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Gear Shift: Making Space for Bikes

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Bike parking in AmsterdamShould we be building specialized roadways for cyclists? Slate asks the question in the latest entry in its “Nimble Cities” series.

But the key, one could argue, is infrastructure. While the school of so-called “vehicular cycling” argues that cycles should be treated as cars and share the roads, this philosophy seems to be the result of (primarily American) cyclists adapting by necessity to their harsh surroundings rather than the sound basis of a widespread transportation shift. In the world’s top cycling cities, one finds not muscular riders harried and buffeted by passing cars, but all manner of people—young, old, carrying groceries, carrying kids—riding on networks that have been designed for them.

It’s an interesting read, especially considering stuff like this.

1 Comment

  1. While I can see the short term political advantages to treating bikes like cars, as in the "same rights, same rules" mantra, the two are far from the same. Promoting that one size fits all mentality will eventually stifle the growth of the bike movement. One of the major keys to the expansion of cycling’s popularity has been it’s off the grid nature; the lack of confusing regulations, the DIY-ness. Last year a proposal was made to require registration of all bicycles in the city. What’s next? Paying for parking? Licenses and testing? No bikes if you are under 16? Insurance!? Any of these would be major barriers to entry for the exact people who really NEED bikes.

    Should a cyclist really be forced to stop at a red light or stop at a stop sign when no one is around and it’s 20 degrees out? There is no greater incentive to ride safely on a bike than avoiding your own death. It’s fundamentally different than riding around in a metal box with air bags… and a heater. It’s something every cyclist comes to grips with, and non-cycling legislators fail to address.

    The vision for what became Schuylkill Banks Park was first laid out in 1924:
    http://www.phillyh2o.org/backpages/redemption/redemption.htm
    Finally realized, it’s benefits to the city and the health of the people are obvious. Rather than fitting bike lanes into the existing traffic structure, we need more bike and pedestrian specific areas connecting the city.

    Chestnut street was closed to car traffic from the bicentennial until the 90’s. Bringing back a car free greenway, cutting East to West across center city, would be a visionary move with huge benefits for residents whether cyclists or not. It would not just be a traffic pattern, but a destination for everyone to enjoy, like a park- and, it would remove the need for both of the new cross town bike lanes.

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