Getting more people on Bikes

Greg Raisman is a Portland resident who recently wrote about how people like you and me can make life better for cyclists. He has a good bit of experience since his job promotes cycling safety with the Portland Office of Transportation.

I've had this idea of Recreational Commuting that I've been kicking around -- commuting and fun go together when you're on a bike -- and Greg's article puts some teeth in that idea.

Greg mentions Portland's "Breakfast on the Bridges" (video), for example. Lots of folks ride alone into the office, but what if you could meet several like-minded commuters for breakfast? This might be all it takes to tip someone off the fence.

Greg reminds us that "Safety in Numbers" works for cyclists and those numbers become self-increasing. He points out, "The more you ride your bicycle, the more likely it is that your friends will ride." Sand dunes are built one grain at a time.

I was also pleased the article mentioned family rides such as the one we have planned for Saturday.

Further supporting this idea of Recreational Commuting is this post on Commute by Bike. The stream of comments left by readers is impressive in both its number and the breadth of experiences. There are an awful lot of ways to get more people on bikes.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 18.0
Number of Cyclists seen: 20 (17 commuters)
In-bound Route: Wednesday Bike Train
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: just below freezing in AM and windy; good afternoon temps and less wind.

Wikipedia's Vehicular Cycling

The first time I stumbled upon Wikipedia, the sun was coming up before I realized I had missed going to bed. I couldn't stop digging into every little nook and cranny of this endless stream of interesting knowledge.

When I stumbled across the Vehicular Cycling article, I managed to get to bed, but not until I had compared it to other articles hoping to find something more concise. This is the best I found.

The Best Practices section contains my new single-page cheat-sheet of "what to do" and "what not to do" for cyclists. Do respect traffic controls. Don't ride on sidewalks. Stay out of the door zone. Don't jump across lanes. It's like a recipe for being safe and earning respect.

Of course, Vehicular Cycling isn't fully appreciated by simply listing a bunch of rules to follow. We've all heard about "Taking the Lane", but exactly what is that?

On our Sunday ride a couple of weeks ago, we found a median under construction down a stretch of one of our favorite roads. This prevented traffic from being able to get around us so we took the lane. Once the traffic was able to pass, they were hollering at us to "Share the Road". I wanted to throw this URL at them. (Would that be hURLing?)

The section "Common Misconceptions about Vehicular Cycling" makes its points by contrast. For example, the misconception that "VC means not riding in the Bike Lane" is an opportunity to distinguish between following a stripe versus positioning yourself where conditions dictate.

Wikipedia's article quality varies greatly and this one is not quite "Featured" status yet, but it is still a fine piece of work. I encourage you to share it with others for its fair and accessible treatment of good cycling techniques.

Good Cycling - Better Cycling

I measure stuff. I count the cyclists on my way to the office. I log my bike miles and the cost per mile to operate the bike. I particularly enjoy watching my fitness improve: weight loss, resting heart rate, how fast I can climb a hill. By measuring, I can see the results of the work I put into my cycling and can judge if I'm making improvements.

A ride that improves my fitness is a good ride. What makes it a better ride? Are there other ways to measure a ride?

Besides physical fitness, I take note of my mental fitness. Even a rainy, cold commute to the office when I could have worked from home is more uplifting than the most pleasant of car trips. A better ride sets our spirit free.

Since most car trips are within a couple miles, bike trips can replace many of these car trips. A better ride would save some gas, reduce demand for road and parking space, and help improve air quality.

Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation in the US and will probably remain dominant -- at least until perhaps September or so . A better ride would make the best of sharing roadways with traffic. Each negotiation for space between cyclists and motorists is an opportunity to earn mutual respect and improve our capacity for courtesy and safety. A better ride would leave smiles on everyone's faces.

I wish I had an odometer that recorded not just the miles, but also the good karma I've created by riding my bike. By any measure, cycling is good karma made real -- fitness, air quality, sustainability, and an improved sense of community -- yet it remains hard to chalk up. Can anyone invent a smile-o-meter?

Great Streets

This post falls under the "help lights shine brighter" category.

On the blog Bike Year, I ran across an architect's view of streets. What caught my attention was the term "pedestrian nostalgia", loosely defined as that good feeling we remember about being able to walk everywhere. What kept my attention (besides the 47 comments) was getting into the head of someone who designs these spaces for a living.

The author describes a meeting held to discuss the importance of green spaces and how bureaucracies can be worked to make the green space a reality. It turned into a disappointing meeting, but several good points were brought out:

• Are streets for people or for cars?
  
• College campuses as the ultimate human-scaled living spaces.
  
• What makes a great street, and especially, how is community fostered?
  

The article takes a pedestrian's perspective, but the discussion is completely appropriate for cyclists as well. The comments move the discussion forward into other interesting nooks and crannies.

This is my photo offering for the day. This is the entrance to the Lullwater Conservation Park. It makes a good example of a space with human scale.

Commute Summary

Round Trip Distance: 15.0
Number of Cyclists seen: 13
In-bound Route: Lullwater/PATH
Out-bound Route: Highland Automotive to pick up the car
Weather: Sunny, dry, warm

I got a kick out of showing up at the automotive shop on a bike. The car needed some work and my wife was busy so I picked up the car on my way home. Reminds me of the days when I kept a bike in the back of the car in case the car broke down.

This morning before I left the house, I kept getting calls that kept me near the home computer. It was getting close to lunch time and I was considering just working from home, but I really wanted to get outside on my bike. I should probably post this separately: a guy who could have been working from home, but decided to go into the office because he enjoys his commute so much.