkjTrSlV02_XpFt8LeSOrXJcCAtVDKJor4YgXwFg_twUGb9nYPwtzJcXGGtrUBm_goHSjB29-JU4PBFh/w1632-h1088-no/DSC02785.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Bike Friday Tikit in Geeky Splendor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Though the latest folding bikes are quite fast and elegant, many cyclists still view folding bikes as oddly-shaped, slow, and flimsy, contraptions. <br />
<br />
If even cyclists felt that way, it was a question how these could appeal to the non-cyclists I am still hoping to inspire. Nevertheless, they seemed to solve many of the issues I was facing so I gave one a try.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Barring a few missteps (more on that in future installments), the decision has been a great success. </div>
<div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Catalyst for All Transport Modes</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEIXqpXe8BnqD-C49yAiJUE0hvabOh9dPNpPU5otebVWa-62C_ZMEe58PyN1Mcgq0UV3mnaF5BM7gfREzPKfKKfe8ydkoorDz4qVOVZRhT35kEQGMLcYnZrYtyP0jjL5nseXgbHgxBCGA/w1632-h1088-no/DSC09814%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEIXqpXe8BnqD-C49yAiJUE0hvabOh9dPNpPU5otebVWa-62C_ZMEe58PyN1Mcgq0UV3mnaF5BM7gfREzPKfKKfe8ydkoorDz4qVOVZRhT35kEQGMLcYnZrYtyP0jjL5nseXgbHgxBCGA/w1632-h1088-no/DSC09814%255B1%255D.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bikes in luggage Cars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Folding bikes fill any gap in bus, train, plane, ferry, or car schedule while giving you full confidence you can keep them while you use alternate transport. <br />
<br />
With a folding bike, you always have a ride on the other side of the bridge, road, mountain, or ocean, that is too dangerous or impractical for bikes.<br />
<br />
They are the perfect catalyst to link all transport modes into a working solution. The only other transport mode that comes close to being this flexible are legs but legs are not nearly as fast.</div>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />The Ultimate Social Bicycle</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right; width: 150px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91-LSme-ErCm2fwydUcntRIg6aj3AolYJFGvE70Chyphenhyphen8b-5hDdp4g-tPaDtx7diya20ScNGf6jud-H-p-3heZfZdN4WOT9I_KOs9pILSH75aTF4Km8liVEGTUG_6dk-9lZKpPraFtZ9U7v/w1632-h1088-no/DSC03243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Folding Bikes easily fit in cars." border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91-LSme-ErCm2fwydUcntRIg6aj3AolYJFGvE70Chyphenhyphen8b-5hDdp4g-tPaDtx7diya20ScNGf6jud-H-p-3heZfZdN4WOT9I_KOs9pILSH75aTF4Km8liVEGTUG_6dk-9lZKpPraFtZ9U7v/w1632-h1088-no/DSC03243.JPG" title="Folding Bikes easily fit in cars." width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bikes easily fit in cars.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With a folding bike, neither you nor your friends are left behind when you travel together, even if you used different transport modes to meet. <br />
<br />
No matter what mode of transport you take as a group, the folding bike can fit. You are never bumped or banished from using any transportation resource.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
For this reason, folding bikes are the ultimate social bicycle. They collaborate nicely with whatever transport your friends choose or with whatever safe/effective transport mode is available.</h2>
</div>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Welcome Inside Buses, Trains, Planes, Cars</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8kfZY0YCBDk/T-Snl3Op5II/AAAAAAAAAQQ/6gJXEn166eg/w1012-h760/DSCN6918.downsample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8kfZY0YCBDk/T-Snl3Op5II/AAAAAAAAAQQ/6gJXEn166eg/w1012-h760/DSCN6918.downsample.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bikes fly in a regular suitcase.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once folded, your bike is welcome inside:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>a bus</li>
<li>a train's luggage car</li>
<li>an Über or a friend's trunk</li>
<li>a water taxi or ferry</li>
<li>checked <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/05/fly-land-bike-look-ma-no-transit-no.html" target="_blank">airplane luggage</a> (for no additional fee)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Welcome Inside Buildings</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8nWC5D5R3y0rrVari86HXKeGyNKDPQbInjoQxtUPsDjraB4OVcDKrOa7wB1WXdjDiDL1IFRbYKDsmEBx2wPpVhaVNaxeWAsChqc36mioC6ec2Ep5JtW9XIaQlndmdLD8zD9axQrqUI3y/w1632-h1088-no/DSC03150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Folding Bikes are welcome in stores." border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8nWC5D5R3y0rrVari86HXKeGyNKDPQbInjoQxtUPsDjraB4OVcDKrOa7wB1WXdjDiDL1IFRbYKDsmEBx2wPpVhaVNaxeWAsChqc36mioC6ec2Ep5JtW9XIaQlndmdLD8zD9axQrqUI3y/w1632-h1088-no/DSC03150.JPG" title="Folding Bikes are welcome in stores." width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bikes are welcome in stores.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since a folding bike, once folded, is not much bigger than a stroller, another advantage is that it is often welcome inside:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>coat check rooms</li>
<li>restaurants</li>
<li>stores</li>
<li>workplaces</li>
<li>small home closets</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Added Security</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU09Ohh08VI3AziAH9SD0hnqJAj13qEDD0RmqL_7HJvKUI0adDo0IRLMjkZwQR9aR5_TmQw5hoNXrw7Q3H9q4i_yTAqg8hR0Gf5wyhh3_tA_mofxYsr4NFK-tbzjX4XCddGN2f9d0yKuKv/w620-h414-p-no/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU09Ohh08VI3AziAH9SD0hnqJAj13qEDD0RmqL_7HJvKUI0adDo0IRLMjkZwQR9aR5_TmQw5hoNXrw7Q3H9q4i_yTAqg8hR0Gf5wyhh3_tA_mofxYsr4NFK-tbzjX4XCddGN2f9d0yKuKv/w620-h414-p-no/" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bikes fit in tiny closets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This ability to fit inside means the bike is less vulnerable to theft or vandalism at typically inadequate external bike storage. That is a huge relief to many cyclists.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Stealthy Performance</h3>
If all that weren't enough, folding bikes have evolved way beyond a mere contraption. They are now vehicles of considerable performance. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1IMxNPMbduPWV4IgKPWAPIP36rFTYqP3vUTtL-V0EVcAkK41SVH8hEBUps-JwXGCUmTEmPuRPGj3ZU85UcteXiX-_QsUWJSubiAKkW06p2gbYuNGcPhZSOHbvUED5Aw49MCHTp010ICn/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00022.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="40+ miles on a good Folding Bike is great." border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1IMxNPMbduPWV4IgKPWAPIP36rFTYqP3vUTtL-V0EVcAkK41SVH8hEBUps-JwXGCUmTEmPuRPGj3ZU85UcteXiX-_QsUWJSubiAKkW06p2gbYuNGcPhZSOHbvUED5Aw49MCHTp010ICn/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00022.leveled.jpg" height="133" title="40+ miles on a good Folding Bike is great." width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">50km+ on a good Folding Bike is great.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although I still get teased for riding on a "toy", I've kept up with relatively fast peloton's of road bikes on 50km rides with no problem. After that, the heckling stops and the questioning starts about what they weigh (8.6kg - 13.6kg) and what they cost ($500-$5000).</h2>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Folding Is My New Normal</h3>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0mbOoK4NA1MyuEQVWHZJagqFVlio7MUhtWGL3HCCEh6cRYPolnoZnHzv4tOk6TiNf4bZEiHxp-ezVhBkUfu1kQXnQBk9CkIawt8EJSxko9f6lcssDzrTJ7nh94kwUQ2tTu4o5ejY4chJ/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0mbOoK4NA1MyuEQVWHZJagqFVlio7MUhtWGL3HCCEh6cRYPolnoZnHzv4tOk6TiNf4bZEiHxp-ezVhBkUfu1kQXnQBk9CkIawt8EJSxko9f6lcssDzrTJ7nh94kwUQ2tTu4o5ejY4chJ/w1632-h1088-no/DSC00328.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Folding Bike down Lombard Street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, folding bikes are all I ever ride. The performance and convenience are too hard for a regular bicycle to match. They even look cool once you get used to the small wheels. If you've encountered the same commuter cycling challenges I have, they are worth a serious look.<br />
<br />
Next time, I'll talk about which ones I got and why. There is a lot to consider.</div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com263tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-57302432476200209672015-04-14T08:04:00.001-07:002015-04-15T08:31:04.439-07:00Cycling Treasure Island: Part II: A Tran's Bay Bike Shop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top"><h4>
This little bike shop on Treasure Island is inspiring art and transgender pride while inspiring cyclists to enjoy the island even before the Bay Bridge bike lane opens.</h4>
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Treasure Island, a former U.S. Navy base and World's Fair venue, has spectacular views of the Golden Gate, San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz, and the east bay. It also has artifacts from its grand past and eclectic future around every corner. If that weren't enough, it is flat as a pancake and has relatively calm or sparse car traffic, making it a perfect place to tour by bike.<br />
<br />
There are already a number of carless options for getting there. More on that <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2015/03/cycling-treasure-island-part-i-getting.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Although the bike lane on the eastern span of the Bay Bridge won't be completed for a few years yet, the island is ready for cycling now thanks to A Tran's Bay Bike Shop.<br />
<br />
In January 2013, Tammy Powers, a Long Island-born life-long lover of bicycles, opened A Tran's Bay Bike Shop. It is nestled in the basement of Building One, the first building you see on the island.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Unique Bikes</h3>
Tammy is an authorized Fuji dealer. She's also got a fleet of new beach cruisers for sale or rent, as well as assorted others including folding bikes (that fit anyone in seconds).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
However, the bikes that really catch your eye are the gorgeous vintage Schwinn cruisers from the 60s and 70s and the stretch chopper bicycle! These are just for rent but so fun. I rented all three for a party on the island and they were a huge hit, as evident from some of these pictures.<br />
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To keep them all rolling, Tammy carries tubes and tires for 650, 700, and 26" wheels.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Unique Space</h3>
The bike shop is unique simply by being the only one on this very unique island. However, the actual space the shop is in is truly cool. "I love, love, love the space I'm in, there is no other space for lease on this island that is closer to the Bay Bridge. After my first 18 months in business, I doubled the square footage of my shop.", Tammy says.<br />
<br />
"I didn't exactly 'choose' this space. Originally T.I.D.A. (Treasure Island Development Authority) was showing me other spaces around the island, and I couldn't envision any of them being the right place. T.I.D.A. almost didn't even show me this space. They figured 'who would want some place below ground level in the back of a historic building', but when they showed it to me, I knew it was the one!", Tammy says.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Given its unique position in the back of Building One, it can be a little tricky to find. Tammy can't have a permanent sign out on the road so it is only there when the shop is open.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the bike shop is easy to get to once you know where to go. The first right you can take once on the island is into the parking lot for the Treasure Island Bar & Grill and the Treasure Island Yacht Club.<br />
<br />
That is also the best way to get to A Tran's Bay Bike Shop because the entrance to the basement of Building One is behind the Treasure Island Bar & Grill and Treasure Island Yacht Club. In fact, the folks in the restaurant are happy to give directions when asked.<br />
<br />
Given its central location to the island in general and to where cyclists will eventually be spilling down from the new bike lane, the bike shop is perfectly positioned to help both present and future cyclists enjoy the island.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Unique Art</h3>
The bikes and the space aren't the only attraction at A Tran's Bay Bike Shop. There's the art. Tammy, with the help of some local artists, has turned the cozy windowless space into a sprawling gallery of bold, colorful, art and artifacts.<br />
<br />
On different walls there is:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>the giant dragon</b> similar to those found in Chinese New Year Dragon Dance</li>
<li><b>the giant peacock </b>soaring over a banner of the official transgender flag</li>
<li>the psychedelic wall of geometric, scientific, and geographic icons stitched together with <b>Van Gogh-esque pointillism</b></li>
<li><b>the excellent cartoon portrait of Tammy</b> herself blazing along in flip-flops on a beach cruiser</li>
</ul>
The list goes on. Around every corner are really great giant works of art, some of which defy description.<br />
<br />
There is also a great collection of Bric-à-brac such as:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>the Buzz Lightyear and bunny pez dispensers</li>
<li>the photo of Robin Williams (avid cyclist)</li>
<li>the Maneki-neko (the beckoning aka waving cat)</li>
<li>the VW "Love" bus (based on a bus that really exists apparently)</li>
</ul>
All this stuff is waiting inside A Tran's Bay Bike to charm the heck out of anyone who enters.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Unique Owner</h3>
<div>
Tammy deeply appreciates how the artists can see what is not yet there. They have vision. So does Tammy. "I was simply visiting a friend on the island and while staring at the unfinished Bay Bridge, I had the epiphany of this island NEEDING a bike shop once the bike lane is finished.", she says. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
She can't wait for the new Bay Bridge bike lane to open. "My entire business plan is based upon the massive amount of people that will be arriving once that bike lane opens... you bet your begonias I'm looking forward to it happening", Tammy says. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
She also has a vision to be an example for transgender business owners. For her, the name on the bike shop says it all: "A Tran's Bay Bike Shop". Although she has other business names in mind for future projects, right now this one matters. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"I've been into bikes since I was a kid, pulled apart my coaster brake when I was 10 or 11 just to understand how it worked. I've worked at bicycle shops ever since I lived in Colorado...I am an excellent mechanic with superb customer service skills", Tammy says. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unfortunately, "few people want to hire 'us'", she says with frustration, referring to transgender folks. So she hired herself by starting this business. Small wonder Tammy wants it known this is a transgender-sponsored, transgender-run, enterprise. She expects to be hiring in the near future and transgender folks will most definitely be considered.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Like the island itself, A Tran's Bay Bike Shop is a charming oasis for cyclists, whether they have a bike in need of service or they are bike-less and suddenly inspired to ride. It is also so much more. Definitely, worth a visit.</div>
</td>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UwwCzL8uXje3jKLTOXfIn6PIfJNqZf4xMaa6I4aHmO8Y9UJ0n6FEPWw8P1NaQE_osFdPgzAQvYCauhU1P3lQiefcmCSnUufVCnZ5gqYTJq1Tmn1cxEhuOTlEI3bNshAE19FJqabRjo4/s1600/DSC01279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UwwCzL8uXje3jKLTOXfIn6PIfJNqZf4xMaa6I4aHmO8Y9UJ0n6FEPWw8P1NaQE_osFdPgzAQvYCauhU1P3lQiefcmCSnUufVCnZ5gqYTJq1Tmn1cxEhuOTlEI3bNshAE19FJqabRjo4/s1600/DSC01279.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tammy in the shop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkceaNM-mCz_5gGqWBOYCk7UmYvt80-mOiesQ6Yipg1KDup3Rwp18JCmK6YyXEXwrXrv7cRGqXoPKMANJMM3z8rWzqr485ZDcIyphZ-tYcg4BSSIqHV8yGzPtm7fLYxjrDK7oHOMdgTnQ/s1600/DSC01197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkceaNM-mCz_5gGqWBOYCk7UmYvt80-mOiesQ6Yipg1KDup3Rwp18JCmK6YyXEXwrXrv7cRGqXoPKMANJMM3z8rWzqr485ZDcIyphZ-tYcg4BSSIqHV8yGzPtm7fLYxjrDK7oHOMdgTnQ/s1600/DSC01197.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretch Chopper Bike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiygMvRLuWkMY9piLCVPyg-xH1VU27KdwykU0Cz4JEv_ODofE_EA-u4iMLwLwLVv_4ff6U10lXX-ZBRT8uFmOiq2PvwRrNcwcsOHoJJs_AOWVhPpz0VKx5-aQjh3os4sNYeFqJcxiDvmE/s1600/DSC01291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiygMvRLuWkMY9piLCVPyg-xH1VU27KdwykU0Cz4JEv_ODofE_EA-u4iMLwLwLVv_4ff6U10lXX-ZBRT8uFmOiq2PvwRrNcwcsOHoJJs_AOWVhPpz0VKx5-aQjh3os4sNYeFqJcxiDvmE/s1600/DSC01291.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ38UJzDSdJcJoICTrkjgb0hsykKUv-A7bh9Yw5l27dG_qlE3y7e9FuTIk05vlZ4u_51PtAJY_IewC-oThBD6qjwfTSRTer4A9ec_7dcamInMzUixnZ81ljSMSZ7bacInpcaDXk2Eu5Fc/s1600/DSC01311.balanced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ38UJzDSdJcJoICTrkjgb0hsykKUv-A7bh9Yw5l27dG_qlE3y7e9FuTIk05vlZ4u_51PtAJY_IewC-oThBD6qjwfTSRTer4A9ec_7dcamInMzUixnZ81ljSMSZ7bacInpcaDXk2Eu5Fc/s1600/DSC01311.balanced.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tammy on one of the new Fuji Bikes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNFg8gfjhyphenhyphen1qBqeT4gx6NyZ5Vj0TFBE9lKWgb343hrY3zG4KrL3QicVpqBuO78ibgvl6C0K8_4hT-UX5KTX5mrqgXD_os80rUXoMzwa7w74ZLI30JJVmBAPxjYz_dTCqCe4vC29W6hks/s1600/DSC01266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNFg8gfjhyphenhyphen1qBqeT4gx6NyZ5Vj0TFBE9lKWgb343hrY3zG4KrL3QicVpqBuO78ibgvl6C0K8_4hT-UX5KTX5mrqgXD_os80rUXoMzwa7w74ZLI30JJVmBAPxjYz_dTCqCe4vC29W6hks/s1600/DSC01266.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2cRFfxd9A3FC-25XwiLytgzfxop3YqLrhK0N4oc9ddqjQnY80fpWewxu9DP9aC9ZJtWgdDuElBt52NyENT_BMyNQi9nC8YNByU5OjpNiWxPCif7yF0yddJBPcOuF3cSLP_LoCbxSpxE/s1600/DSC01326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2cRFfxd9A3FC-25XwiLytgzfxop3YqLrhK0N4oc9ddqjQnY80fpWewxu9DP9aC9ZJtWgdDuElBt52NyENT_BMyNQi9nC8YNByU5OjpNiWxPCif7yF0yddJBPcOuF3cSLP_LoCbxSpxE/s1600/DSC01326.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of Building One</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04gj-75xUBTw0mkW2m5CeFyd6k9uVJCIGAmAcCm11RSCJPDNa-XWng0cgV8wj2ezpDngexa3q54PcgEkDaIJ7IYhFIxPiwgrTMYbNQEKzmBRWo999O5tPglHro3o6HlCyUSoPLF2wTo8/s1600/DSC01313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04gj-75xUBTw0mkW2m5CeFyd6k9uVJCIGAmAcCm11RSCJPDNa-XWng0cgV8wj2ezpDngexa3q54PcgEkDaIJ7IYhFIxPiwgrTMYbNQEKzmBRWo999O5tPglHro3o6HlCyUSoPLF2wTo8/s1600/DSC01313.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of Building One</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXIGenPGtd3wOM9dbBnTdlwLxPccQeRF1afK9EVIwb-L09pAeWEoBiW79fy-h04lTHjh4GfdnZsF0BzGL5v8L5V15bU6w-wVkQxHIc8J1jkWuTGF6bkBBQdtVE50PpjHd2rAQ59I0bJQ/s1600/DSC01321.cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXIGenPGtd3wOM9dbBnTdlwLxPccQeRF1afK9EVIwb-L09pAeWEoBiW79fy-h04lTHjh4GfdnZsF0BzGL5v8L5V15bU6w-wVkQxHIc8J1jkWuTGF6bkBBQdtVE50PpjHd2rAQ59I0bJQ/s1600/DSC01321.cropped.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tammy at the shop entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfkb2vzxxW9zRwPRG4hkw5BifOYP2tebJBrfWu5gdFI22Tf6lOyd3SoPbO4WJsuMMymK_fC-Fhj4XjQacurzvQTWvaqeWrGlJeU1YAiLuagVsyNBNZTc1Dho529ppMuRhir9L8jjuCmE/s1600/DSC01272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfkb2vzxxW9zRwPRG4hkw5BifOYP2tebJBrfWu5gdFI22Tf6lOyd3SoPbO4WJsuMMymK_fC-Fhj4XjQacurzvQTWvaqeWrGlJeU1YAiLuagVsyNBNZTc1Dho529ppMuRhir9L8jjuCmE/s1600/DSC01272.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mLcBne-JL4UqPNvCkT2fYkceay0hYEUJPUEp_dPOqyPvxlDo4OP2uCueWNg4R7HrisFvFM37YKnEN5ag3thuNlIpvBxxBMPry1pqIGzEXZiX4PUEe9Wyb4r1EMgBXfXS6evWmKiPphI/s1600/DSC01281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mLcBne-JL4UqPNvCkT2fYkceay0hYEUJPUEp_dPOqyPvxlDo4OP2uCueWNg4R7HrisFvFM37YKnEN5ag3thuNlIpvBxxBMPry1pqIGzEXZiX4PUEe9Wyb4r1EMgBXfXS6evWmKiPphI/s1600/DSC01281.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Schwinn Cruisers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpwHc2WzV1M_oE2Wecl-Xu7q4EFptVoG_19PKkV4WbsSHYpQtKP1CTBgvj1ty5UexDfQHkdcfWyb2TpCYsiCfXVl0YnRHUfUVxD2RgDrA_6J7uSATVIlr0XG-YYfIE168e_RVNEThvVk/s1600/DSC01298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpwHc2WzV1M_oE2Wecl-Xu7q4EFptVoG_19PKkV4WbsSHYpQtKP1CTBgvj1ty5UexDfQHkdcfWyb2TpCYsiCfXVl0YnRHUfUVxD2RgDrA_6J7uSATVIlr0XG-YYfIE168e_RVNEThvVk/s1600/DSC01298.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin (a lover of bikes)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pez</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VW Love Bus</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi7FVnnaJAqOyNzRginoNE4wzyNDZQbUVi1QLGsWpPAengLJqerXnp0si2tavSlegxh26C5Uhp5RnXGlqQlIdskGZDkPSbYdYl1LsXwBjlNlALBwwReqbQxLZVllYN8u6UqXWK3RJweA/s1600/DSC01276.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi7FVnnaJAqOyNzRginoNE4wzyNDZQbUVi1QLGsWpPAengLJqerXnp0si2tavSlegxh26C5Uhp5RnXGlqQlIdskGZDkPSbYdYl1LsXwBjlNlALBwwReqbQxLZVllYN8u6UqXWK3RJweA/s1600/DSC01276.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unfinished Bay Bridge Bike Lane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKsUTyw8VLskobhZJLzx83hSIhzPfBpcjjsTZbK3PZMCWSMBtOFJT6g2qaRvGZ7bWpsQnZXKXnbMAwsuRTaw8XZ_vKrGV4qUyyn4S4AQcX5RwPOHR2Ce-pu-_OlPQ3_Ehra4VASF7jyU/s1600/DSC00711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKsUTyw8VLskobhZJLzx83hSIhzPfBpcjjsTZbK3PZMCWSMBtOFJT6g2qaRvGZ7bWpsQnZXKXnbMAwsuRTaw8XZ_vKrGV4qUyyn4S4AQcX5RwPOHR2Ce-pu-_OlPQ3_Ehra4VASF7jyU/s1600/DSC00711.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many great sunset views on TI</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last TI Bus Stop to San Francisco</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truly an island of visual treasures</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Treasure Island, a former U.S. Navy base and World's Fair venue, has spectacular views of the Golden Gate, San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz, and the east bay. It also has artifacts from its grand past and eclectic future around every corner. If that weren't enough, it is flat as a pancake and has relatively calm or sparse car traffic, making it a perfect place to tour by bike. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, there are few ways to get there. Currently, it is just boat or car/bus. Even coming by boat is tricky because there are not many places to dock and disembark.<br /><br />Coming by car, of course, is well supported by the transportation infrastructure but often jam-packed when you most want to use it.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bay Bridge bike lane with a catch (temporarily)</span></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshHpMNnjBOMuBnuMBzyo-t2h0tT8z-znv-Q_ayEluAgoHaXYvxw7JwaTvaZyWeta9whgkgFJkTONkq6dgOTBURxQFPd4h8ye_oOBLjrsOYWHwoV30t1ifpRrmhdHFJrVmHlxsyiUHK8g/s1600/DSC00357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>The new eastern span of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Bridge, which ends at the midway point (Treasure Island), was designed to help matters for the car-free. Included in its design is a separate bicycle/pedestrian lane along its southern edge.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, as of 2015, there is a major limitation to this new half of the Bay Bridge. Its beautiful new bike lane is </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">on a collision course with the old span which is not yet demolished. Consequently, it ends mere feet from the delectable Treasure Island. No cycling to Treasure Island for now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">UPDATE: The bike lane is now scheduled to open in 2016. Woohoo! See more on that <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Chronicle-Watch-Bay-Bridge-bike-path-still-a-6603266.php?t=fcbbee067461145358&cmpid=twitter-premium">here</a>.</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Improvise/Overcome</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The incomplete Bay Bridge bike lane may stop you from cycling to the island for now. However, it cannot stop you from cycling on the island without a car.<br /><br />Bus service in the U.S. is patchy. Some is quite good but many times folks write it off because of punctuality, reliability, and the generally long waits between each bus trip. <br /><br />Bringing a bike on the bus brings the added challenge of finding a bus with empty bikes racks, or racks at all. Most buses only have two bike racks. In the bike-intensive bay area, those slots can often be full and you can get left behind. Regardless, PlanBike decided to give it a try. </span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Folding bike to the rescue</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To mitigate the risk of not getting one of the bus's bike rack slots, a folding bike comes in very handy. If the racks are full, folding bikes can typically be folded and brought on board as luggage. In fact, this capability makes the folding bike an increasingly popular choice for cycling in urban settings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you truly want to go carless, the reality is you need to leverage other transportation infrastructure from time to time: to avoid dangerous freeways and span great distances fast.</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The folding bike plays nicely with planes, trains, buses, and cars. It works perfectly for a bus/bike trip to Treasure Island.</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Treasure Island Muni bus experience</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The SFMTA (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) aka SF Muni runs a <a href="http://transit.511.org/schedules/indexredirect.aspx?m1=S&m2=bus&cid=SF&rted=108" target="_blank">shuttle (the 108)</a> to and from Treasure Island about every half hour, 24 hours a day. That's impressive in a town where the primary light rail services (BART and Caltrain) don't even run round the clock.<br /><br />The 24 hour service is understandable for an island with a lot of residents that may not have a car but will eventually really need to get off or on the island any time of day.<br /><br />On a Saturday afternoon in March, service worked well. Despite the 2:57 p.m. bus showing up at 3:07 p.m. and a car accident on the west span of the Bay Bridge, the bus ride was swift and peaceful. The trip took no more than 20 minutes and the time passed quickly because the ride was full of breathtaking views of its own.<br /><br />As you come off the bridge and down the main road on the west side of the island, you already get a panoramic view of the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate.<br /><br />Once on the bike, you can circumnavigate the whole island in less than an hour but won't because there will be a winery, ship's cannon, marching band practice session, art show, or striking view that will grab your attention.<br /><br />When you are ready to ride back, there is more than one stop where the same 108 line will pick you up. A word of advice: cycle to one of the bus stops before the last one on the west shore onramp. It will help you avoid cramming onto a jam-packed bus if it is a busy day. The bus back was more punctual but was indeed more crowded, as you might expect on a weekend afternoon.<br /><br />Of course, a bus every 15 minutes, instead of every 30, would be great but overall the bus experience with bike was very nice. The round trip travel time from downtown San Francisco was 40 minutes. Pretty good for any travel mode.<br /><br />When the new bike lane opens, it may become the more attractive way to visit Treasure Island by bicycle. </span>Nevertheless, getting there carlessly is already quite painless, pleasant, and certainly worth the trip.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQJ1A_BvOzP0B-kzWVscezhWb9ujB8IkpND-T-upLIOskEE1P5ZnB3Hah_bE5ESjHELGxU8RVBfVRSSo_e3ZyXMVYcIUeo7PgnHZzC9iudhFqcJ_Q-gFUpG2ZfdIGEfNhJpHdwi3NrjM/s1600/DSC01180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQJ1A_BvOzP0B-kzWVscezhWb9ujB8IkpND-T-upLIOskEE1P5ZnB3Hah_bE5ESjHELGxU8RVBfVRSSo_e3ZyXMVYcIUeo7PgnHZzC9iudhFqcJ_Q-gFUpG2ZfdIGEfNhJpHdwi3NrjM/s1600/DSC01180.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2tE127FmfwSvO851mr9Zp1sH2Jsllr3yybB4C8kZPvE7PGyRjkO63xAhTIYw8B_U6qd50Jp6-7LOXvw83Nbr0FKFW95XUqblRHa9or84W6ul9uZlSDuqMUSdm3G4_0vMdZCd-dJzlvM/s1600/DSC01163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2tE127FmfwSvO851mr9Zp1sH2Jsllr3yybB4C8kZPvE7PGyRjkO63xAhTIYw8B_U6qd50Jp6-7LOXvw83Nbr0FKFW95XUqblRHa9or84W6ul9uZlSDuqMUSdm3G4_0vMdZCd-dJzlvM/s1600/DSC01163.JPG" width="200" /></a>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-89077144342740640822015-03-28T08:03:00.001-07:002015-04-14T14:20:17.515-07:00Preview of bicycle underpass from Facebook HQ <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
This is a short clip of the new underpass from Facebook HQ in Menlo Park, CA under Highway 84. They're not done with it yet but it so exciting to try this out: a way to avoid a rather slow stop light at a dangerous intersection.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Xc8EO9LLpS8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Xc8EO9LLpS8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br />Jody Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764056589025287201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-57515802765660753502015-03-28T07:31:00.002-07:002015-04-14T14:20:31.606-07:00Cycling to Facebook from Menlo Park Caltrain via the new underpass under Highway 84. Cycling to Facebook from Menlo Park Caltrain via the new underpass under Highway 84. This shows a sunny ride to Facebook from Menlo Park Caltrain via the new underpass under Highway 84 which avoids the stop light and the dangerous intersection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K0yvmcNeIBM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K0yvmcNeIBM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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This includes views of the bike/ped bridge over 101 which avoids cycling the dangerous Willow Road interchange.<br />
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Here's the course on strava:<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/274882548/embed/76f50acf32fa15c7b701a9df8ee067c682681938">https://www.strava.com/activities/274882548/embed/76f50acf32fa15c7b701a9df8ee067c682681938</a>Jody Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764056589025287201noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-38308357255686337332015-03-07T07:09:00.001-08:002015-04-14T14:20:44.084-07:00#SharrowHeart Hashtag Campaign<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To boost awareness that we all share the roads with an increasingly diverse set of vehicles, PlanBike has created the <a href="http://www.planbike.com/p/new-sharrow-heart-bumper-sticker.html">SharrowHeart reflective sticker</a>.<br />
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The goal is to increase visibility for the idea of road sharing while folks are driving or riding, whether there is bike infrastructure present or not.<br />
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Even if you don't get a sticker, please post pics of sharrow love online with the hashtag "#sharrowheart" to get road sharing trending on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://iconosquare.com/tag/sharrowheart">#sharrowheart on Instagram</a></li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23sharrowheart&src=typd">#sharrowheart on Twitter</a></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSQScQXeFfORfRnefy-MGaOlthY91NVMKcdCRrwgjzGO9pzRsF0vzg9CN9AWYhEfRWSHayQWqZVwNbPpHkSqEPFfRZymJkTThTtNK8eM14qUm120HFiChuO9w8mBrAWw4HHS7HWx0ujd7/s1600/IMG_20150209_132931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSQScQXeFfORfRnefy-MGaOlthY91NVMKcdCRrwgjzGO9pzRsF0vzg9CN9AWYhEfRWSHayQWqZVwNbPpHkSqEPFfRZymJkTThTtNK8eM14qUm120HFiChuO9w8mBrAWw4HHS7HWx0ujd7/s1600/IMG_20150209_132931.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Jody Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764056589025287201noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-12457724929222740132015-01-28T13:52:00.001-08:002015-04-14T21:03:01.138-07:00See PlanBike on social networks.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a bad crash, I took a hiatus from this blog. I've slowly crept back into posting but, like the entire planet, I've focused more on all the cool social networks.<br />
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Since folks like to graze more than feast on bicycle content, the posts are mostly pics and blurbs on the following:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://instagram.com/planbike/">PlanBike on Instagram</a></li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/planbike">PlanBike on Twitter</a></li>
<li><a href="https://plus.google.com/+Planbike/videos">PlanBike on Google+</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/PlanBike/237242117815">PlanBike on Facebook</a></li>
</ul>
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Long reads will still appear here on the blog, and one is on the way. Until then, hope to see you on the social networks.<br />
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Please join the <a href="http://www.planbike.com/p/sharrowheart.html">#SharrowHeart Hashtag Campaign</a> to boost awareness and sensitivity for sharing the roads. Help make the daily onslaught of needless fatalities from carelessness and road rage a thing of the past.</div>
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Jody</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-22958467783954543252012-07-30T11:00:00.000-07:002015-04-14T21:04:06.109-07:00Donate Your Data: Make Every Ride A Vote For Cycling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Quick Note On Why Data Matters</b><br />
If you cycle often enough in the U.S., eventually you either hear about or experience a close call with a car and/or a confrontation with antagonistic pedestrians, drivers, or police. <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8639978" target="_blank">Here's an incident captured on video</a> that occurred on my home bike commute (<a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/285779" target="_blank">Tunnel Ride</a>) just a few months ago.<br />
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This kind of thing often instills a desire for more support from law enforcement and better bicycle infrastructure. It begs the question of how to get more dedicated bicycle paths, more bicycle lanes, or at least more respect from police and motorists.<br />
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<b>It Takes More Than Good Intentions</b><br />
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<td><b>UPDATE: 2014/06: </b>Looks like some municipalities have the same idea and have created a market for the data. That should spur easier data collection and better data mining: <a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/06/strava-sells-cycling-data/">Strava’s Cycling App Is Helping Cities Build Better Bike Lanes</a>. Two years since this post. So glad to see this catching on.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>UPDATE 2012/08/08: </b>Portland, OR has installed their first automated bike counter. According to <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2012/08/08/portland-makes-bikes-count-on-the-hawthorne-bridge-75693#more-75693">BikePortland.org</a>, this is the first one in the U.S. However, some claim that Arlington, VA has had automated bike counters since 2009 (as shown <a href="http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/counting-bikes-to-plan-for-bikes/">here</a>).<br />
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<b>UPDATE 2012/07/30: </b>Since posting this, I noticed a number of programs that leverage smartphones for cyclists. <span style="text-align: left;">Cool stuff but it begs two big questions two consider when donating your bike data:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Do they make it easy to query all the data you provide to them? In other words, do they share what you give them so you or some other organization can use it?</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Do they support all the major smartphones (e.g. Android and iPhone)? In other words, are they leaving out half the bike population because they don't have all the software support?</span></li>
</ul>
General GPS sharing sites have resolved both these issues:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/developer/" style="text-align: left;">Mapymyride.com</a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">shares data but makes you join their "partner program" first.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://strava.com/">strava.com</a> shares data through their REST API ( i.e. a set of simple web addresses that spew data). You can see charts generated from strava data below.</span></li>
</ul>
By contrast, these incentive/mile sites, don't have these issues resolved because their focus is on their drive, not long-term data sharing. Ideally, we want incentives for reporting data but we also want to keep this data handy for advocacy:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://2milechallenge.com/" target="_blank">http://2milechallenge.com/</a> shares data by request but has no facility for doing so.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.endomondo.com/campaign/national/">http://www.endomondo.com/campaign/national/</a><br />shares data on "retail" level. You can download your own data but it is not yet possible to query what others are doing. </li>
</ul>
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Unfortunately, what quickly becomes apparent when you try to advocate for those things is that your interests must compete with the interests of all the non-cyclists or anti-cyclists out there, and that competition is stiff. "Think we need more bike lanes for all the new cyclists on the road?", those competitors will say, "Prove it."
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<div>
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Even when representatives are sold on the idea in general, figuring out where and how to design a new bicycle plan or legislation is still a tough question to answer without a lot of data.</div>
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<b>Data: An Essential Tool For Advocacy</b></div>
<div>
For these reasons and more, advocates are desperate for good data on cycling activity. Many schedule regular "bike counts" where they literally sit on street corners and tally the number of riders that go by.</div>
<div>
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<b>Monitoring: An Essential Tool for Data</b></div>
<div>
Of course, there are hi-tech ways to automate this. Some cities, mostly outside the U.S., have invested in video monitoring systems that use sophisticated software to distinguish what types of vehicles go by: essentially, fixed data recorders scattered around a given city.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='240' height='160' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DQef7nFKvo4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b>The Problems With Monitoring Systems</b><br />
However, these are very costly, not trivial to install, and can present privacy concerns. That's not exactly a slam dunk to cash-strapped car-loving municipalities in the states. New systems like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQef7nFKvo4">BitCarrier</a> attempt to sidestep the cost and privacy issues but they still involve a significant commitment to install and run. All this can make the monitoring system itself a political decision and, thus, a perpetually deferred one. </div>
<div>
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<b>Improvise/Overcome</b></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://d26ifou2tyrp3u.cloudfront.net/assets/marketing/img-iphone-strava-82e389e18d16c1965610dd501a70a11a.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://d26ifou2tyrp3u.cloudfront.net/assets/marketing/img-iphone-strava-82e389e18d16c1965610dd501a70a11a.png" height="200" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://app.strava.com/mobile" target="_blank">iPhone GPS App</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_485114252"><img border="0" src="http://d26ifou2tyrp3u.cloudfront.net/assets/marketing/img-android-strava-af3c2d041e1b0228802d55e7bfec282e.png" height="200" width="108" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://app.strava.com/mobile" target="_blank">Android GPS App</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So what to do? The goal of this blog is to find ways to engage in and promote cycling right now regardless of what legislators are doing or failing to do. Until political will shows up to properly monitor cycling activity, people who care about cycling have to monitor themselves. However, that doesn't mean they can't enlist their own high tech solutions. To that end, there's a sophisticated bike monitor right under our noses, literally, that most cyclists are still not using.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>New Tools Automate Self-Monitoring</b></div>
<div>
In recent years, sport cyclists have become addicted to recording all their rides using GPS-enabled cycling computers or <a href="http://app.strava.com/mobile" target="_blank">smartphones apps</a> that do the same thing. Not only do these devices help with navigation, they record the latitude, longitude, and altitude of all the points on the ride. </div>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
That trend has led to websites catering to these sport riders that allow them to upload the GPS data. The sites not only display a map of the ride, they graphically compare each riders path and aggregate that activity by "segment" on the website.<br />
<br />
Currently, this is most often done so wannabe racers can compare their times against other riders. However, this also provides wannabe advocates with excellent data on who is riding where and how often.<br />
<br />
<b>Bike Culture Clash</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLK6IYx3daSWHUsWN1t6w-lZ-pLfPHlgmC5K_f24IU0JT8jHydCMTbIWrcmW_gd90qaMLEM_V9CCzcOOF1-mnYZ5G6XTKaPQkHiHwfUi-F_HvC2TekxhKJCsQjh8H5_QEc3_VipiAEClY/s1600/bikesnobnyc.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLK6IYx3daSWHUsWN1t6w-lZ-pLfPHlgmC5K_f24IU0JT8jHydCMTbIWrcmW_gd90qaMLEM_V9CCzcOOF1-mnYZ5G6XTKaPQkHiHwfUi-F_HvC2TekxhKJCsQjh8H5_QEc3_VipiAEClY/s320/bikesnobnyc.tiff" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
Geeking out with all this data collection can make certain cyclist's skin crawl. BikeSnobNYC recently tweeted, sardonically: "Every ride on your high-end bicycle is important. Be sure to document it by means of a cycling-based social networking application." His comment got retweeted over 100 times.<br />
<br />
<b>Self-Monitor: If Not For Your Ego, Then For Advocacy</b><br />
Although it is clear why some cyclists want to distinguish themselves from those they might perceive as spandexed, "weight weenies", obsessing over ride times, cycling in general still desperately needs the data that all cyclists can provide. In fact, it is urban cycling in particular that could benefit most from adopting this practice since it is the city where so many of cycling's competing interests reside.<br />
<br />
NYC's new bike share program equips all its bikes with GPS for just such a purpose (see<a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/01/12/sadik-khan-bike-share-gps-data-will-help-plan-nyc-bike-network/" target="_blank"> this StreetsBlog article</a> about that). What's more, cyclists are already wearing video cameras to record accidents and infractions by motorists (see this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/21/technology/bicyclists-using-cameras-to-capture-accidents.html" target="_blank">New York Times article</a>).<br />
<br />
This video monitoring is analogous to a flight recorder on an airplane. Using a GPS to record rides simply amounts to having a data recorder as well. What's more, this kind of monitoring is "opt-in" whereas other systems tend to record you whether you want them to or not.<br />
<br />
Recording all your bike rides for speed may seem distasteful to some but letting that preclude the recording of rides for advocacy's sake seems more so. More ride data will result in a wealth of detail on cycling activity. With this simple act on the part of cyclists, advocates can show legislators the hardest data they've ever seen on cyclist ride patterns:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>ride paths</li>
<li>ride dates</li>
<li>ride times</li>
<li>number of unique riders (aka voters) on a given route in a given time. </li>
</ul>
Data like that is essential when justifying the existence and the placement of bicycle infrastructure and legislation.<br />
<br />
<b>There's Already A Lot Of Data Out There</b><br />
Some of this GPS data already includes urban cycling routes. Below, is but a sampling of the data found after a few minutes of searching. Imagine what kind of data will result when more cyclists and cycling advocates start recording their rides the same way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Potential Bonanza For Bike Advocacy Data</b><br />
Given all the potential for cycling data and its impact, advocacy groups will hopefully adopt the practice of creating and/or identifying key segments of their roadways on these websites and encourage all riders, sport or otherwise, to record every ride they take. At the very least, doing so, would be a great supplement to official bike counts. The detail on cycling activity, if not total number of rides tallied, will increase exponentially.<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>Smartphones As Bike Computer/Monitoring Tool</b></div>
<div>
Until recently, the need for an expensive bike computer might have prevented a lot of riders from engaging in bike trip monitoring. However, most people now have GPS-enabled smartphones. Websites like <a href="http://app.strava.com/mobile" target="_blank">strava.com</a> already have <a href="http://app.strava.com/mobile" target="_blank">apps</a> that allow these smartphones to record rides and upload data just the way the GPS computers do. In fact, there's little bike computers do that a smartphone app can't anymore.<br />
<br />
Below are some sample charts generated from aggregate ride data on strava.com.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Data On Oakland, CA</b><br />
<table align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq0EKU6MKkgsKuu9jS85UdBv7FGQqYmHmuYFo-yC0fK_i4WXXMIu0RvtvRgb9hOr_2ZomlinSXhQT_zqumRPFR2f51m-OYmXyCL7GaE8ym_lcmdMzEdxffYftb6sVE-A1H67p6Cv2s4s/s1600/chart_1+%283%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq0EKU6MKkgsKuu9jS85UdBv7FGQqYmHmuYFo-yC0fK_i4WXXMIu0RvtvRgb9hOr_2ZomlinSXhQT_zqumRPFR2f51m-OYmXyCL7GaE8ym_lcmdMzEdxffYftb6sVE-A1H67p6Cv2s4s/s200/chart_1+%283%29.png" height="93" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Rides/Day: Tunnel Road<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Oakland, CA</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj5PIApevwiwbeJOeB0tS0wAny6v0LFZ8ua2-wvODaH9eSncHg1EmKra6JTPcZgnfrjE8RZh015T6l7WSnqdP5DdEjU1ZxURF6C8vIpVgGrHfHw8aIYSjF67q0uFN_H30CLVDimQoR7H_/s1600/chart_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj5PIApevwiwbeJOeB0tS0wAny6v0LFZ8ua2-wvODaH9eSncHg1EmKra6JTPcZgnfrjE8RZh015T6l7WSnqdP5DdEjU1ZxURF6C8vIpVgGrHfHw8aIYSjF67q0uFN_H30CLVDimQoR7H_/s200/chart_2.png" height="55" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Most Popular Hours<br />
Tunnel Road<br />
Oakland, CA</td></tr>
<tr><td><hr />
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl5evfpAOn1jNhUVWHWHBwmhsSNOBrC_XXR5Qsryla4nZLi_18PoeKKb1M39VNxsq1DHhMobXU6jGEQkgtW3lIGttEL0G3i8lVtneqX2AuYcE188OmQhW0wom2a8AZr0bldCEXt0-YtU/s1600/chart_1+%285%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl5evfpAOn1jNhUVWHWHBwmhsSNOBrC_XXR5Qsryla4nZLi_18PoeKKb1M39VNxsq1DHhMobXU6jGEQkgtW3lIGttEL0G3i8lVtneqX2AuYcE188OmQhW0wom2a8AZr0bldCEXt0-YtU/s200/chart_1+%285%29.png" height="115" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Rides/Day<br />
Bike To Work Day North<br />
Chicago, IL</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3dW8PKSAVzzc5tLZi5aMYMI7HqX96GWgIyK27OImguhpAcQqxfEdMbhQMpzYu1ZymPe5fg_P6WJWgg65FOcZhXPavki9VZcEQFTMGiGNVbV3ojHIKgmCKFAf7z1wbUFJBKELP-ItQhg/s1600/chart_2+%284%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3dW8PKSAVzzc5tLZi5aMYMI7HqX96GWgIyK27OImguhpAcQqxfEdMbhQMpzYu1ZymPe5fg_P6WJWgg65FOcZhXPavki9VZcEQFTMGiGNVbV3ojHIKgmCKFAf7z1wbUFJBKELP-ItQhg/s200/chart_2+%284%29.png" height="121" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Most Popular Hours<br />
Bike To Work Day North<br />
Chicago, IL</td></tr>
<tr><td><hr />
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsKJKuqzwb3MnjMJ3bYAmgljpMGBEcv9lRzq44N-WOWDRsRZ826OQxaq-Vd16WKP4zT3dxok5Eyf0PfUjxLywZKCXxvARcVfQgEYn6aCDhWSYijngUOvfMgnB6NmNM6T09_0TVwqxBv0/s1600/chart_1+%284%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsKJKuqzwb3MnjMJ3bYAmgljpMGBEcv9lRzq44N-WOWDRsRZ826OQxaq-Vd16WKP4zT3dxok5Eyf0PfUjxLywZKCXxvARcVfQgEYn6aCDhWSYijngUOvfMgnB6NmNM6T09_0TVwqxBv0/s200/chart_1+%284%29.png" height="83" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Rides/Day Los Feliz Corner<br />
Los Angeles, CA</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-GBrfM9XGB6NBvRoe-L0l5N7KJPGjEAi5SSlz_Z4JBHZoY_aWQYKklyIb9wfftLArEizgJg6RiA5uvw3QgK_6ouYnYkGtbN0sll0I1c-F5BjHdMhGoUt9MTPHf2DBof2iKA-BfPy6TU/s1600/chart_2+%282%29.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-GBrfM9XGB6NBvRoe-L0l5N7KJPGjEAi5SSlz_Z4JBHZoY_aWQYKklyIb9wfftLArEizgJg6RiA5uvw3QgK_6ouYnYkGtbN0sll0I1c-F5BjHdMhGoUt9MTPHf2DBof2iKA-BfPy6TU/s200/chart_2+%282%29.png" height="119" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Most Popular Hours<br />
Los Feliz Corner<br />
Los Angeles, CA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first set of charts shows all the rides recorded for the "<a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/285779" target="_blank">Tunnel Road</a>" ride in the last 2 months. This is a sport ride but it is also my commute home. The first chart in the set shows rides per day with the total number of unique riders. The second tallies the most popular hours of the day. These show the course gets heavy usage by cyclists every day all day long.<br />
<br />
Given that <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8639978" target="_blank">two cyclists were recently hit</a> on this course, many of us would like something done to improve safety. These charts clearly document the demand and ride patterns that will be affected.<br />
<br />
<b>Data for Chicago, IL</b><br />
The second set of charts shows all the rides recorded for the "<a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/1467815" target="_blank">Bike To Work North</a>" ride in Chicago, IL. I'm not familiar with the terrain but this is a short ride that appears to go right to downtown: not exactly a sport ride. The rider volume is not very high but that is what is so easy to fix if everyone starts getting a "data receipt" for all of their rides.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Data for Los Angeles, CA</b><br />
The third set of charts shows all the rides recorded for the "<a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/930675" target="_blank">Los Feliz Corner</a>" ride in Los Angeles, CA. This looks to be another urban course. This chart even shows activity over several years. The daily activity appears very low but, even so, the number of unique cyclists is not. Again, so much more could be gained for advocacy if all of LA's urban riders participate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-71100593110129381642012-05-26T07:36:00.000-07:002015-04-14T21:05:39.899-07:00Fly, Land, Bike! Look Ma, no transit, no rental car.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaBDLmo0oK4qkk0D5x4SctCMAMtC5A-oF220G86-uLApTdePSOzxTGVcAm2_R4xouFTBHUR5FT0sJXWfiw129-tV2-IEdVwcrHg6OMA-cxmrFjeowqXpB3XFXJec28ItEjqTBIoaLICcS/s807/DSCN6536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaBDLmo0oK4qkk0D5x4SctCMAMtC5A-oF220G86-uLApTdePSOzxTGVcAm2_R4xouFTBHUR5FT0sJXWfiw129-tV2-IEdVwcrHg6OMA-cxmrFjeowqXpB3XFXJec28ItEjqTBIoaLICcS/s200/DSCN6536.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
Whenever I fly somewhere, I dream of just landing and riding my bike from the airport. I've been flying with my bike in tow for a couple of years now but, for a variety of reasons chronicled on this blog, that hasn't been practical. Until now...(cue Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" from 2001: A Space Odyssey).<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="150" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/efMu9gEd0ig?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200"></embed>
Yesterday, I landed at Ontario International Airport, in Ontario, California (not Canada). I walked off the plane with two modestly-sized carry-ons. After retrieving a typically-sized suitcase from baggage claim, I walked to a quiet corner of the airport. In less time than it takes to rent a car, ~15 minutes, I was riding off from the airport with all my luggage and still cruising at 30kph. Better still, I incurred no additional baggage charges like I did in <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/03/cycling-washington-dc-getting-there.html" target="_blank">D.C. recently</a>.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<table align="right" style="clear: both; width: 250px;">
<tbody>
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<td width="20"></td>
<td>Prior bike luggage travails:
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/02/cycling-at-2010-winter-olympics.html">Flying to the Olympics Vancouver</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/08/road-to-lampasas.html">Flying to Austin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/05/cycling-las-vegas-strip.html">Flying to Vegas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/10/carless-in-los-angeles-road-to-ciclavia.html">Flying to Ciclavia in LA</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/03/cycling-washington-dc-getting-there.html">Flying to Washington D.C.</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
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</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dream realized! What made the difference this time were some recent innovations in bicycle design: my folding Tern Verge X20 and my brand new Burley Travoy. Both performed superbly:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Tern Verge X20</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">weighs 9.3kg/20.5lb</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">easily cruises at 36km/20mph</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">fits in a regular suitcase. <br />Incredible! Here's a link to my <a href="http://www.nycewheels.com/tern-verge-x20-review-jody.html" target="_blank">nycewheels review</a> where I gush further.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Burley Travoy</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">weighs 4.4 kg/9.8 lb</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">easily attaches and cruises behind my folding bike</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">fits in a regular carry-on bag (included).</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
Thanks to these innovations, it is a great time to be alive and cycling. Other folding bikes and trailers have come along but few fold/unfold as fast AND perform as well on the road.</div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com113tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-81659083920094146822012-05-12T10:19:00.001-07:002015-04-14T21:01:23.749-07:00CHP, please avoid bike lanes.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Dear CHP (California Highway Patrol).<br />
<br />
When stopping drivers, please guide them to a spot away from bicycle lanes. Forcing me around you risks my life and implicitly tells other drivers these lanes don't matter.<br />
<br />
In this example, I had to pull into a lane between cars going 40 MPH. I'm brave and all but this kind of thing dramatically increases the chances I'll be dead or maimed by someone looking at you as they drive past.<br />
<br />
Note the perfectly good turnout 50 yards ahead. You could have used that as the spot to write your citation. This would keep you from getting hit as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05VcDVvM30u2L9DYJFzGg_WgLU9rQGPP9zbZSt10NHoIPQ4MmTh-H87bCBLlbc-d-YojLbP9CY9KaqoKP7QJYYUtnEsJ_W1ZxlkkZeeu97nktLMK_T9vS1CeP-mxc29RNgjVnI9jb_TE/s1039/DSCN6309.chp.cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05VcDVvM30u2L9DYJFzGg_WgLU9rQGPP9zbZSt10NHoIPQ4MmTh-H87bCBLlbc-d-YojLbP9CY9KaqoKP7QJYYUtnEsJ_W1ZxlkkZeeu97nktLMK_T9vS1CeP-mxc29RNgjVnI9jb_TE/s320/DSCN6309.chp.cropped.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-1225625326668033402012-04-14T23:19:00.001-07:002015-04-14T21:06:59.259-07:00Cycling San Francisco: Lombard Street By Bike [HD VIDEO]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<td valign="top">This bright clear day around the bay gave me a great excuse to test out the new GoPro. Here's a video of San Francisco's Lombard Street by bicycle.
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<br />
<b>Fake Cable Cars Behaving Badly</b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmMfPub921mmwnbhCfknhgZ0g7A1emWJdGuo_zi9Yp5hcWaFbG1uRGpPnpSjflOMeHrTeSi6ZHEWGPkUB1Ub8k0gnY-LaTKkUhqmNtc2HutPHJFBGVM0T5b3CcV2tcbUejpLAB30rDaA/s1005/DSCN6190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmMfPub921mmwnbhCfknhgZ0g7A1emWJdGuo_zi9Yp5hcWaFbG1uRGpPnpSjflOMeHrTeSi6ZHEWGPkUB1Ub8k0gnY-LaTKkUhqmNtc2HutPHJFBGVM0T5b3CcV2tcbUejpLAB30rDaA/s200/DSCN6190.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUSDJgsdR1eOZJnByBaLecChD7_X2N12HxLqV3ac4c6bSi8YJeYPL0BsL8Ua6dhGZRBdEMy0iGl0Rx589q2edqNbkDNLbb-GE1-s5H3D6sSgCwbE3vEKC7jyOiDhq4WW-gnvXcu81Eyk/s1005/DSCN6189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUSDJgsdR1eOZJnByBaLecChD7_X2N12HxLqV3ac4c6bSi8YJeYPL0BsL8Ua6dhGZRBdEMy0iGl0Rx589q2edqNbkDNLbb-GE1-s5H3D6sSgCwbE3vEKC7jyOiDhq4WW-gnvXcu81Eyk/s200/DSCN6189.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>On the way there, I witnessed a fake cable car picking up passengers in the bike lane. In the time it took for me to chronicle this, two cyclist's had to take the lane. Not a biggie for the seasoned cyclist but it is still how accidents happen.<br />
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And I keep hearing how the lack of infrastructure is a dealbreaker for many would-be cyclists. Given that, it is a bummer to continually see existing infrastructure poached by motor vehicles with plenty of alternative places to park.<br />
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<b>Hill Training With Extreme Prejudice</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4OOwH7UKEnkAXFOt7vro8Q0mp5N0SQU9LGSUaPJkRXII4bIrfY21iCc44zzJMVaJzpZPfn3_lZTx_bJakbmo7f47sb5RLDqhgEjxj9arUZIfeC6Jyw-f7-FM_PAiqbn75WzsGTDDMAE/s1005/DSCN6177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4OOwH7UKEnkAXFOt7vro8Q0mp5N0SQU9LGSUaPJkRXII4bIrfY21iCc44zzJMVaJzpZPfn3_lZTx_bJakbmo7f47sb5RLDqhgEjxj9arUZIfeC6Jyw-f7-FM_PAiqbn75WzsGTDDMAE/s200/DSCN6177.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>
I love downtown San Francisco for outrageous hills to climb. Today was no <a href="http://www.sfbike.org/main/seven-hells-of-san-francisco-ride/">Seven Hills of Hell</a> but it had some tasty climbs.<br />
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Jody Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764056589025287201noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-55623812409802430292012-04-03T19:28:00.003-07:002015-04-14T14:09:43.403-07:00Cycling Washington D.C.: By Night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At the end of Day 2 of the National Bike Summit, the <a href="http://bicyclespacewdc.com/" target="_blank">Bicycle Space</a> bike shop hosted a ride for BikeSnobNYC to help launch his new book. The clear, balmy, weather promised to make this a memorable ride through a number of D.C. landmarks at night.<br />
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The ride started off across from Bicycle Space just before dusk. It was a good turnout with a nice array of bikes and bicyclists. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Love Bike Demographic: Everybody</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkubCFXPUAkSwZ78n6PXb6M06jD6bgWi-X4PkX2w11yIiNegj5Pb9VmS89COjAQLeNMi89qldsOJTXkcnaCPI11QazcnS2Wp2nQt2w_1R1FHm7EKEYrdbRJl4JQN1oLb7EEPZa2foJdI/s780/DSCN5440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkubCFXPUAkSwZ78n6PXb6M06jD6bgWi-X4PkX2w11yIiNegj5Pb9VmS89COjAQLeNMi89qldsOJTXkcnaCPI11QazcnS2Wp2nQt2w_1R1FHm7EKEYrdbRJl4JQN1oLb7EEPZa2foJdI/s200/DSCN5440.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Group activities of all kinds are great for building a sense of community but too many attract the same demographic. To really build a true community, you've got to attract young and old, rich and poor, right and left, etc. I saw all that on this ride and see it on many rides I do elsewhere. Love that.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bike Style On Display</span><br />
A number of folks were showing off their cool bikes and attire. At one point the folding bikes had a fold-off: that's an amusing thing to watch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZysBnfcr_WYOh8sl024vMmzy6tYZ490_bXvI8hTRI_QR-rpm4vodlkb6T2Mgx3Iof2vQxDzDUAm7fP0jAWjqjc4_Y8DkzAroZPj0EqrM5KXgTcSrb5B6fE4NjCtdVLirKmIjQyNypFY/s791/DSCN5412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZysBnfcr_WYOh8sl024vMmzy6tYZ490_bXvI8hTRI_QR-rpm4vodlkb6T2Mgx3Iof2vQxDzDUAm7fP0jAWjqjc4_Y8DkzAroZPj0EqrM5KXgTcSrb5B6fE4NjCtdVLirKmIjQyNypFY/s200/DSCN5412.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a>I especially liked the "dress casual" the cargo bike ride rider was sporting. A button down shirt, slacks, and dress shoes are not commonly found on cargo bike riders. Presumably, because they are gonna sweat a lot on that thing but tonight's ride was easy and he looked cool either way.<br />
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I also enjoyed the houndstooth bike. Unfortunately, I never got around to finding out where the owner got that but it was super cool.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Police Blockage: Really?</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8BJz2tynROQ3Kww7DxbLQFeiKyV7hfcod6DGz93nltcovVwUbchR8DfYsaJkrpCF4qu8y2wwesyNvPKJZnlybWfqd3_4olLKIXprvPbVUPXxnhh8XKZjCYUatNYw-9VE0aNV_C-7T0w/s791/DSCN5424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8BJz2tynROQ3Kww7DxbLQFeiKyV7hfcod6DGz93nltcovVwUbchR8DfYsaJkrpCF4qu8y2wwesyNvPKJZnlybWfqd3_4olLKIXprvPbVUPXxnhh8XKZjCYUatNYw-9VE0aNV_C-7T0w/s200/DSCN5424.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a>The ride got off to a bizarre start just a few blocks in when a Metro Police car rushed ahead and blocked the seemingly innocuous street in front of us, with extreme prejudice I might add. There was nothing obviously sensitive on that street and it was literally one block that was off limits. That snarled the ride for a few seconds but no biggie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">White House At Sunset</span><br />
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A few minutes later we passed the White House. The setting sun cast a long shadow of the cyclists on the stone panels in front of the White House. It was so gorgeous I wanted to spend the whole evening taking pictures there but I am glad I didn't because of all the good stuff I found ahead.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Noone Knows Your Name But You Feel Like They Do</span><br />
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I just love how relaxed I feel on these group rides no matter where in the world I am on one. I've rarely had so many warm encounters with people I didn't know. Noone knows your name but you feel like they do.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Great Swaths Of Carlessness</span><br />
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Once passed the White House, it was on to the Lincoln Memorial. Like the White House, it has a great wide swath of carless pavement in front.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lots More Bike Lanes To Go</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1fmO3irivu9aIjWT795xQflF4uiZjTJTZf7Phwfdr78lAc-Lk639QPdnoUF7DJMPPJ63V_Fo5s5I_uFcKZtG2uZIny44rgVXR4G-Tkg61lqnIK04PiDBSZS0g5mqXsylFXyCwWju2jY/s791/DSCN5450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1fmO3irivu9aIjWT795xQflF4uiZjTJTZf7Phwfdr78lAc-Lk639QPdnoUF7DJMPPJ63V_Fo5s5I_uFcKZtG2uZIny44rgVXR4G-Tkg61lqnIK04PiDBSZS0g5mqXsylFXyCwWju2jY/s200/DSCN5450.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a>If only these great swaths were all connected. Too often they are not. Instead, you find an inconsistent mix of plain car-dominated street, narrow bicycle lane, or wide but pedestrian-filled sidewalk. Nevertheless, the traffic jams from the blooming cherry blossoms did a great job of calming traffic in the area so even the streets weren't that bad (for cyclists).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Police Escort: Really?</span><br />
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After cruising down by the Potomac riverfront a bit, a strange site appeared. It was yet another Metro Police car but, this time, it was helping cyclists. It pulled in front of the cars instead of us, then held the traffic at bay until we all got through. What a pleasant surprise.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nationals Park Garage</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBI8VehtuWykBjHtYSwOJ71j7_thRINV1pEkL2jtw0G-WiCekBlIt4yqulFL_YQGCV7BJzTmyx5i9JulPFol62s5SK7IlqWCvqm2B9JW2wRxNa-wkxAUMBmyaRZn5ur33sN6gGtPbzx0M/s791/DSCN5468.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBI8VehtuWykBjHtYSwOJ71j7_thRINV1pEkL2jtw0G-WiCekBlIt4yqulFL_YQGCV7BJzTmyx5i9JulPFol62s5SK7IlqWCvqm2B9JW2wRxNa-wkxAUMBmyaRZn5ur33sN6gGtPbzx0M/s200/DSCN5468.leveled.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a>As we rode past the Nationals Park baseball stadium, the ride leaders took a counter-intuitive turn into the adjacent parking garage. The garage did have its very own bicycle parking area on the first floor which is very cool. However, there was no way we'd all fit.<br />
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No worries. The ride leaders were just adding a bit of drama to the ride by taking us up to the roof for a spectacular sunset view of the stadium and surrounding area. <br />
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Bicycle Space made the whole experience even better with excellent tunes and with free popsicles for everyone. These guys are obviously professionals.<br />
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Once down from the roof, real darkness had set in but the light show was just beginning. We cruised down to the neighboring Yards Park.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yards Park</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf2K8Na5_MEVI7vNzUCCqATlUj1VYedOHq4dTQVYIi_whWBZvEzaFe9-ksoZLcVuh7HUCK_BSKIp4lJI91Vu9zTCTgnYEBtc8_zn3Ufv_APyc4w6Pi2qBcSc2LZP5PrzVlXPrKrE1c00/s791/DSCN5492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf2K8Na5_MEVI7vNzUCCqATlUj1VYedOHq4dTQVYIi_whWBZvEzaFe9-ksoZLcVuh7HUCK_BSKIp4lJI91Vu9zTCTgnYEBtc8_zn3Ufv_APyc4w6Pi2qBcSc2LZP5PrzVlXPrKrE1c00/s200/DSCN5492.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a>At Yards Park, an elegant new foot bridge gleamed in the night. I was told the whole area there was only recently constructed so there weren't any restaurants open yet. It is already a great place to languish.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Capitol Finale</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aDO28eg5eWZgQb6WfjKNMWzlLG41vEuo_sD3vFX0T-Zih9WcBGZ3xw2ZApjLD2y-x-7E6FHKIhthSbFtxk04LkQAwVopJ2tC5x8fluYa4EZuBtTBytHJYFSILysmsSRXyHfxXFDVEoM/s791/DSCN5511.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aDO28eg5eWZgQb6WfjKNMWzlLG41vEuo_sD3vFX0T-Zih9WcBGZ3xw2ZApjLD2y-x-7E6FHKIhthSbFtxk04LkQAwVopJ2tC5x8fluYa4EZuBtTBytHJYFSILysmsSRXyHfxXFDVEoM/s200/DSCN5511.leveled.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a>After Yards Park, it was time for the finale: the back of the Capitol. The front was a moving site in broad daylight during the<a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-ride-on.html" target="_blank"> Ride On Washington</a> but approaching it at night was really spectacular. Again, the balmy temperature was perfect. You didn't care that it was getting late.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAZxJh8pIXtrwP0yr7piKkLhmQ_15ftVB_SO-j3Mc1zRBXKMRElsqRjWRYDPZQ0sGuHdeEIPfVQZDvq3H3oAD4kcG7knuk-pTyNTEd6J41ytjAPH_X4P28nxAJGEOkSch1aIb8PVGYQ4/s791/DSCN5519.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAZxJh8pIXtrwP0yr7piKkLhmQ_15ftVB_SO-j3Mc1zRBXKMRElsqRjWRYDPZQ0sGuHdeEIPfVQZDvq3H3oAD4kcG7knuk-pTyNTEd6J41ytjAPH_X4P28nxAJGEOkSch1aIb8PVGYQ4/s200/DSCN5519.leveled.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
Once there, folks started circling in front of it. The collection of bicycle lights under the capitol created a dream-like vision. It truly beautiful and hopeful to see people spending their evenings this way instead of behind a bar, TV, or steering wheel. It was what Spaulding Gray might call a perfect moment. I was so happy to be a part of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKhb2EfVqUYuDsjXfpkZwycE05rKdnyZof0HRp5NdEzj4_bILgw14NrVBUUi4b_PDx58wXj3UTYZTdU3aK8E4OtapLI-0lcJGcl09FIdFutAdfbr2v1etWgdeyZCTildooFTKqFxGjUo/s791/DSCN5535.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKhb2EfVqUYuDsjXfpkZwycE05rKdnyZof0HRp5NdEzj4_bILgw14NrVBUUi4b_PDx58wXj3UTYZTdU3aK8E4OtapLI-0lcJGcl09FIdFutAdfbr2v1etWgdeyZCTildooFTKqFxGjUo/s200/DSCN5535.leveled.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
After that, it was time to head home. Didn't find a bike lane on this road but it was all smiles on the way, nevertheless.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">More D.C. photos: </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/03/cycling-washington-dc-getting-there.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: Getting There</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-ride-on.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: Ride On Washington</a></span></li>
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More ride photos:<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/09/sf-critical-mass-almost-legal-at-18.html" target="_blank">San Francisco Critical Mass: Almost Legal at 18</a></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAyTDHo_Y_X603dQbHJu-d3_Td7Ryceq-GL4bN1Dpaw2BJjB5-Cn8yrKlYtwB-gHaVomvcqUUMoOJq6W8FZUx67kQ0BCCQ2ybcU-phwd_XR2bI6CNE19hH1vJc7S_7-lJm7oZE-j1iHY/s780/DSCN5441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAyTDHo_Y_X603dQbHJu-d3_Td7Ryceq-GL4bN1Dpaw2BJjB5-Cn8yrKlYtwB-gHaVomvcqUUMoOJq6W8FZUx67kQ0BCCQ2ybcU-phwd_XR2bI6CNE19hH1vJc7S_7-lJm7oZE-j1iHY/s200/DSCN5441.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
P.S. Special thanks to Lisa, whom I met on this ride. You were a wealth of information about cycling and D.C. It was a real pleasure to meet you. Thanks.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-5868097936289447652012-04-02T08:20:00.000-07:002015-04-15T08:36:16.132-07:00Cycling Washington D.C.: Ride On Washington<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBorzSkjxIrsFNh7IF_kbhaiZGGxYVq49ZfxzMxl0Z1iPWu9U9hUOB3ie10b_MjkMF61SfBDQcxz7vAH0Sp7D-jRHxfPBL_h9LweONYG9t6Krn_KTnYbgy3ESiPL2Zsdmu6yFekgLbyxc/s1091/DSCN5195.leveled3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBorzSkjxIrsFNh7IF_kbhaiZGGxYVq49ZfxzMxl0Z1iPWu9U9hUOB3ie10b_MjkMF61SfBDQcxz7vAH0Sp7D-jRHxfPBL_h9LweONYG9t6Krn_KTnYbgy3ESiPL2Zsdmu6yFekgLbyxc/s200/DSCN5195.leveled3.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">First order of business while in D.C. for the National Bike Summit was to participate in the finale of </span><a href="http://rideonwashington.org/finale-in-dc/" style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Tim Johnson's Ride On Washington</a><span style="line-height: 18px;">. </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">This is a 500 mile journey from Boston to Washington D.C. to raise funds for </span><a href="http://bikesbelong.org/" style="line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">Bikes Belong</a><span style="line-height: 17px;">. Tim Johnson invites all comers to ride with him for the finale into Washington D.C. on the first day of the National Bike Summit. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">People Power</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bHMmooUs6MKSXs1mvlhyphenhyphenQNKlMWUo44rPmMdlw2kMu7Giygh99nPnh-4O94WwoGDAA04eG4nf0_0zA5NtMVmzTn49HnilltQCvd9Uspg-fbYCT6RtJhIbxoyLfOylmfThgqpaYRaNNQw/s1005/DSCN5168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bHMmooUs6MKSXs1mvlhyphenhyphenQNKlMWUo44rPmMdlw2kMu7Giygh99nPnh-4O94WwoGDAA04eG4nf0_0zA5NtMVmzTn49HnilltQCvd9Uspg-fbYCT6RtJhIbxoyLfOylmfThgqpaYRaNNQw/s200/DSCN5168.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Last year, the "Occupy" demonstrations reignited, in many, a long lost passion for fundamental change to our economy and society. The movement grabbed international attention just by forming stationary groups in points of political interest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Since then, many have realized what many cyclists already knew: that cycling is a great instrument for affecting economic and social change. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Even before any</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> stimulus, legislation, or demonstration, a single cyclist immediately diverts money spent on financing, maintaining and fueling a car to something more stimulating, economically or otherwise. Whenever many cyclists do this, people see dramatic improvements to health, community, and economy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Powers Combined</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Tim Johnson's Ride On Washington is a unique chance to illustrate both the power of assembly and the power of cycling, and do it right in front of national legislators. What</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> better way to begin the National Bike Summit?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">Starting the Finale</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfz8FmB4CcMPf_YIFXiHoGX-UEX3lyqDZGq8Fbc1JN1__EZcebjbjYTRPQjoR1bb0WvM7L43wZiUd96u6i_fYPXK50wHT_k_HKDCOwup6hj9qoNhS3kHOy0k8A4KTn2xT-nJ-jfIXZyEc/s896/DSCN5174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfz8FmB4CcMPf_YIFXiHoGX-UEX3lyqDZGq8Fbc1JN1__EZcebjbjYTRPQjoR1bb0WvM7L43wZiUd96u6i_fYPXK50wHT_k_HKDCOwup6hj9qoNhS3kHOy0k8A4KTn2xT-nJ-jfIXZyEc/s200/DSCN5174.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">First though, I had to get to the start of the finale ride. It began 18 miles out in the D.C. suburb of</span> College Park, MD<span style="line-height: 18px;">. That should have been a piece of cake. Google Maps showed me a bicycle-friendly way to </span><a href="http://www.proteusbicycles.com/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.25s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-in-out; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">Proteus Bicycles</a>: the shop hosting the start. I had 90 minutes to get there. No problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">Bike Trouble</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Unfortunately, my reassembly of my folding bike had my derailleur missing 12 out of 20 gears. Ugh!!!! My 90 minutes was going fast.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devlin and Jimmy at Rollin Cycles</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Persevering, I tapped Google Maps once again for nearby bike shops. Thankfully, one was 2 blocks away. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Many thanks to Jimmy and Devlin at Rollin Bicycles for fixing my derailleur in seconds, at no charge. Thanks to them, I was able to make it out in time for the finale. I wound up taking the metro out to Greenbelt but I made it. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Proteus Cycles: start of the finale</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">When I got to College Park, I found the utterly charming Proteus bicycle shop. This place is a fabulous combination of cement floors, folksy signage, and old wall hangings that reflect many years focused on the fun of cycling. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Proteus Bicycles: Ride On Washington</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Today was no different. Proteus was throwing a party in Tim's honor and contributed lots of support for the ride. Many thanks to them for their part in making it a truly pleasant experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">Cycling Group Grows As We Hit Town</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nVm8yypFjuW5AJyps9DRlL2e_LRE66lYs1Nu1HuxiDzUlttZK_j06NJZ5xdHu42VLwC-dHRVmE8_j7BQhiPi1RMljdf66lFpvWeVNjsTe-aIxgqXSl0ymLFRxwe710vO-2j0NSsIkZdT/s729/DSCN5191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nVm8yypFjuW5AJyps9DRlL2e_LRE66lYs1Nu1HuxiDzUlttZK_j06NJZ5xdHu42VLwC-dHRVmE8_j7BQhiPi1RMljdf66lFpvWeVNjsTe-aIxgqXSl0ymLFRxwe710vO-2j0NSsIkZdT/s200/DSCN5191.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The finale ride meandered </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">pleasantly </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">through the suburbs of D.C. picking up more cyclists along the way. I especially dug one rider's 2 foot high head dress. It makes me wonder how helmet laws reconcile helmets with religious head dress.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg69WM7xREm_b2vqo0eqxO8vJpb5O33bGLEXk4lnf8ZkM2Y6rh4Xj07DKae6bGQZb3BoRle6Kgik1hz7l5GXuCWvYZ2oInNayAZRCaFhMJnV9My31Yjw_sIzVFZGqll-ve7kiZsvmbSMB/s729/DSCN5229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg69WM7xREm_b2vqo0eqxO8vJpb5O33bGLEXk4lnf8ZkM2Y6rh4Xj07DKae6bGQZb3BoRle6Kgik1hz7l5GXuCWvYZ2oInNayAZRCaFhMJnV9My31Yjw_sIzVFZGqll-ve7kiZsvmbSMB/s200/DSCN5229.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cycling Pennsylvania Avenue</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">Capitol View</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">The real highlight for me was the experience of cycling down Pennsylvania avenue with the capital building in the background. It was truly a dream come true. What a sight: the capitol, the bike lane smack dab in the middle of the street, and all these cyclists showing their support for more lanes. It fills one with pride and excitement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">D.C. Police Support?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rZshst4SIMFejEvVg8xGDRryaeNMOxjYKX4GvmiCNCGXkjf4hboz4HRjNAHajbtnYvtf-7tW-snPuWTD-onPQbHS04QjlAeTKh1a-uG1m1d8wW8BxvYx6pVnOKVvBWPTNWy-C4KB9aU/s626/DSCN5215.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rZshst4SIMFejEvVg8xGDRryaeNMOxjYKX4GvmiCNCGXkjf4hboz4HRjNAHajbtnYvtf-7tW-snPuWTD-onPQbHS04QjlAeTKh1a-uG1m1d8wW8BxvYx6pVnOKVvBWPTNWy-C4KB9aU/s200/DSCN5215.leveled.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">D.C's Finest?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">That said, there were a few surprises on this ride. The first was the lack of police support. It is not uncommon for rides of this type to get a police escort to secure intersections until the entire group has passed. Instead, police were found parked in the middle of a separated bike lane, forcing our group to ride in the gutter, literally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Where Was Everybody?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD7CmqQXYV8SCLScma1UvxjGtbLGsaF6gRI10s5PZku1ope6a-v3zsVUcqT-VR4UwUXgIVKUbFw4JGsboqZxNKhkUyjreFS1XpXtjt64pRAqK4xUFcXLcCOSQ27Ros-OOVDk2Ih4Oc882/s1600/P1020921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD7CmqQXYV8SCLScma1UvxjGtbLGsaF6gRI10s5PZku1ope6a-v3zsVUcqT-VR4UwUXgIVKUbFw4JGsboqZxNKhkUyjreFS1XpXtjt64pRAqK4xUFcXLcCOSQ27Ros-OOVDk2Ih4Oc882/s200/P1020921.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Typical SF Critical Mass Turnout</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">S</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">eeing a thousand cyclists congregate peacefully is a relatively common site these days. Casual "fun rides" often get great turnouts. Given:</span></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">the recent turnouts elsewhere </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">the fact that </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Tim Johnson just knocked himself out for 500 miles to support cycling</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">the fact that </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">800+ passionate cycling advocates had just hit town</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I had visions of a sea of cyclists filling the streets of D.C. so completely that even the most distracted government representative would have to take notice. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHXQZm5mp8Kssn7vXLshdUvHc511f7Z_bB8yKnPnLARPba-w0E_HnuUZs7995nvip7zlKJZYOqWnTD8E-ERfmw8PzH0KlvsTLvJXqe9PWEaN1wbhl0xu-yJZFh6EVxygyk52IigpXobI/s1600/DSCN5265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHXQZm5mp8Kssn7vXLshdUvHc511f7Z_bB8yKnPnLARPba-w0E_HnuUZs7995nvip7zlKJZYOqWnTD8E-ERfmw8PzH0KlvsTLvJXqe9PWEaN1wbhl0xu-yJZFh6EVxygyk52IigpXobI/s200/DSCN5265.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Nevertheless, b</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">y last count, we had 100+. Granted, it was a Tuesday but it is still too bad that so many</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> local cyclists and visiting advocates missed </span><span style="line-height: 15px;">a great opportunity to show support for cycling on a national stage. They also missed a really fun ride.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHXQZm5mp8Kssn7vXLshdUvHc511f7Z_bB8yKnPnLARPba-w0E_HnuUZs7995nvip7zlKJZYOqWnTD8E-ERfmw8PzH0KlvsTLvJXqe9PWEaN1wbhl0xu-yJZFh6EVxygyk52IigpXobI/s896/DSCN5265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAsZJ0GqdS9a7E8bxOdUbGSug-AlC0Cvahtet6niJrRp2dLgqMA-IrhCebuHh4NnZacbkLuCOhwrjgANlnYuFtT7fueHnIfQyARAg5RkShlhh0QnPRFIaBRhEuWE6_o5IIdlckvxI4fY/s626/DSCN5257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAsZJ0GqdS9a7E8bxOdUbGSug-AlC0Cvahtet6niJrRp2dLgqMA-IrhCebuHh4NnZacbkLuCOhwrjgANlnYuFtT7fueHnIfQyARAg5RkShlhh0QnPRFIaBRhEuWE6_o5IIdlckvxI4fY/s200/DSCN5257.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">Great Finish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Regardless, the ride had a great finish. Tim Blumenthal, President of Bikes Belong, and many others joined the ride using bikes from Capital Bikeshare no less. The weather couldn't have been much better. It was a great day and a great ride. I am very grateful to Tim and all the others who made it happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">More D.C. photos: </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/03/cycling-washington-dc-getting-there.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: Getting There</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-by-night.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: By Night</a></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-13771191028722559362012-03-31T23:14:00.000-07:002015-04-14T14:25:44.150-07:00Cycling Washington D.C.: Getting There<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Background</span><br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRq9ntj7PCq-qhkWDy2YPB2DC0CjgilfMPdMat879_-Y4mTOUT5MYoA-ZRaueajHhYliWCEzfI437BMk21aE8dAUtBe5pJRUimK58BjIgD7B6wGr6XBnVBLJ7YwXAuAY8H5CEuYUE-hw/s864/DSCN5681.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRq9ntj7PCq-qhkWDy2YPB2DC0CjgilfMPdMat879_-Y4mTOUT5MYoA-ZRaueajHhYliWCEzfI437BMk21aE8dAUtBe5pJRUimK58BjIgD7B6wGr6XBnVBLJ7YwXAuAY8H5CEuYUE-hw/s200/DSCN5681.leveled.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
In 1972 my dad and I toured Washington D.C. by bicycle. That produced fond memories. News in recent years from D.C. about <a href="http://gabeklein.com/" target="_blank">Gabe Klein</a>'s appointment to <a href="http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/" target="_blank">DDOT</a>, the resulting new <a href="http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/" target="_blank">Capital Bikeshare</a> program, and miles of new bike lanes, made we want to cycle D.C. again. Cycling during the 2012 National Bike Summit in Washington D.C., made for a nice 30 year reunion between my bike and the nation's capital.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Introduction</span><br />
<table style="float: right; margin-left: 20px; width: 150px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>More D.C. photos:
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-ride-on.html" target="_blank">Cycling in Washington D.C.: Ride On Washington</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-by-night.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: By Night</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
What follows are a lot of pictures and a few reflections on this experience. There were so many that I've divided them into separate posts. This is the first one. I just call it "getting there".<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Getting There</span><br />
Cycling to D.C. from California might be nice some day when I have more time to spare but since that day has not yet arrived, I had to fly. That said, the whole point was to ride the city when I got there. Where to get a bike?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rent or Bring?</span><br />
Although <a href="http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/" target="_blank">Capital Bikeshare</a> is a great program for getting around the city proper, I had longer rides planned. A fitted road bike would be more suited to the task.<br />
<br />
Although I have rented, and could rent, a proper road bike, I am also tall and oddly proportioned. Most rentals target the average-sized person. I knew from painful experience that I needed a bike that fit really well or I would be laid up with backaches instead of out enjoying my stay. Consequently, I decided to bring my own bike.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, if you are in that sweet spot of 5 feet 2 inches to 6 feet 2 inches, chances are there is a rental bike available no matter what quality level you require.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Flying With Bikes</span><br />
<b>Full-Size Bikes</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02UU7lWI__iTYU92lCKsC9do_enxZeJciajlIjzBN1NswRyWJeSKiximP-s69NV5WzxAZ4uH4XN46dA2C96-_bhTqLb0NEvYEkV9JX_emdzplUgCnxSO1bld3zQAHV3foYbBsn86Htp4/s1091/DSCN5784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02UU7lWI__iTYU92lCKsC9do_enxZeJciajlIjzBN1NswRyWJeSKiximP-s69NV5WzxAZ4uH4XN46dA2C96-_bhTqLb0NEvYEkV9JX_emdzplUgCnxSO1bld3zQAHV3foYbBsn86Htp4/s200/DSCN5784.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
Flying with full-size bikes can be an expensive proposition. For the <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/02/cycling-at-2010-winter-olympics.html" target="_blank">Olympics</a>, United charged me $100 each way. Granted, that was for a 3 foot by 4 foot rolling bike box but it wasn't as heavy as many regular suitcases and other airlines have charged far less or nothing at all for the same case (e.g. Southwest and JetBlue).<br />
<br />
<b>Folding Bikes</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XwZuo5wf6nnPq8yrQAi9vhGlFGenikWl31CRsXkO-EZN3SbY6w-PDF3XXw96FdLebaZyxHHjjOlpSCnGDsTvDdWJ33EtGcawVfsDmLtxsSu2C4Z33LNrxaQVjPaBqVgGtsk_o2iPdXI/s1091/DSCN6001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XwZuo5wf6nnPq8yrQAi9vhGlFGenikWl31CRsXkO-EZN3SbY6w-PDF3XXw96FdLebaZyxHHjjOlpSCnGDsTvDdWJ33EtGcawVfsDmLtxsSu2C4Z33LNrxaQVjPaBqVgGtsk_o2iPdXI/s200/DSCN6001.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
This time I hoped to avoid such expenditures by bringing my folding bike in a regular suitcase. The folding bike suitcase was large but not so large that it could not to be treated like regular luggage, or so I thought.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I answered honestly when I was asked what was in the suitcase. Once the word "bike" was mentioned, I was kicked out of the normal luggage line and placed with the Australian surfer checking in his surfboard. He got stung for $100. I paid $125 because the ticketing staff suddenly realized that they hadn't been charging the "normal luggage fee" on top of the oversized luggage fee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GzoPAz2aaboJ3uYa3eQ_Wb-1ApjPyAiBhLVE1FKZb6Mgihihbk4RkVal8V0NfABvn1NKsf7Fq70mo0mxJW-6n863p00E7vLo_QOJB_XoSDgPD6LBAcKpwDeTM3IYvduOPOnjpXhoI8k/s626/DSCN5137.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GzoPAz2aaboJ3uYa3eQ_Wb-1ApjPyAiBhLVE1FKZb6Mgihihbk4RkVal8V0NfABvn1NKsf7Fq70mo0mxJW-6n863p00E7vLo_QOJB_XoSDgPD6LBAcKpwDeTM3IYvduOPOnjpXhoI8k/s200/DSCN5137.leveled.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Despite the fact that my suitcase was not overweight and could easily fit on the normal conveyor belt, I was assured my bike case could not be treated as regular luggage. Consequently, it was a bitter irony to see my suitcase come out of the normal conveyor belt when it arrived in D.C., i.e. not the oversized luggage door.<br />
<br />
My advice: don't fly United with any bike. Other airlines are way more accommodating to bikes. As for folding, make sure the suitcase really is standard size. In my case, that means I have to breakdown my Tern Verge X20 a little more than I hoped. For serious compactness, the Brompton seems good. However, no folding yet matches my Tern for serious long rides.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">D.C. Metro: Nice</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_2cmTozv0B9pzA02evm3tUM3ph03ErCOLeW_h6yLa5CiXBMypleyGEgAbusrARIGbX4MwRDdAdn1HmZWaQqMwE7jshwy3-4CpYqx4Tdnm1vbjvUTXikVOkGUbWFoG7RpEWYkY5sevOQ/s961/DSCN5139.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_2cmTozv0B9pzA02evm3tUM3ph03ErCOLeW_h6yLa5CiXBMypleyGEgAbusrARIGbX4MwRDdAdn1HmZWaQqMwE7jshwy3-4CpYqx4Tdnm1vbjvUTXikVOkGUbWFoG7RpEWYkY5sevOQ/s200/DSCN5139.leveled.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronald Reagan Airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thanks to the newish Ronald Reagan Washington Airport, which is surprisingly central and well-connected to D.C.s metro, getting to my hotel downtown took virtually the same amount of time as a cab at rush hour.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj6tXdfIQ7VxmObM8OvNLpIE0ffsvgPjz8gU2-cDvZL1yQE1pGgoHltBeJ0cqsLMWoAyN72sEVbK5wJ6RPIiE_yl6r5ZImEl4W6rldNRpTEOvfA8yskY2bSJ_jl0crX1b45tIvbhDLaY/s626/DSCN5145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj6tXdfIQ7VxmObM8OvNLpIE0ffsvgPjz8gU2-cDvZL1yQE1pGgoHltBeJ0cqsLMWoAyN72sEVbK5wJ6RPIiE_yl6r5ZImEl4W6rldNRpTEOvfA8yskY2bSJ_jl0crX1b45tIvbhDLaY/s200/DSCN5145.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
The D.C. metro was great. Maybe I was just lucky but I never waited long for a train, not even when I got lost and had to reverse direction. It was also relatively clean and the stations look pretty cool.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I Have Arrived</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUJHKvHRkjdGjpqQHSgd7XtiStA_IOSAXd9aR0as275h3f9XE59VBUiaaqa7YC7sW03PvmB2133-eQsDh90CDgTBqllYL_RCaAl560z39kF_sPa0CNfe1Z8KmaLM6jG6pOfFLNs7VZAY/s626/DSCN5148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUJHKvHRkjdGjpqQHSgd7XtiStA_IOSAXd9aR0as275h3f9XE59VBUiaaqa7YC7sW03PvmB2133-eQsDh90CDgTBqllYL_RCaAl560z39kF_sPa0CNfe1Z8KmaLM6jG6pOfFLNs7VZAY/s200/DSCN5148.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
The first thing I saw as I exited my metro station was a separated bike lane: a welcoming sign. Unfortunately, I couldn't ride it just yet. My bike was packed up in its suitcase.<br />
<br />
Note to folding bike makers: build a bike case that you can tow behind your bike so you can extract the bike and ride immediately upon arrival. I've seen a few of these but you have to assemble the wheels. The ideal would be something done in seconds at the airport or metro station.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">More D.C. photos: </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/03/cycling-washington-dc-getting-there.html" target="_blank"></a></span><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-ride-on.html" target="_blank">Cycling in Washington D.C.: Ride On Washington</a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.planbike.com/2012/04/cycling-washington-dc-by-night.html" target="_blank">Cycling Washington D.C.: By Night</a></span> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-25933716832854534032012-02-12T23:12:00.001-08:002015-04-14T14:28:47.776-07:00The Agony and Ecstasy Of A Bleeding Edge Bike Commute<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr31TRjpQAxt0GRzFyyw6apeBEiliyJ8jw_sSjzn7d4lzCmUS2COyVO0pDYdBJDRtksp5XlHRJU88Z7gjjTtyEatUJHpCwaIARzLqMELfgcEXd-toY8-b8NS2Ly40WegSaHaUjK3A5kPl/s1600/DSCN4682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr31TRjpQAxt0GRzFyyw6apeBEiliyJ8jw_sSjzn7d4lzCmUS2COyVO0pDYdBJDRtksp5XlHRJU88Z7gjjTtyEatUJHpCwaIARzLqMELfgcEXd-toY8-b8NS2Ly40WegSaHaUjK3A5kPl/s200/DSCN4682.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Introduction</span><br />
This is a love story and a cautionary tale of my first bike commute on my new super light folding bike: Tern Verge X20.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Background</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloBZ1QbjpxkU8NRN5W-l_5SmmpTMqz25aSBJhBOo5E2iVCtTG2qEkQkqtts12OrRT_dKqRRpVc1wsiwnGQJgfeIQUtOmaAeA7unqoA7ulpH9px54tco1SFkqf2jY847Ttke1Me5eFtp75/s1600/DSCN4839.leveled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloBZ1QbjpxkU8NRN5W-l_5SmmpTMqz25aSBJhBOo5E2iVCtTG2qEkQkqtts12OrRT_dKqRRpVc1wsiwnGQJgfeIQUtOmaAeA7unqoA7ulpH9px54tco1SFkqf2jY847Ttke1Me5eFtp75/s200/DSCN4839.leveled.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>It is safe to say I have a challenging bike commute:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>41 miles each way</li>
<li>7+ miles of water to cross</li>
<li>300+ meters of vertical to descend/climb</li>
</ul>
Given all that, I leverage regional public transportation systems all I can to ensure I don't spend 4+ hours a day commuting.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Across And Down Or Down And Across</span><br />
<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" height="300" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=3+Binnacle+Hill,+Oakland,+CA+94618&daddr=1380+Willow+Rd,+Menlo+Park,+CA+94025+(pacific+biosciences)&hl=en&geocode=FaecQQId-va2-CkPZOeSo32FgDH1Ta9TF08AJw%3BFZngOwIdoyC4-CnzycmNmLyPgDGfWSqN68TL2w&aq=0&oq=1380&sll=37.666973,-122.166595&sspn=0.408191,0.699692&dirflg=r&ttype=now&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=def&mra=ltm&ie=UTF8&t=h&start=0&ll=37.657732,-122.189941&spn=0.652318,0.54657&z=9&output=embed" style="margin-left: 20px;" width="200"></iframe>If the Bay were a rectangle, my work would be diagonally located from my home. That means going across and down or down and across the bay.<br />
<br />
That either means taking <a href="http://www.bart.gov/" target="_blank">BART</a> (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to San Francisco and <a href="http://www.caltrain.com/" target="_blank">CalTrain </a>down the peninsula or taking BART down the East Bay and the Dumbarton Express bus across the Dumbarton Bridge. The first option was preferable because the CalTrain system on the peninsula has dedicated bike cars. No other system in the Bay Area does.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Challenge</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVol-x0IXW_jHUWjK7UaanGbl68I-VU7o6y1h10FqfLDhe6EsYcpBh4B_FqmAz33QPRjzrMvIOiidj2JzBN9XojZM0Pm-qhrK-G6dpOYq3GwBfisUeOGHbFOmEFy7j3zZlabIQU638vu_a/s1600/DSCN4639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVol-x0IXW_jHUWjK7UaanGbl68I-VU7o6y1h10FqfLDhe6EsYcpBh4B_FqmAz33QPRjzrMvIOiidj2JzBN9XojZM0Pm-qhrK-G6dpOYq3GwBfisUeOGHbFOmEFy7j3zZlabIQU638vu_a/s200/DSCN4639.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Therein, lies the real challenge for my bicycle commute: public transit bicycle policies. No public transit, except for CalTrain, is very keen on seeing cyclists around rush hour. BART outright bans them for each of the two rush hour periods on their transbay tunnel. <br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Initial</span></jbgene><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> Solution</span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Initially, I took the alternate route to dodge BART's bike curfew for the SF transbay tunnel. I would take BART south to Union
City and either cycle across or bus across the Dumbarton Bridge. </span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Some Bridges Like Bikes</b></span><br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-FPsIPy5FH9NMGB9z63BdXqhVDDYV7xrjSGNFqVINA6QawV1OKT2dzB4p6IXQrVYU9r12VjP86U7XmTuk_SbhTib4t13r9BXFRtxeocO8MwDzAP-IGV-NnfHZeRL9HZXji3o6EX0a46s/s1600/DSCN2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-FPsIPy5FH9NMGB9z63BdXqhVDDYV7xrjSGNFqVINA6QawV1OKT2dzB4p6IXQrVYU9r12VjP86U7XmTuk_SbhTib4t13r9BXFRtxeocO8MwDzAP-IGV-NnfHZeRL9HZXji3o6EX0a46s/s200/DSCN2145.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was
astounded and impressed to find that the Dumbarton is the one bridge from the East Bay that has a bicycle/pedestrian lane all the way across. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://home.comcast.net/~zuckermann/News/Bike_lane/Bike_lane_page.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://home.comcast.net/~zuckermann/News/Bike_lane/bike_path_westbound.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a heartening
fact in the face of the recent Bay Bridge reconstruction that includes a bicycle/pedestrian path that only goes halfway across the bay to Treasure
Island (aka a bridge to nowhere). </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aX29u2-FD9NCyBRJmddOTUcLNUFTyMkJNZk_Y2aWq2TroFVG8D2pP3C4opQg7XWEpHxadSIbC1Pb1sVJ8OcktzEfb3Z1Ahmz_oq1mH_Fch5hfjW_eYwnCqk3kk1Eu4L5IWkPRprnlZFE/s1600/DSCN4688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a><jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, for the first few weeks of April, this plan worked fine. If I
got up early enough, I would BART down and cycle across the Dumbarton.
The whole trip took 90 minutes but who's counting when this includes a
workout (aka a reprieve from a gym visit). </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<b>Some Buses Like Bikes</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCPIVd40loe28fZNa3hUc-Jv-fBkTRLUUVwwgeG3cvyTWI8dTAmCvJVkjUDfz-QULKSmMJWVNK5haSGPx16gSGrVAjfapwCOaRmJfx25yfnQs8IE-atEWDG8ao-wK5y1IAgrOBGhMSaX-/s1600/DSCN2139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCPIVd40loe28fZNa3hUc-Jv-fBkTRLUUVwwgeG3cvyTWI8dTAmCvJVkjUDfz-QULKSmMJWVNK5haSGPx16gSGrVAjfapwCOaRmJfx25yfnQs8IE-atEWDG8ao-wK5y1IAgrOBGhMSaX-/s200/DSCN2139.JPG" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whenever I woke up late, I
would bus across (with my bike in a rack) and the whole trip took 70
minutes. </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Neither option was super fast but given that a traffic jam
could make a car trip 90 minutes or more, either wasn't bad at all.
Not to mention, you could fill the whole time with web surfing or
reading instead of driving. </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Reality </span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then Spring hit. It stopped raining and warmed up enough that other
cyclists started having the same idea for crossing the Dumbarton. This
ensured that the Dumbarton Express bus racks were always full. I tried
getting to it a little early but no dice: still full. After all, there were only two racks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I quickly
realized that the Dumbarton bus route was not a reliable option for a cyclist given the limited bike rack capacity. This produced a real bind. I didn't have time to cycle the bridge everyday and I couldn't reliably get up early enough to beat the bike crowds to the Dumbarton Express bus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Hefty Hiatus </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Right about that time, someone asked me to carpool so I took a bike
commuting hiatus. However, this felt more restrictive than all the
bicycle curfews I was avoiding. No longer could I stay late at work or
run errands at lunch with my bike.</span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carpooling wasn't working but, by
then, I had really fallen off the wagon with early rising so it felt
like I couldn't turn back. Months passed. I gained 10 pounds. I had
failed to replace the cycling with another form of exercise. This
wouldn't do. </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The New Solution</span></jbgene><br />
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</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1H4250151zLF7bFT3rP9nVOowbPnXkqczCcCg6mV47f3f3CS9dkrewITHqcJ4uqK9TR7TenIeNB9369G6A9OqbbOoQv8RzaE6iQ0WBs49ey8FUeXmIeAcFtSQ1dMI3DBtMDkjjzotIQKj/s1600/DSCN4761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1H4250151zLF7bFT3rP9nVOowbPnXkqczCcCg6mV47f3f3CS9dkrewITHqcJ4uqK9TR7TenIeNB9369G6A9OqbbOoQv8RzaE6iQ0WBs49ey8FUeXmIeAcFtSQ1dMI3DBtMDkjjzotIQKj/s200/DSCN4761.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">After trying and failing to get BART to lift their rush hour bike curfew, I suddenly realized that BART's curfew excluded folding bikes. I researched those
and found almost all to be sorely lacking in simplicity, sturdiness and speed. The
one exception was a new generation of bikes coming from a company
called Tern. </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Tern Verge X20 seemed like a great candidate for the kind
of folding bike I would need. </span></jbgene><span style="font-family: inherit;">An incredible bike by any measure: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">quick folding (more than I can say for many) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">9.3kg (that's high end road bike territory) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SRAM Red shifting (the very best, at a price to match of course)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.11 inch wide wheels (picture 23c road tire but only 20 inches in diameter, aka minimal resistance, gliders) </span></li>
</ul>
This bike sounded perfect, given all my constraints:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aX29u2-FD9NCyBRJmddOTUcLNUFTyMkJNZk_Y2aWq2TroFVG8D2pP3C4opQg7XWEpHxadSIbC1Pb1sVJ8OcktzEfb3Z1Ahmz_oq1mH_Fch5hfjW_eYwnCqk3kk1Eu4L5IWkPRprnlZFE/s1600/DSCN4688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aX29u2-FD9NCyBRJmddOTUcLNUFTyMkJNZk_Y2aWq2TroFVG8D2pP3C4opQg7XWEpHxadSIbC1Pb1sVJ8OcktzEfb3Z1Ahmz_oq1mH_Fch5hfjW_eYwnCqk3kk1Eu4L5IWkPRprnlZFE/s200/DSCN4688.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>
<li>terrain </li>
<li>bike curfews </li>
<li>rack space constraints </li>
<li>time constraints (lighter equals much shorter commute times on bikes) </li>
</ul>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">With a folding bike, I could travel with impunity on any transit system. The bike wouldn't even need a bike rack on a bus and it would circumvent the curfews on BART. Best of all, because it was ultralight and ultrafast, it would climb hills and cross flats almost as fast my road bike. "Woohoo! What a great time to be a bike commuter", I thought.</span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Waiting and Weighting</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tern is not only a brand new bike but a brand new company. Josh Hon, son of David Hon, broke away from his dad's folding bike company, you guessed it, Dahon to start his own folding bike company,Tern. The realities of starting a new company, plus some family acrimony, seemed to keep the bicycle's arrival perpetually imminent over the holidays.</span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Given my weight gain and total lack of will power for any other kind of exercise, I was getting desperate. After months of waiting and "weighting", the bikes finally arrived on the market and I bought the first one I found. </span></jbgene><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is here where this story really begins. T</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">he first day of bike commuting with this cutting (aka bleeding) edge
commuter bike was both fantastic and horrific (no fault of the bike's btw).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Ecstasy</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_4vWxqxQtEqwsaRlGzZrA2mgKLiUSBiDB2P6fD9yGdzeBYvw_pw3Jz4wqsTt7M37AyGZ4rHk_Mx9k9TDwejdAmMq7yXENsINwkgh4vYA17ySElaWvJ-_qeBUMwVR52x4LNs1QtzAgtge/s1600/DSCN4737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_4vWxqxQtEqwsaRlGzZrA2mgKLiUSBiDB2P6fD9yGdzeBYvw_pw3Jz4wqsTt7M37AyGZ4rHk_Mx9k9TDwejdAmMq7yXENsINwkgh4vYA17ySElaWvJ-_qeBUMwVR52x4LNs1QtzAgtge/s200/DSCN4737.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first moments were ecstasy. </span></jbgene>The bike was very stable while <span style="font-family: inherit;">I reached 50kph going down 300 meters of vertical. I only added about 2 minutes </span>to the first leg of my commute<span style="font-family: inherit;">. Not bad! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVteIhUF6oSgAR9KzVFT_UiGWg_gs48FCVs-Wob0PrlxPrnWNABfDamj9RXOLkaITJOQ_caKfHsCQpvM2AhovRKMuoXmoEvHmUPKAHBU2NIo584p_XIw_qN3JY9XET7bxvpBQjYFOBQUjF/s1600/ternbart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVteIhUF6oSgAR9KzVFT_UiGWg_gs48FCVs-Wob0PrlxPrnWNABfDamj9RXOLkaITJOQ_caKfHsCQpvM2AhovRKMuoXmoEvHmUPKAHBU2NIo584p_XIw_qN3JY9XET7bxvpBQjYFOBQUjF/s1600/ternbart.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Better still, I walked onto the BART train for
San Francisco with no fear of punishment even though the sign flashed
"NO BIKES". The train wasn't that crowded so I didn't even bother folding it. But when the train did fill up, I had it in a pretzel in seconds. Even some of the folks on the train were impressed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once across the bay, I discovered I had 10 minutes to get to the
CalTrain station 2km away. This was a job for the super fast Verge X20. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Again,
it performed magnificently, I found the small wheels of the folding
bike much more nimble at dodging pedestrians and weaving through cars
amidst the morning gridlock of downtown San Francisco. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Likewise, the
bike cruised along at a respectable 25kph on the flat long blocks. All
my waiting, planning, and spending on this new cutting edge commute
tool had paid off. I was leaving all the other heavy and slow commuter
bikes in the dust. </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Beginners Unluck </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then fate turned on me. It started when I arrived at the SF CalTrain
station just as the doors closed on my train's gate. That cost a 15
minute delay. No matter, I thought. The bike was fast, I could still
make up time on the last leg in Menlo Park. </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Agony</span> </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hit the ground running in Menlo Park, I got off the train and on the
bike in seconds. I charged ahead on one of Menlo Park's beautiful bike
lanes to make up some lost time. Then, 100 meters out, I ran over
something weird only to feel that unmistakable rumble from my rear
tire. Ugh!!!!!!!! A flat.</span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing I am pretty good at is being
prepared for these mishaps. The day before, I had made a special trip to the bike store for
spare inner tubes for just such an occasion as this. I had also enquired
about extra tires but all the shop had were unfoldables so I skipped those. I figured I would order them soon.</span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not soon enough. The flat was
from a cut to the sidewall. That's death for any kind of tire. So
there I was: rendered a pedestrian</span></jbgene> by a tiny piece of metal<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with a kickass new foldable bike in
tow. I went back and gave the jagged metal a good kick to
vent frustration and spare someone else the same fate. </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<b>Extraordinary Bikes Require Extraordinary Bike Stores</b><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">My fate was just getting warmed up. I've been without a tire or
tube before. It's a long walk but eventually you get to a bike store
and you are on your way. But this wasn't just any bike so I couldn't
use just any bike store. I needed a 20" diameter, 1.1" wide, tire. That's Greek to most standard bike shops, and folding bike shops for that matter.</span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">My mind raced:</span></jbgene><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where had I seen folding bike dealers in this area. Only 2 shops out of a dozen came to mind. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Is the shop open? I am late to work but it is only 9 a.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">How
will I get to the shop in my bike shoes without trashing my ankles?</span></li>
</ul>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">After making a few calls, I discovered the 2 folding bike shops were open. However, the bike was so new that none of the staff had heard of it, much less knew which parts would fix it. Still, after a LOT of explaining, I established that 1 shop had a tire I could use. Naturally, that was the most distant shop.</span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Googling for public transit
solutions only embellished the need for a working bicycle in times like
these. No buses were nearby and no bus would take me anywhere near the shop. Ironically, CalTrain got the closest to the shop so I walked back to the station, waited a quarter hour, and caught the next train.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next hour was filled with lots of super fun walking in bike shoes
and having the rare cab swiped from me by a business man while I
folded my bike. But I finally got to the shop, got the tire and rode to work. Only 2.5 hours
late. Woohoo! </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Epilog</span> </span></jbgene><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFD9e5Zak0GcifNJVfJNyClyTkrxzV0fpRj4ewLU1y-Fj2fuo-F3jv3hNWuzgMeulY-gowDdbV7jzFtEOEvmzXtXHf7JrjaA-vmoqlQ6YMrgV8p3JUtJCDrHXexi4FtMbGPSIEv3DW6bL/s1600/DSCN4770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFD9e5Zak0GcifNJVfJNyClyTkrxzV0fpRj4ewLU1y-Fj2fuo-F3jv3hNWuzgMeulY-gowDdbV7jzFtEOEvmzXtXHf7JrjaA-vmoqlQ6YMrgV8p3JUtJCDrHXexi4FtMbGPSIEv3DW6bL/s200/DSCN4770.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrot0PO2VxLNlWKmMik4UZCV2J7FbUuH4lTM0d8K53_pn_jK-qsWM8IM7NGNaKBqt4jpd89Gna4Bi5PWDTA2iiVQf_wGcCDqdLpxWVxnUb9JXecyU5qDmJCQ5odJkIsAbS2HE8wH1c84p1/s1600/DSCN4652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrot0PO2VxLNlWKmMik4UZCV2J7FbUuH4lTM0d8K53_pn_jK-qsWM8IM7NGNaKBqt4jpd89Gna4Bi5PWDTA2iiVQf_wGcCDqdLpxWVxnUb9JXecyU5qDmJCQ5odJkIsAbS2HE8wH1c84p1/s200/DSCN4652.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">The moral of the story for me is this. Like any bleeding edge solution, be prepared
to provide your own tech support. The newer the solution, the fewer resources to help when things go wrong. </span></jbgene><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">After my ordeal, I even discovered that the shop that sold me the bike had sold me the wrong size inner tubes. When you are on the bleeding edge, you are really on your own so be prepared. Internet shopping makes this easy but I jumped the gun by cycling without all the supplies.</span></jbgene><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite my initial lack of supplies and abundance of bad luck, I have no regrets. The ability of this type of bicycle to<b> negotiate both the
capricious bike policies of regional transit systems and the capricious streets of downtown rush hours</b>, should ensure these bikes become increasingly
popular. That should mean more stores will carry them soon and, in turn, mean I will have less far to walk for parts. </span><br />
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></jbgene>
<jbgene a="" after="" bicycle.="" brief="" by="" commuting="" crosshairs="" darkest="" due="" gmail.comwrote:="" hiatus="" i="" in="" job="" me="" new="" of="" proximity="" put="" regional="" resumed="" sides="" systems.="" the="" to="" transit="" ve="" was="" which=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Regardless, I now stock a new tube and tire on my
back for this bike as I do for all my full sized bikes. I gambled and lost this time but
I won't again, especially with such a wonderful new type of bike.
</span></jbgene></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-80332883542793570912011-10-12T23:03:00.000-07:002012-01-23T23:13:06.461-08:00GM's Ad: Correcting The Real Offense<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/gmAd_big1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/gmAd_big1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
UPDATE: Giant Bicycles post an ad that responds to the GM ad. Details on <a href="http://www.grist.org/list/2011-10-17-giant-bikes-strike-back-at-stupid-gm-ad">Grist</a>. The ad is displayed below the GM ad here.<br />
<br />
While monitoring the "sound and fury" surrounding the recent General Motor's cyclist-bashing ad posted by <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2011/10/11/gm-ad-urges-college-students-to-stop-pedaling-start-driving-60399">BikePortland.org</a>, it was heartening to see the downpour of support for cycling and to see it actually affect GM's plans.<br />
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<a href="http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/giant_bike_gm_ad" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/giant_bike_gm_ad" width="320" /></a></div>
Nevertheless, this ad is just the tip of the iceberg. There's been a media blitz of bicycle-bashing for years (this <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/transport/2010/07/dude_wheres_your_car.html">slate.com article</a> talks all about it). Bicycles and cyclists are frequent symbols of emasculation and failure in media. Just in the last 5 years, there's Brad Pitt in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887883/">Burn After Reading</a>, Steve Carell in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405422/">40 Year Old Virgin</a>, Will Ferrell in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1531663/">Everything Must Go</a> and Ben Stiller in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234654/">Greenberg</a>. Is it GM we're mad at or Madison Avenue and Hollywood?<br />
<br />
Furthermore, it seems silly to be shocked that car ads would use sex to promote cars and disparage other modes of transport. Doubly so, given that we just bailed out this particular company from financial ruin and told them to go and compete as best they can. These are the guys who took private jets to D.C. to tell us they were broke. We gave them money anyway. Now we are shocked that these guys don't "get it"?<br />
<br />
The real offense is that we somehow elected government representatives that chose to keep this company alive instead of promoting multi-modal transportation. Had we not done that, we would be reaping the benefits of job-creating infrastructure projects and economy-stimulating traffic from pedestrians and cyclists. Instead we're spending our time shouting down tasteless ads for which we paid and ultimately voted while dodging more cars.<br />
<br />
Given this <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0236785/">industry's track record</a> (GM's in particular), it is doubtful GM learned anything from this. While they are issuing an apology to us, it would not be surprising if they try to get a return on their ad investment by simply retrofitting this ad campaign for some place else in the world where folks don't squawk so much. Ultimately, GM has been and will continue to be an obsolete organization ruthlessly preserving itself and perpetuating an outdated, unsustainable, vision of transportation.<br />
<br />
Like Steve Jobs once said, "death is nature's change agent". This ad is a perfect example of what we get when we don't let nature take its course. <br />
<br />
Successfully shouting down this stupidity is definitely a sign of progress but it won't really change anything. Only starving the old oil and car lobbies of money will do that. Ironically, that will be tough in the next election given that our next president will either be the guy that saved this miserable company and wants to import oil from Canadian tar sands or a guy from Michigan. Regardless, we can still vote with our feet, our pedals, and our media choices.<br />
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-91250132111876426892011-10-01T16:49:00.000-07:002015-04-14T21:09:51.648-07:002011 Cyclists Fatalities Already Alarming. What Can Be Done?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://media.katu.com/images/071011_bike_crash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.katu.com/images/071011_bike_crash.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Fatality Spikes</span><br />
The last few weeks have felt like an epidemic to many cyclists in Los Angeles. <a href="http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/">BikingInLA</a> reported 52 cyclist fatalities as of September 24 and there have been more since then.<br />
<br />
Likewise, Seattle <a href="http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-overview-of-fatal-seattlearea-cycling-accidents-in-2011-20110913,0,1824138.story">q13fox.com</a> reported 10 fatalities so far this year. Three of those have occurred since July, according to <a href="http://streetsblog.net/2011/09/16/after-rash-of-cyclist-deaths-in-seattle-grief-turns-to-anger/">StreetsBlog</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Spikes Not Pervasive</span><br />
The spike hasn't been seen everywhere. In the San Francisco Bay Area, various news agencies have reported less than 10 for the year. But that's down from 15 in 2009, according to this <a href="http://www.baycitizen.org/data/bike-accidents/charts/?date_from=20090101&date_to=20091231&accident_type=fatal">Bike Accident Tracker</a>. In New York City, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/09/04/cyclist_struck_in_williamsburg_is_1.php">Gothamist.com</a> reported the city's 10th fatality on September 4. But that's down from 12 fatalities in NYC in 2009, according to <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/cyclists_killed_nyc.php">stats cited in the Village Voice.</a> Obviously, the year is not over yet but these numbers are relatively flat given the growth in cycling's popularity and compared to Seattle and LA.<br />
<br />
<table align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 200px;"><tbody>
<tr><td width="20"></td><td><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"><br />
Among improved instrastructure, law enforcement, and training, only law enforcement is quick to implement.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, as many are asking, "what is going on?" And how do we prevent this? Despite an incredible, perhaps cynical, lack of data collected by our governments on cycling fatalities, we know from experience where solutions lie: improved infrastructure, law enforcement, and training. More detail can surely be revealed about the cause of the spikes this year but simply reviewing some of the cases shows these 3 components would help a lot.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Causes</span><br />
In Seattle, <a href="http://seattlebikeblog.com/2011/09/14/we-have-reached-a-turning-point-in-seattle-bicycle-safety/">Seattlebikeblog</a> and others have already identified incomplete and/or poorly designed bicycle infrastructure as a cause. In LA, a common cause is hit and runs by drivers. In New York, one cause was a cyclist going the wrong way down a street. Studies to precisely identify the root causes of all these incidents take time. What can be done to prevent more people from dying right now?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Short Term Solutions: Few</span><br />
Among improved instrastructure, law enforcement, and training, only law enforcement is quick to implement. New bike lanes or training programs won't save the cyclist who dies tomorrow but better law enforcement might.<br />
<br />
<b>Law Enforcement</b><br />
However, better law enforcement requires the right laws to be in place and resources, a.k.a. dollars, to take action. As of this writing, Governor of California, Jerry Brown, just vetoed cycling advocate's third attempt to pass a "3 feet rule": <a href="http://sf.streetsblog.org/2011/09/28/tell-governor-brown-sign-sb-910-safe-passage-bill-for-cyclists/">SB910</a>. Even more challenging, he did so at the urging of the CHP.<br />
<br />
<b>Operation Safe Passage</b><br />
Even so, law enforcement does act on similar issues. Right now, a collaboration of police agencies and the CHP are implementing "<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19012208">Operation Safe Passage</a>", a program to enforce "zero tolerance" of hazardous driving around schools. This operation was planned in advanced but it was able to start just a day after a 6 year old pedestrian was killed.<br />
<br />
Since cyclists are not concentrated in one area like a school, such a program is tougher to scope to address cycling risks. Nevertheless, something similar could be designed and implemented quickly if the political will exists.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Sources of Political Will</span><br />
So where to get political will? The three classic sources are money, publicity, and pooling support with other groups. All are already at work for cycling in various degrees. With immediacy being the current goal, only one stands out.<br />
<br />
<b>Money Can't Buy Us Love</b><br />
In the current system, money could very possibly buy us love but can we afford it and do we want to perpetuate this perverted system? Regardless, using money to lobby for cycling has obvious drawbacks for the cycling community. Bicycles alone do not represent the dollars that cars and other industries do. <br />
<br />
<b>Bicycle Revenue Connection Still Fuzzy</b><br />
Many studies show bike-friendly communities do generate lots of revenue but the association with all those dollars is not as direct. Any bicycle lobby will find it tough to compete until it consolidates financial support from all the ancillary businesses that benefit from bike-friendly streets. And that won't happen until more bike-friendly communities are created which, ironically, requires more lobbying.<br />
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<b>Publicity</b><br />
So if money can't buy cyclists love (at least for now), what about publicity? These tragedies have produced that. Seattle's mayor plans to hold a <a href="http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/McGinn-planning-bicycle-summit-129899583.html">bicycle safety summit</a> in response to all the recent cycling fatalities. However, summits don't necessarily lead to a solution as Los Angeles knows all too well. Their mayor held a <a href="http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/l-a-mayor-villaraigosa-meets-with-cyclists-the-world-does-not-come-to-an-end/">bike summit</a> last year. Despite a lot of great cycling developments in LA since then, the deaths keep coming.<br />
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<b>Even Alan Dershowitz Can't Get Justice</b><br />
In order for such events to be effective, they need the focus of the greater majority and not just the cyclist community. As <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/07/08/dershowitz_would_like_to_see_his_si.php">Alan Dershowitz's experience</a> shows, as he tries to identify all those involved in his sister-in-law's death, going it alone to get justice is tough. If one of the foremost attorney's in the country can't get justice, it is clear other forces need to be employed.<br />
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With a high enough profile, Mr. Dershowitz would get a cooperative DA and Los Angeles could immediately find/raise money for officers to clamp down on texters, speeders, and drunks causing the hit and runs. Without that larger audience, no summit or anything else will generate enough political will to do much more than is already being done.<br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Publicity Possibilities</span><br />
<b>AIDS Awareness</b><br />
Nevertheless, getting that focus is not impossible. Good lessons for how to do this lie in how AIDS awareness was expanded beyond the minorities that first experienced the disease. Again, the problem is time: expanding AIDS awareness took decades.<br />
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<b>Occupy Wall Street</b><br />
So what can be done in the short term? The group <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/24/occupy-wall-street-protes_n_979367.html">Occupy Wall Street</a> is showing one way right now: a protest. However, this is having limited success because their message is not clear and they are not appealing to the majority's self interest. This lack of focus may be intentional but it still leaves the mainstream confused and apathetic.<br />
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<b>Overcoming Distraction</b><br />
If you want a distracted person's attention, you can't waste time telling them what you are against, you've got to tell them what you are for, what you want and why they should care, and do this instantly. That's more rally or vigil than protest.<br />
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<b>Celebrity Association</b><br />
One way to instantly get people to care is to simply get familiar faces associated with your event. The Occupy Wall Street protest really took off when Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon showed up: shallow but true. The other way to engage is to illustrate the magnitude of the loss, again instantly, e.g. the AIDS quilt.<br />
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<b>Rally For A Common Cause</b><br />
This is what cyclists can do in the short term. Hold a vigil or rally for those we've lost with something visual and large of which distracted passers by or TV viewers will take note, and with a clear way for empathetic people to respond. With a high enough profile to the event, it is possible to obtain substantial new resources quickly.<br />
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<b>Pooling Support</b><br />
Pooling support with groups sharing common interests is yet another way to build support. In this case, the obvious group is pedestrians. Many groups already combine cyclists and pedestrians for this reason. This group is as financially challenged as the cyclist group, so joint efforts may not have a huge impact in lobbying any legislature. Nevertheless, it could potentially have a huge impact on any rally. Like the cycling community, pedestrians suffer greatly from cars. Many people do not cycle but almost everyone is, or has been, a pedestrian at some point. Holding a combined rally would appeal to the majority's self interest. <br />
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<b>Long Term Solutions</b><br />
A lot of the long term work is already being done. The goal is obviously to do it more effectively and swiftly. One well-known key to that is to fill the data gap. Enact legislation that forces officers and other officials to collect detailed data on bicycle traffic volume and accidents.<br />
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Data gives the few intrepid politicians out there the foothold they need to take unpopular or unprecedented action. Unfortunately, many industries like the oil, tobacco, and auto industries know this so they sometimes lobby against collecting the data. Nevertheless, from good data can come good infrastructure, training, as well as the good laws and enforcement.<br />
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After supporting any rally in support of better law enforcement, my focus is going to be on legislature that improves data collection on all cycling activity including these accidents. At best, we need to know as much detail as possible about the cause of these tragedies. At least, we need to concretely document for the powers that be how many more of us are now out there.<br />
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None of this will bring those victims back but for those of us that feel we must do something, these are constructive and tenable.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-91680386109885504562011-06-12T19:48:00.000-07:002015-04-14T21:19:00.109-07:00Bicycle/Train Compatibility: the good, the bad, and BART<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Update 20111031: <a href="http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2011/news20111031a.aspx">Rockridge BART Getting New Fare Gates</a>: </span>BART to start work to provide an extra wide turnstile that accommodates wheelchairs and bicycles.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Update: BART's Bicycle Survey</span></b><br />
Since this post, BART has disseminated a link to this <a href="http://www.research.bart.gov/se.ashx?s=6011868E259E9541">bicycle survey</a>. Please offer your feedback to BART through this tool. It is good to see BART taking an interest in cyclists. I applaud those involved with this at BART and encourage them to do all they can to support some of BART's most loyal patrons.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Beautiful Partnership When Allowed</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnUfh6mvUfHilQiKSoOWUkoe4mfVhvumfT0sw6yb850BzHDb7WMbOfH8HZEYQms8TsZzdCDuez9K_VNe-2v6lyiG3CckuXLYPG4fiJNxb6iMPxlipLg06-QDThg0k3hQvrrj_HLLV7Dld/s1600/DSCN0088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnUfh6mvUfHilQiKSoOWUkoe4mfVhvumfT0sw6yb850BzHDb7WMbOfH8HZEYQms8TsZzdCDuez9K_VNe-2v6lyiG3CckuXLYPG4fiJNxb6iMPxlipLg06-QDThg0k3hQvrrj_HLLV7Dld/s200/DSCN0088.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Bikes and trains are such a powerful combination. Trains cover the longer parts of a trip and bikes polish off the last mile(s). Yet, this incredibly elegant partnership proves elusive on many train systems because of poor train policies relating to bicycles.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BART Not Onboard For Bikes</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_RO9bebuxmvyxax0DzFa-chZKBZeBC9yzKqyNuCRz7-nnw50g8MtLjpMjJF13T4nWQlWbvXNGaZNBaTqgf9swhap_STIxsz50aRPGOXdWLlz_su_HRe91-pmDGYACe10Z3fE-_Ht47Js/s1600/P1010478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_RO9bebuxmvyxax0DzFa-chZKBZeBC9yzKqyNuCRz7-nnw50g8MtLjpMjJF13T4nWQlWbvXNGaZNBaTqgf9swhap_STIxsz50aRPGOXdWLlz_su_HRe91-pmDGYACe10Z3fE-_Ht47Js/s200/P1010478.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>One system in the San Francisco Bay Area is particularly unfriendly to bicycles. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system (<a href="http://www.bart.gov/">BART</a>) <a href="http://www.bart.gov/guide/bikes/bikeRules.aspx">bike rules</a> spell out the bicycle hostility in clear detail. <b>No bikes allowed to San Francisco during commute hours and/or crowded trains</b>. In other words, bikes are banned at the precise time when all modes of alternative transport should be working together to minimize car use.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Other Offenders</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTWx_4_T7dzyo3E7Cq2AnynJbID8RGFbqrMvOOQdlhuA8J2pd09NMkik0ykPU-7hCveTYbyO6qEVmtoBOpR_UIoKicoZtgadJt23ziOjgzSPj-AxhZB00p1_Ansq_-7IDURJEDPHnTDw7/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTWx_4_T7dzyo3E7Cq2AnynJbID8RGFbqrMvOOQdlhuA8J2pd09NMkik0ykPU-7hCveTYbyO6qEVmtoBOpR_UIoKicoZtgadJt23ziOjgzSPj-AxhZB00p1_Ansq_-7IDURJEDPHnTDw7/s200/IMG_1039.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
BART is certainly not the only offender. At the <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/02/cycling-at-2010-olympic-winter-games.html">2010 Winter Olympics</a>, Vancouver's brand new metro system was equally hostile to bikes. No bikes were allowed on the system between February 8 and March 3, 2010. In other words, no bikes were allowed during the Olympics when the city needed all the help it could get to deal with added traffic congestion.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Separate, Don't Eliminate</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T9eb9oxirePoqcNPW4HRSTyyRPgNtQJH_QXcsGUmoo7B4qwhK7gZ8bs1CQa4yQFToGd7BJa-mOWELQVdwEWL1aG9zKNjgxQnkp1mRsn20m7sYdFwRiUHxaVrg4HDDGks6vF128w6B8wX/s1600/P1010557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T9eb9oxirePoqcNPW4HRSTyyRPgNtQJH_QXcsGUmoo7B4qwhK7gZ8bs1CQa4yQFToGd7BJa-mOWELQVdwEWL1aG9zKNjgxQnkp1mRsn20m7sYdFwRiUHxaVrg4HDDGks6vF128w6B8wX/s200/P1010557.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Keeping bikes and regular train passengers separate during crowded conditions is understandable enough. No regular passenger should risk cutting their shin on a bicycle when they ride the train. Likewise, bicyclists deserve facilities that ensure they and their bicycles safely board the trains without damage. Banning bikes altogether during congested time periods is NOT a solution.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Beat The Flexibility Benchmark</span></b><br />
<a href="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/01/china_468x312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/01/china_468x312.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>One obvious reason cars are so popular around the world is the flexibility they provide to their passengers as to when and where they can travel. Of course, their popularity has largely negated that flexibility by way of traffic jams. Given that, alternative transport is essential.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVKBInjLnpzrSIJa5kW18Snwc-o91_y_1VU2lMPxzJSIPotlGQ03Bi8fcaMOQniEySwPGNMHyesXA9mQ7pH1tSUnnJpSZw2mmdLVLnZMY0ybHQwldWDsRhR-N09DH33BdikT9rhuwfdPY/s1600/P1010434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVKBInjLnpzrSIJa5kW18Snwc-o91_y_1VU2lMPxzJSIPotlGQ03Bi8fcaMOQniEySwPGNMHyesXA9mQ7pH1tSUnnJpSZw2mmdLVLnZMY0ybHQwldWDsRhR-N09DH33BdikT9rhuwfdPY/s200/P1010434.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>However, no form of transport is a true alternative to cars unless it can match the flexibility that the car provides. Since no single mode of alternative transportation can do this alone, it is essential that all modes support one another. In other words, trains, buses, bikes, etc., MUST work together to create a collective web of passenger support. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Neighbor Metros Refute BART Excuses </span></b><br />
BART is clearly not on board with this idea. Whereas <a href="http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/06/01/cyclists-applaud-second-caltrain-bike-car/">Caltrain</a>, a separate commuter train system in the bay area, just added a second dedicated bike car to each train it runs, BART has yet to add one.<br />
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BART always cites cost and space (for longer trains) as reasons why they have not provided similar bike support but those reasons are clearly false.<br />
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<b>Caltrain</b><br />
Caltrain has achieved its superb bicycle support despite <a href="http://www.caltrain.com/Page753.aspx">desperate budgetary concerns</a> this year.<br />
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<b>Good Enough for LA and NY Metro But Not For BART?</b><br />
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Both the <a href="http://www.metro.net/around/bikes/bikes-metro/">Los Angeles Metro</a> and <a href="http://www.mta.info/bike/">New York Subway</a> systems welcome bicycles "on Metro rail trains at all times." Why are bicycles good enough for them but not BART? BART claims that adding a bicycle car (or just more cars in general) would cause trains to be too long for some of its stations.<br />
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This claim supposes that longer trains are even necessary. Look inside a Caltrain bike car at rush hour and you see how efficiently bicycles can be stored. If bicycles were not scattered throughout the BART train, they wouldn't use as much space.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJf6QU-7wlZTf_fdmXNCE-8VTtauW8DxRA4JIh4GfzdAxSf-o-m1-VYBH1IyU_-91DbbdbpH5rupbr2ni7Kpd5GxqoxUnMt0TKS6JsY0prlQ_5aJNEqh6wCCMrd-8MICJ2eVMEuXA6C3j/s1600/DSCN2354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJf6QU-7wlZTf_fdmXNCE-8VTtauW8DxRA4JIh4GfzdAxSf-o-m1-VYBH1IyU_-91DbbdbpH5rupbr2ni7Kpd5GxqoxUnMt0TKS6JsY0prlQ_5aJNEqh6wCCMrd-8MICJ2eVMEuXA6C3j/s200/DSCN2354.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Fewer Excuses, More Efficiency</b></span><br />
Even with the current infrastructure and budget there are a variety of simple ways to deliver better service if not more capacity.<br />
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<b>Shorter Intervals</b><br />
BART could try to find a way to run current train lengths at shorter intervals the way LA Metro does. Their platforms are no longer than BART's.<br />
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BART's current 15+ minute train interval is too long as it is. LA Metro targets a 12-minute interval. Recently, it renamed its "12-minute map" to "15-minute (or less) map". Nevertheless, LA Metro ensures that a rider will not wait more than 15 minutes for a ride within a large portion of central LA. That's impressive for the former car mecca. If Los Angeles can do this, can BART really do no better? Please...<br />
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<b>Longer Trains That Reposition For Bike Car</b><br />
Some commenters point out that BART's routes across the bay and through downtown are at max capacity and, therefore, cannot support shorter intervals. The experience of others during those times make this debatable. Regardless, that doesn't preclude BART from finding innovative ways to support long trains. Trains often reposition 2 or 3 times at a station as it is. One of those repositionings could be for a bike car.<br />
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<b>Boosting Capacity Is Inevitable, Start Now</b><br />
Even if more tunnel capacity is needed to support tighter intervals, this is something any transit system should constantly be planning to address. It is done perpetually to freeways. As of this writing, crews are boring new tunnels on both sides of the bay (i.e. the Caldecott and Muni upgrades). Why not for BART?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Stop digging this hole</span></b><br />
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Not surprisingly, BART has experienced <a href="http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/18/bart-sees-huge-revenue-decline-as-ridership-and-sales-taxes-plummet/">major ridership declines</a> in recent years. BART chooses to address this with <a href="http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2010/news20101130a.aspx">cheesy ticket giveaways</a> during holiday periods and failing to re-upholster absolutely filthy seats.<br />
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Stop giving the service away and use the money to make the service more useful. Specifically, stop turning away some of the most impassioned transit riders at times and places when all commuters most need them to travel.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Low Hanging Fruit</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BBjMSjzgWDKWLlO7T8R8MyaLR1ifocas_50jTv8Ki0_rFt56KzK6SI1RKk5TheMO8A6DMET7pJUS7KucZTJXOXBPJaoZrNUMqX7zxBQ4XhXG_UYgXyF4FSi-D3Z5FSor8W7KQ0QGxuUU/s1600/DSCN0158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BBjMSjzgWDKWLlO7T8R8MyaLR1ifocas_50jTv8Ki0_rFt56KzK6SI1RKk5TheMO8A6DMET7pJUS7KucZTJXOXBPJaoZrNUMqX7zxBQ4XhXG_UYgXyF4FSi-D3Z5FSor8W7KQ0QGxuUU/s200/DSCN0158.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Until the train car/capacity issue is resolved, BART can focus on "low hanging fruit" to provide proper bicycle support. Namely, it can improve basic sanitation and improve the ways that riders of all types can get in and out of the stations. <br />
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<b>Fix The Stairs</b><br />
Currently, BART bicyclists must carry (yes carry) their bicycles up 2 and 3 flights of stairs. The staircase at the Embarcadero station is a steep decent more than 25 yards long. I am tall and my bicycle is light so I have no problem with this. However, for many others this is a show stopper for bike/train commuting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHuOzpMn-juZuOUL5pgUrT9x57Mq86ofUAQaRHhsH9HkBSonE8-jPJUj8fbNilGKFpvuJxdj8P5_hwJ_s0Kp_pb71a0hH_1vKL-Ip8wQM43BC43ptEb2TOYTy-OnO3D8-9L6E3hAcagEz/s1600/DSCN2564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHuOzpMn-juZuOUL5pgUrT9x57Mq86ofUAQaRHhsH9HkBSonE8-jPJUj8fbNilGKFpvuJxdj8P5_hwJ_s0Kp_pb71a0hH_1vKL-Ip8wQM43BC43ptEb2TOYTy-OnO3D8-9L6E3hAcagEz/s200/DSCN2564.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Given the weight of many commuter bicycles, climbing stairs with one is something many cyclists physically cannot do. My friend Christine is in pretty good shape but, given her petite frame and the weight of her commuter bicycle, she struggles to make it down these stairs without falling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB0BOgqVM80WFE4vAfqnpD-xm8ZWJuKtcys7iQNhTIrcBGRu_wNAkdhn2SsspppfY9KMqPelnquWUR5m1DPeFuCX-bweuczi_vJQtCrU_BvEQRJAQ9uIy0GsZsAZ93aEs7_SxzeidTErO/s1600/P1010556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB0BOgqVM80WFE4vAfqnpD-xm8ZWJuKtcys7iQNhTIrcBGRu_wNAkdhn2SsspppfY9KMqPelnquWUR5m1DPeFuCX-bweuczi_vJQtCrU_BvEQRJAQ9uIy0GsZsAZ93aEs7_SxzeidTErO/s200/P1010556.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Elevators are available for those with disabilities and they are also available to bicycles but elevators cannot move bicyclists in the volume necessary to successfully get people to and from their trains during congested times. Again, the solution is not to ban certain riders at those times. The solution is to properly design stairways to be more bicycle-compatible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Gt07UVa5brK1Bm6NjkbIxkxztx-c-XRhWjfacvLu0NoE0dluL2N3oj3iU4XtJJxc_N9hKAso9E19QKwmNAAwDWIBlL5eEi0rJTj_EOafAxBUVisAPge1Zck38oWeSn1rmQ0lnlLIwuPT/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Gt07UVa5brK1Bm6NjkbIxkxztx-c-XRhWjfacvLu0NoE0dluL2N3oj3iU4XtJJxc_N9hKAso9E19QKwmNAAwDWIBlL5eEi0rJTj_EOafAxBUVisAPge1Zck38oWeSn1rmQ0lnlLIwuPT/s200/IMG_0847.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>In fact, BART already does this at some, but definitely not all, of its stations. At the Mission street station, troughs exist along the sides of the staircase where cyclists can wheel their bicycles up and down. This is an effective, dirt-cheap, solution so BART should use it.<br />
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<b>Fix The Ticket Gates</b><br />
The final component of proper bicycle support is proper ticket gate configuration. Never mind that many metro systems around the world function just fine without ticket gates, any system using them should provide a simple way for cyclists, luggage carriers, wheelchair users, etc., to get through them.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtMek6bYsgSfRXZ35y_mwgN_ZRYwTlU5wmHiEjgHTZbZil7G015USHXisg2LDwo5zsihgDbxSkJbfp5aOT1jdj54Dt2cYx252jISDQD7R2RNkIEhjovqqo-Rd8kL_sbx3Tusjt8KFDNrQ/s1600/IMAG0506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtMek6bYsgSfRXZ35y_mwgN_ZRYwTlU5wmHiEjgHTZbZil7G015USHXisg2LDwo5zsihgDbxSkJbfp5aOT1jdj54Dt2cYx252jISDQD7R2RNkIEhjovqqo-Rd8kL_sbx3Tusjt8KFDNrQ/s200/IMAG0506.jpg" height="119" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
As of June 12, 2011, Rockridge BART station (a very busy station) has no extra wide ticket gate. Passing through the narrow ticket gate is a needlessly cumbersome experience for cyclists, those with disabilities, or just those with luggage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L3Iwg0L3zv2IxyNa37QbR5fQP5kwUHwrkE7SXqGSQQtFxt3ybrmNFmPsJ_pW5K39mGimgUN1of8I-FkKzJ3e0zyH2_T_6zQYE3UTO9GDF7rVIgRcC4ukjNbv1ZoLQf_IpJ_6bQIWrlcM/s1600/IMAG0499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L3Iwg0L3zv2IxyNa37QbR5fQP5kwUHwrkE7SXqGSQQtFxt3ybrmNFmPsJ_pW5K39mGimgUN1of8I-FkKzJ3e0zyH2_T_6zQYE3UTO9GDF7rVIgRcC4ukjNbv1ZoLQf_IpJ_6bQIWrlcM/s200/IMAG0499.jpg" height="119" width="200" /></a>Because of the lack of wide ticket gates, BART requires cyclists to:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>park their bike</li>
<li>pass through a regular ticket gate</li>
<li>move back through an emergency gate</li>
<li>retrieve their bike (assuming it hasn't been stolen), </li>
<li>bring the bike back through the emergency gate. </li>
</ol>
Aside from being unpleasant and time-consuming, this process produces the excessive congestion that BART claims it is trying to avoid.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxS4gJfr7Xda51yax9g0l5QLDtfLDB3Irdqc8Rk9tYbMh3MDdJXGOBwGoHOv-bL7WFWBjqMiL6DTcykIdfiFxZ4oJ47HKz7G49J1d7WBFMdywzIfEjKZxOOPAsTF2_743FwF0M6eJF10G7/s1600/P1010551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxS4gJfr7Xda51yax9g0l5QLDtfLDB3Irdqc8Rk9tYbMh3MDdJXGOBwGoHOv-bL7WFWBjqMiL6DTcykIdfiFxZ4oJ47HKz7G49J1d7WBFMdywzIfEjKZxOOPAsTF2_743FwF0M6eJF10G7/s200/P1010551.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>The solution is simple, have at least one extra wide ticket gate at all stations. The fact that they are at most, but not all, stations doesn't do anyone needing one much good if they reach a station without one.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Learn From The Bad Lessons</span></b><br />
Let BART be a lesson to other transit systems for how not to do things. Frequent train intervals and heavy coordination with all other alternative transportation modes, not gift cards, are the keys to ridership revenues. Some of BART's own transit partners, like Caltrain, and neighbors, like LA Metro, show it can be done under the same geographic, political and budgetary conditions.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-80249480045235668232011-05-28T18:54:00.000-07:002011-05-31T13:32:07.002-07:00The Bicycle Safety Within: Watchout For Spokes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiGfexKiJaV3vmBQy9XItpTZCPH66zaRlJybgmHfCMb1ctdH4QHtfTiM3GnLSkdRNzGSwT_dynYaUXhWeiywtcIyOmZff2M8aW9xgvvtqMnZX9h44vF9kmCrDzAj9p_NNAZMyvnZKLliN/s1600/P1020746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiGfexKiJaV3vmBQy9XItpTZCPH66zaRlJybgmHfCMb1ctdH4QHtfTiM3GnLSkdRNzGSwT_dynYaUXhWeiywtcIyOmZff2M8aW9xgvvtqMnZX9h44vF9kmCrDzAj9p_NNAZMyvnZKLliN/s200/P1020746.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">External Safety Risks</span></b><br />
There is is a lot of information and debate about bicycle safety these days. Most of it, except for the <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/helmet-debate-is-over.php">helmet debate</a>, is focused on protecting bicycles from external risks: cars. All good stuff to talk about. I've profiled my friend <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/04/bike-vs-car-survivor-talks-cycling.html">Johan's ordeal</a> after he put his knee through a car that pulled in front of him.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Internal Safety Risks</span></b><br />
Nevertheless, the recent experience of another friend of mine reminded me to stay focused on the internal risks as well. Her experience, in particular, may become more common as all of us start using our bikes for more than sport.<br />
<br />
She did something a lot of us have done at one time or another. It looks harmless enough when you see it but it is a potentially harmful way to travel on a bike.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Broken Elbow</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYSLUM6S4YX5wipxf1Fm4XrLHc9UgB_fOZ-64bi81AG6Zsvb-sW7P9eHi6jGZ4Ue1SX3X23kxYdjOAHxhhGBdVgBIWEIj1ZGX3MstpLOcAOvg527t-dE3MFleoDg8IMIXdSnWT0zGvKNs/s1600/cricks_xray.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYSLUM6S4YX5wipxf1Fm4XrLHc9UgB_fOZ-64bi81AG6Zsvb-sW7P9eHi6jGZ4Ue1SX3X23kxYdjOAHxhhGBdVgBIWEIj1ZGX3MstpLOcAOvg527t-dE3MFleoDg8IMIXdSnWT0zGvKNs/s320/cricks_xray.png" width="320" /></a></div>First, let's highlight the risk. On this page, is an x-ray of her broken elbow from the accident: a displaced fracture. It shows the metal plate and screws holding her arm together.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mind-bending Pain</span></b><br />
When she first did this, she said the pain was so bad it took over her entire consciousness for several minutes. She lay in shock right outside her office next to her bike. No one was around to help. When numbness finally kicked in, she was able to get up and then some co-workers finally found her and helped.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQp9xDtbc96t6dRw7ik88fFtSky1z0XOJQQ6TcERGdHikaBKlAT6qCn7gT9RsArxS51NP1k9pXZvyGK3GZ7mdjc-djAAvgav63v5s2e6vPLf0ew_4kxIo7C9A6jRldXGpnkkHgPQsHheb/s1600/displaced_fracture.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQp9xDtbc96t6dRw7ik88fFtSky1z0XOJQQ6TcERGdHikaBKlAT6qCn7gT9RsArxS51NP1k9pXZvyGK3GZ7mdjc-djAAvgav63v5s2e6vPLf0ew_4kxIo7C9A6jRldXGpnkkHgPQsHheb/s200/displaced_fracture.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Just Steps From Work</span></b><br />
She had just left her office and had only been riding for a few seconds. No other vehicles or people were involved. The thing that caused all this was her purse. She had hung it on her handlebars for a second. It somehow got caught between the front wheel and the fork and locked up the wheel. That threw her over the handlebars and plunged her elbow squarely into the pavement.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBSLHejqSp4i9xzhZPJdtIomEJlH71o42ZK7gH9L9OqKTR2T_heri9CzWCCaqPLKG3CYY-vl8giQP0vuOWS5jr3NWbMfDjbSqICxFJxdS8Ez9TbOd304Qe3zDUsR5m13C7IdAZ9kzTugO/s1600/S7300075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBSLHejqSp4i9xzhZPJdtIomEJlH71o42ZK7gH9L9OqKTR2T_heri9CzWCCaqPLKG3CYY-vl8giQP0vuOWS5jr3NWbMfDjbSqICxFJxdS8Ez9TbOd304Qe3zDUsR5m13C7IdAZ9kzTugO/s200/S7300075.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Healing</b></span><br />
It's been 8 weeks since the accident. The surgery went well. The cast is off. She still has a metal band threaded under her skin that must be taken out in a few weeks. But, otherwise, she is fine.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Back in the Saddle</span></b><br />
To her credit, she hasn't been the least bit shell-shocked by the incident. She is already riding again. Insanely, she started riding within a week of the accident. This is so not recommended since another crash could damage the repaired elbow. However, it demonstrates this stuff doesn't have to deter you from bicycle commuting.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Prevention</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mfNXKDss_PGpIvKuyx0ZOFzuBj1RwbrAb6gpQHc-XrTfzShV7sFPueuMaln1cx3004AtHM9nuVTOOzbNxFAtFZS_ZUOjsHBmIvhEMaOMOsMdpWhP8dx2SvsE58epZqaVghmH1ErQYIjP/s1600/back.rack.pack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mfNXKDss_PGpIvKuyx0ZOFzuBj1RwbrAb6gpQHc-XrTfzShV7sFPueuMaln1cx3004AtHM9nuVTOOzbNxFAtFZS_ZUOjsHBmIvhEMaOMOsMdpWhP8dx2SvsE58epZqaVghmH1ErQYIjP/s200/back.rack.pack.png" width="200" /></a></div>The one change she has made to her cycling is the installation of a rack and basket on the *back* of her bike. I've been urging her to install an enclosed pack on the back because things can fall through the wired basket and catch on the wheel. Until then, even if that happens, on the back wheel it should not launch her so badly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-q0pVPo9l8UsounXO_bS88teGKZZ_JHnYvdiR-jxQetA7jBoiARoRrOQaD7RSrXUP-IM8qpCdkbS8h6f0W3qH0ZSHfQlgqMwzn4gMqdbRhznUf0Z-0z6hfMPc9ePQhsRVPhFpEnUDjAN/s1600/handlebar.bag.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-q0pVPo9l8UsounXO_bS88teGKZZ_JHnYvdiR-jxQetA7jBoiARoRrOQaD7RSrXUP-IM8qpCdkbS8h6f0W3qH0ZSHfQlgqMwzn4gMqdbRhznUf0Z-0z6hfMPc9ePQhsRVPhFpEnUDjAN/s200/handlebar.bag.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Increasingly Common Site</b></span><br />
Today, I saw a guy pedaling home from the grocery store with 3 bags swinging from his handlebars. He also had a U-Lock dangling over his back wheel. I tried to warn him about the danger but he didn't believe me. That inspired this post. Hopefully, this will help some folks avoid a lot of pain and hassle.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mundane Matters</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We hear about dramatic bike crashes and fatalities all the time but the mundane stuff is no less dangerous so it seems like a good cautionary tale to feature. Since I'm the one who introduced her to cycling I feel responsible that I didn't warn her about this so I'm venting that guilt by way of this caution to others.</div><br />
While pushing for greater safety in our bicycle infrastructure, we've got to stay focused on the safety within. Sometimes, it's the little stuff that gets you.<br />
<br />
I've heard similar stories about headphone wires falling out and snagging. If it swings or dangles it can snag. Watch out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-15714000957798218022011-05-22T14:41:00.000-07:002011-05-31T13:32:32.041-07:00Does the Cycling Epiphany Hold Water?<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cycling Epiphany</b></span><br />
Posts like <a href="http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/nextamcity/25116/real-reason-why-bicycles-are-key-better-cities?ref=headline_rotator">this one</a> claim that a simple bicycle ride through an urban landscape will do more to educate about urban ills/joys, and sell the joy of cycling better, than any other kind of communication. It contends the bicycle is "an instrument of experiential understanding" through which complex civic and environmental issues are graphically conveyed.<br />
<br />
There is no question that the experience of cycling as serious transport is powerful stuff (see #1,3,4,5,6, and 8 of <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2011/05/why-i-ride.html">Why I Ride</a>). It is also true that, like many things, actually trying something may be the best way to understand it's value and that cycling revolutionizes ones view of ones surroundings. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to Reality</b></span><br />
However, it is still a massive challenge to get enough people in the saddle long enough to have that revelation.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Acquired Taste</b></span><br />
I've been actively recruiting new cyclists for years but I can still count the converts from my personal life on one hand. <br />
<br />
Even when you get new butts in the saddles, the first thing those butts do is complain that they are sore. It can take more than a couple rides for the epiphany to kick in.<br />
<br />
Then, there's hair. For those who care, if the helmets don't ruin it, the wind does. That knocks out a surprising number of recruits.<br />
<br />
And, heaven forbid it rains. Even avid cyclists complain about rain and/or don't ride in it. The cycling epiphany is quite definitely waterproof but this is not apparent even to many of the initiated (those folks need to see these photos of <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2011/03/heaven-on-earth-bike-transport-in.html">European cyclists in winter</a>).<br />
<br />
A prerequisite to the cycling epiphany seems to be a reintroduction to one's own body and the physical world. That can happen at the same time but that is too much for some.<br />
<br />
<b>Feeling Threatened</b><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amongst all the recent hype about cycling are sobering articles like this: </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/nyregion/23bicycle.html">Expansion of Bike Lanes in City Brings Backlash</a>. This article, and many like it,</span><span style="font-size: small;"> show that a formidable number of Americans are still far away from having a cycling epiphany even when the opportunity is right in front of them.</span></div><br />
<b>Gratification Guarantee</b><br />
Like a lot of great experiences out there, most folks are skipping "experiential understanding" in favor of driving home to eat something tasty and watch TV. After a hard days work, most folks want guaranteed satisfaction not a mere chance at satisfaction through something new.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Perception Issues Persist</b></span> <br />
What's more, many Americans still assume most cyclists are simply people who can't drive, e.g. the poor, the drunk or the under age. At best, they see them as over-educated nerds naively trying to save the planet. <br />
<br />
The entertainment media embellishes this. Slate.com explains this in: "<a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2262214/%20%20">Dude, Where's Your Car?</a>" Most movies still portray bicycles as emasculating. The "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405422/">40 Year Old Virgin</a>" is a classic example. This leaves many thinking cycling is not sexy at all. Car advertisements take it from there. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.loopycomments.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Katy-Perry-Cyclist-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.loopycomments.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Katy-Perry-Cyclist-01.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>Perceptions are changing on their own in certain pockets of the U.S. And some celebrities like <a href="http://www.loopycomments.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Katy-Perry-Cyclist-01.jpg">Katy Perry</a> make cycling sexy by wearing their bicycles well. However, that's not putting enough butts in the saddles either.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Proven Motivators</span></b> <br />
Ironically, what compels many to start cycling are the nuts and bolts justifications downplayed by some. The FRONTLINE story "<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/">Poisoned Waters</a>" describes this well. Although it is about the relationship between urban centers and water quality, it includes details about what swayed voters on green urban design and "livable streets". It wasn't new positive experiences or visions, it was known pain points like health, safety, and taxes. <br />
<br />
This jibes with my personal experience. One <a href="http://www.planbike.com/2010/01/profile-of-convert-1-neo-con-cycles.html">recruited cyclist</a> I know is a hardcore republican. The environmentalist arguments fell flat with her but after much of my nagging she tried cycling to work and found that, combined with CalTrain, the bike got her to work 20 minutes faster than the jam packed 101 freeway. After that, she was sold. She has since had the Cycling Epiphany alluded to earlier. This has led her to initiate trash cleanups of things she sees on her ride, etc.<br />
<br />
All this makes it pretty clear, to me at least, that cycling cannot sell itself. And no single aspect of cycling is more compelling than any other. The experience of cycling is indeed profound but most people are surprisingly far from ready to appreciate it. Consequently, every catalyst must be leveraged. In fact, we need to find more of them if cycling is to become a serious mode of transport in North America.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-8478620326637796752011-05-14T19:00:00.000-07:002012-04-10T00:16:09.994-07:00Why I ride<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ride because:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can get from A to B without spewing carcinogens at anyone who dares go outside</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My money stimulates more economic growth when 1/5 does not go to oil, cars, and loans</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My commute is my workout and my lack of any other ride home is my discipline</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100 years with the 24 hour din of combustion engines is enough</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You don't know a city until you can see, hear, and smell it</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone treats one another better when there's no steel or glass between us</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It gets blood pumping fast enough to prevent a host of diseases and make me thin quick</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any mistakes I make while riding may hurt but will rarely kill anybody</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never worry about parking</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is fun even at night, in rain, and in snow</span></li>
</ol>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4653508986788434516.post-29156949165114866792011-03-27T18:37:00.000-07:002011-04-23T21:19:26.410-07:00Heaven on Earth: Bike Transport in Switzerland and Austria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BEPUFHC5YwJz4ujorvBqqltraLSOqnKO5_y3ZmsSUFz6zfGjXSMKUKkjJlEQGos10TQZvi35ZFfRNPN8xs-xL-pjZf5i1Cl9qweO_JSTHuwhey30DZPymCgriN3Bz0kKtoaOZIlJIiSj/s1600/DSCN1942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BEPUFHC5YwJz4ujorvBqqltraLSOqnKO5_y3ZmsSUFz6zfGjXSMKUKkjJlEQGos10TQZvi35ZFfRNPN8xs-xL-pjZf5i1Cl9qweO_JSTHuwhey30DZPymCgriN3Bz0kKtoaOZIlJIiSj/s200/DSCN1942.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGuAwvqNqe4/TY_LMApLuBI/AAAAAAAAHYk/1im0Ixz5ngk/s1600/DSCN1971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGuAwvqNqe4/TY_LMApLuBI/AAAAAAAAHYk/1im0Ixz5ngk/s200/DSCN1971.JPG" width="200" /></a>On a recent ski trip to Switzerland and Austria, I decided to devote a little time to sampling the bike transport experiences there. I managed to get out for a look in Basel, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria. <br />
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<b>High Expectations</b><br />
Having been to Europe before, my expectations were high. Denmark and the Netherlands are not the only European countries that take bicycle transport very seriously. On previous visits, I had seen the dedicated bike lanes in places like Munich, Germany. <br />
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However, this time I wasn't going to any large metropolis with miles of dense population. Those typically have major traffic congestion problems. Increasingly, even in the U.S., large city governments support bicycle transport as one of their traffic congestion solutions and there's already a decent amount of adoption.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNa5FVfGvOdms6OvvybsZoZoDBfVMh3XUF265rwr_A8agFt1okb9ZAQbexhjNeNj73C_KkQKH4L1Y6FbbrUxR-dASoP8YebE8uHd5pp4qn3C-n4gQnWVTjALIzN3pUWEprVqKlqjJZwRb/s1600/DSCN1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNa5FVfGvOdms6OvvybsZoZoDBfVMh3XUF265rwr_A8agFt1okb9ZAQbexhjNeNj73C_KkQKH4L1Y6FbbrUxR-dASoP8YebE8uHd5pp4qn3C-n4gQnWVTjALIzN3pUWEprVqKlqjJZwRb/s200/DSCN1619.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b>Are Small Cities Any Less Committed?</b><br />
Smaller cities can be a different story. With less population density, small cities can be less desperate for alternative transport solutions. Back home at least, this can mean support for bike transport is very limited, merely tolerated, or even subject to hostility. The town of Black Hawk, Colorado is now infamous/famous (depending on your perspective) for <a href="http://i%20wasn%27t%20sure%20these%20towns%20would%20have%20the%20such%20desperate%20need%20for%20alternative%20transport%20solutions/">banning bikes in that small town</a>.<br />
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Since Basel and Innsbruck are relatively small, I was not expecting much more than the limited bike support I've experienced in U.S. small cities. I didn't expect the local governments to be as focused on bike transport. I also thought the time of year might limit the cycling activity I would see. <br />
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<b>Exceeded Expections</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYQQ2zBCBLoBQcCnoMv5K4kFhHf940zGKW164rcOjMbTAp5ghE2HpTQduoNi2iFKCN0HA6p-1hV7uK0pLdl2GCxf3GXamNtoy_m3gT1hIUMRlrHu-xoBvvydg2jfsiC6wU7PAqqtmrtMZ/s1600/DSCN1967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYQQ2zBCBLoBQcCnoMv5K4kFhHf940zGKW164rcOjMbTAp5ghE2HpTQduoNi2iFKCN0HA6p-1hV7uK0pLdl2GCxf3GXamNtoy_m3gT1hIUMRlrHu-xoBvvydg2jfsiC6wU7PAqqtmrtMZ/s200/DSCN1967.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Nevertheless, what I found far exceeded my high expectations for bike transport in any sized town at any time of year. Basel and Innsbruck transport infrastructures not only tolerate but promote cycling as a serious transport alternative by providing comprehensive bike lanes that are not always but frequently separated from BOTH cars and pedestrians.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5slSYJ1jNCBgpsHU2j2SKuWPdCw0qQ8-fAIT6M7jqv_faTYWSWTbphkPi5JomLr1YcMqIad5SDZar847ljnMZt3D6hD9LFgmcMFAYopvg9UkQ8j81vrS1i8uR5gyCKKbDu1TCyksktLWo/s1600/DSCN1614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5slSYJ1jNCBgpsHU2j2SKuWPdCw0qQ8-fAIT6M7jqv_faTYWSWTbphkPi5JomLr1YcMqIad5SDZar847ljnMZt3D6hD9LFgmcMFAYopvg9UkQ8j81vrS1i8uR5gyCKKbDu1TCyksktLWo/s200/DSCN1614.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>They also provide facilities that address common challenges with bike transport. The goal is clearly to make bike transport very practical and often more convenient than driving or even riding the train. What's more, all these facilities and services are put to good use year-round at all hours of the day and night by surprisingly active cyclists.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5aqOYAq2NaKqeYAHf4KilcpI4u1sQRcPaMNg1Nn_JNA4tM9In0qPeBJLthYtGmzJN7wkT7ijEYe2TLYDrtgOyHUKHWoKUmjM5FhV9jAxq-YfoaBpNJYfrlldiUZ39-i7DsvxlucL3P55/s1600/DSCN1896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5aqOYAq2NaKqeYAHf4KilcpI4u1sQRcPaMNg1Nn_JNA4tM9In0qPeBJLthYtGmzJN7wkT7ijEYe2TLYDrtgOyHUKHWoKUmjM5FhV9jAxq-YfoaBpNJYfrlldiUZ39-i7DsvxlucL3P55/s200/DSCN1896.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b>Serious Bike Parking</b><br />
The first thing that blew my mind was Basel's bike garages. Under their central train station (Hauptbahnhof SBB), is a veritable wonderland for bike commuting enthusiasts. My local friend took me down there and what I saw was a spotless, well-lighted, well-attended, and massive space for intracity and intercity travelers to safely park their bikes at any hour of the day (not just commuter hours). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1xSKu6g02IM/TY_LYr4z4UI/AAAAAAAAHaE/vZGXvB_55DQ/s1600/DSCN1925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1xSKu6g02IM/TY_LYr4z4UI/AAAAAAAAHaE/vZGXvB_55DQ/s200/DSCN1925.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>These garages are found at most train stations including the airport in Zurich. They also rent bicycles there. I was able to rent a bike there for less than 20 CHF/day. In Zurich, I found a sporting goods store willing to rent for much less: 60 CHF/week.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jcWgEbp9sxo/TY_LbYFj1vI/AAAAAAAAHaY/nUcF3TfSs7Q/s1600/DSCN1930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jcWgEbp9sxo/TY_LbYFj1vI/AAAAAAAAHaY/nUcF3TfSs7Q/s200/DSCN1930.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Yjj1iu4OuJXCt_xUazgUS5LABEjpFCp1N9aaB7zuTcWrzBk8jTEJzLtK9T-Wkdeh4wrd7yj1Fh9G-FF9o-BqTfe2ZrM8zFxZ1mpaQ3smih2ILDcRSBdahfU8BPqOrzuHX3ha-AOrZM_A/s1600/DSCN1924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Yjj1iu4OuJXCt_xUazgUS5LABEjpFCp1N9aaB7zuTcWrzBk8jTEJzLtK9T-Wkdeh4wrd7yj1Fh9G-FF9o-BqTfe2ZrM8zFxZ1mpaQ3smih2ILDcRSBdahfU8BPqOrzuHX3ha-AOrZM_A/s200/DSCN1924.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Especially deluxe were the dedicated entry and exit ramps for bikes. I can't describe how riding in and out of the dedicated bike garage ramps instills this bike commuter with a sense of legitimacy. It was truly a profound experience, especially, when contrasted with the cycling experience back home that leaves one feeling like a second-class or even illegitimate member of the transport community. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Jre5Nx6E9quVTNSt1QCLgOrZx1Kuqb9cs4Tdd-oRrClpj0Qm2jeoJoHADW3eaYaTPw4TRe990YoGr61pZYVv7fT-Dn5Gap9U9WHGFGO6-n_FFzjq5lOn5PYmrJV8zwTwn2CIqao1plbW/s1600/DSCN1921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Jre5Nx6E9quVTNSt1QCLgOrZx1Kuqb9cs4Tdd-oRrClpj0Qm2jeoJoHADW3eaYaTPw4TRe990YoGr61pZYVv7fT-Dn5Gap9U9WHGFGO6-n_FFzjq5lOn5PYmrJV8zwTwn2CIqao1plbW/s200/DSCN1921.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>In the U.S., bike parking is sometimes not available at all. It is an ad hoc affair where you bring your own security in the form of pounds of bike locks. Then you might have to walk great distances looking for somewhere to use it. When bike parking is available it is likely to be sparse, outdoor, unattended, and designed to maximize damage to your bike.<br />
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How often would people drive if they had to carry a lock with them and drape that lock around a filthy rack at every location they visited? That is precisely the question that many European cities have answered for bikes. The result is a comprehensive set of facilities that make cycling very practical, clean, and therefore easy and attractive.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiou7i-VeY1LHJfHgJy8VXFS08k1vMacKbRhcsXzQwYIQlpNioA_A_8pIZ1ADKiPfSQASAlhRmR8zVSx9BPKM0GHWHvJvG0OgX1tUEP8JYQCsoQeRX-6JMSN7eKwrTJ81irpPtyfQI_etLi/s1600/DSCN1635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiou7i-VeY1LHJfHgJy8VXFS08k1vMacKbRhcsXzQwYIQlpNioA_A_8pIZ1ADKiPfSQASAlhRmR8zVSx9BPKM0GHWHvJvG0OgX1tUEP8JYQCsoQeRX-6JMSN7eKwrTJ81irpPtyfQI_etLi/s200/DSCN1635.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Bike parking in Innsbruck wasn't quite as deluxe as Basel but it was still great. Lots of racks all over. Some were outside and unattended but they were still covered and engineered to ensure one bicycle did not damage another. So refreshing. All this and I wasn't even riding the bike yet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQIXlxmAh_T-4A6W247RFwd0d960_RGmtQLhlLtA8X33KppKuH4iTIJ4s_GNQ9wHB3mJxq0rsSiKa0zuyObqq2wHd8DHuSSkHdkichyPlipTUkL82Zi5XRl8gqkjbmleovz3KbAvn2C1L/s1600/DSCN1943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQIXlxmAh_T-4A6W247RFwd0d960_RGmtQLhlLtA8X33KppKuH4iTIJ4s_GNQ9wHB3mJxq0rsSiKa0zuyObqq2wHd8DHuSSkHdkichyPlipTUkL82Zi5XRl8gqkjbmleovz3KbAvn2C1L/s200/DSCN1943.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Serious Bike Infrastructure<br />
Once you are out of the garage or off the rack, the support continues in the form of dedicated bike lanes, bike traffic lights, and even bike service stations. All work together to reinforce the idea that bikes aren't just toys that sometimes sneak onto the road to inconvenience cars. They are serious vehicles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRuTwuLj-_MaRyLxivC0SHwbD4UmG0wZNFLtSSU7F5oNI3TnVx9YHTM0PHErdQnuRnX5IUMkBTjPPGgVA4ZK4VNa0FHg-gPq_Fxwou6d7jyXR8_pZfI_78XxCiR92Mq6cj1JgU9wuh72N/s1600/DSCN1938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRuTwuLj-_MaRyLxivC0SHwbD4UmG0wZNFLtSSU7F5oNI3TnVx9YHTM0PHErdQnuRnX5IUMkBTjPPGgVA4ZK4VNa0FHg-gPq_Fxwou6d7jyXR8_pZfI_78XxCiR92Mq6cj1JgU9wuh72N/s200/DSCN1938.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Serious Bike Services<br />
Along those lines, service stations like this one in Basel were a welcome sign. The more ubiquitous bikes become, the more they need ubiquitous services and resources like the ones that autos enjoy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA7vPdPiIGEpxVxu7OOBVMAVxMezFxwh4jBFBhJi52kUqxO-w586EynqV12eZVQ6sc9ShPNliafP2PjwUPJCOAyb578dfYm1ALFyyGH6k8LTpFV4sHC5ZqNQnd0nrig4pKK9J_Oeyaylq/s1600/DSCN1937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA7vPdPiIGEpxVxu7OOBVMAVxMezFxwh4jBFBhJi52kUqxO-w586EynqV12eZVQ6sc9ShPNliafP2PjwUPJCOAyb578dfYm1ALFyyGH6k8LTpFV4sHC5ZqNQnd0nrig4pKK9J_Oeyaylq/s200/DSCN1937.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB5cJ_kCrH7hhWNvNO9QayAOgueqMKo3ZfJOYZZBJ1m_qkXdGIbyazZk6fgKgc8DD9Yo15svl37WSCRPhQd2_j4Zbob2k9z2_1pAYXljNwRQYUDx8L129EsTuCwwaTamOpAL-FJsWJcGy/s1600/DSCN1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB5cJ_kCrH7hhWNvNO9QayAOgueqMKo3ZfJOYZZBJ1m_qkXdGIbyazZk6fgKgc8DD9Yo15svl37WSCRPhQd2_j4Zbob2k9z2_1pAYXljNwRQYUDx8L129EsTuCwwaTamOpAL-FJsWJcGy/s200/DSCN1161.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>Serious Bike Usage</b><br />
The infrastructure certainly did its part to ensure cycling is serious transport. However, that wouldn't matter if people didn't use it. My expectations were exceeded here as well. Day or night, warm or cold, rain or shine, male or female, young or old, folks were using bikes to go on dates, get groceries, and of course go to work and school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEXyrHXKaInojE4MejLBbn4rrZQzD9i0Q9GxI2cm-XUYTyTHYMxm8J6K0jumcGnguIBTktbd1-WpoKGlnCq_G-H-rRxzLx3teKCZXd-68pxUgjFeclU_7Owf_mbGEMgqxHp2BWME1SImK/s1600/DSCN1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEXyrHXKaInojE4MejLBbn4rrZQzD9i0Q9GxI2cm-XUYTyTHYMxm8J6K0jumcGnguIBTktbd1-WpoKGlnCq_G-H-rRxzLx3teKCZXd-68pxUgjFeclU_7Owf_mbGEMgqxHp2BWME1SImK/s200/DSCN1628.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
I was pleasantly surprised to see all ages and genders well represented on bikes late at night in freezing temperatures. Back home, just one of these factors is frequently cited as an excuse for not cycling. Here none are. Couples think nothing of going out to dinner on bikes at night, even in winter. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mPtbbLXsHCyy9PKyaJjzS7X1gMjlqpRzF98W_RbWOVqwYhInfetPONvzwTaFwYwgbVuE8SfBt_EsDe8DQx9pu8JFcoaMQBHm1ffijA744qm8L0X6ZZrfBmdHOC6iPaulod1IFn5JBk43/s1600/DSCN1960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mPtbbLXsHCyy9PKyaJjzS7X1gMjlqpRzF98W_RbWOVqwYhInfetPONvzwTaFwYwgbVuE8SfBt_EsDe8DQx9pu8JFcoaMQBHm1ffijA744qm8L0X6ZZrfBmdHOC6iPaulod1IFn5JBk43/s200/DSCN1960.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The fashionable folks I spied on bikes knocked down two more excuses for not cycling: that it trashes hairdos and clothes. This gal was having none of that. I found her chatting with these two gentleman at about 10 p.m. at night in about 30 degree weather with a handsome ensemble and a sweet looking bike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLTvC2zHZGVoGXXk9T8FAgtD5uzy9a53hixixc3eZzMgj4LZnDUP8L-GOwnY4KbUbi7_RraYBio35zvJywyhFp_-RAC-M96m79If8TKdEGWXqgKXeDTKupYPmxPCf1a-3iTTKtHYwG9l6/s1600/DSCN2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLTvC2zHZGVoGXXk9T8FAgtD5uzy9a53hixixc3eZzMgj4LZnDUP8L-GOwnY4KbUbi7_RraYBio35zvJywyhFp_-RAC-M96m79If8TKdEGWXqgKXeDTKupYPmxPCf1a-3iTTKtHYwG9l6/s200/DSCN2022.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">Even during a day trip to Colmar, France, I found these two in the train station running errands on their bikes. I didn't see enough of France this trip to comment on their bike transport experience but some of the same commitment to bike transport obviously bleeds over the border from Basel.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKzA3NMLpXO304WYgbn9df2rj1tWnuzSOTy1xLDCfBmtvnyQPqUY-85O7bQpkg7ss2QTAYibmouunDUmc3e0AzJLmyeZY5rKq-60COMxh7VQN3fHOMn3Z0l-qZPtLyZBudWlJCWmYbUdu/s1600/DSCN1862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKzA3NMLpXO304WYgbn9df2rj1tWnuzSOTy1xLDCfBmtvnyQPqUY-85O7bQpkg7ss2QTAYibmouunDUmc3e0AzJLmyeZY5rKq-60COMxh7VQN3fHOMn3Z0l-qZPtLyZBudWlJCWmYbUdu/s200/DSCN1862.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Back home, bike transport is increasingly more mainstream but it still is most popular among young people in major metropolitan areas. Here, the range of ages and backgrounds is very wide, as is the penetration beyond big cities.</div><br />
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All this demonstrates that, with the right attitude and right clothing, bike commuters can experience physical and social warmth no matter when they ride.<br />
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<b>Serious Challenge</b><br />
This trip reinvigorated my resolve to see this level of bike transport infrastructure and adoption in the U.S. It can be done. It will be done, in the U.S. as it is in bike transport heaven: Europe.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593320649583691632noreply@blogger.com177