From Inside Bay Area, 06.07.07:As gas prices rise, more drivers ride the cycling trendA very encouraging article, which also interviews bicycle retailers about the growth of their business. About half of the 12K figure of bike organization members in the Bay Area belong to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
"My Honda normally parks right there," (Jan Charrette) pointed to a corner spot in the hillside parking lot, squinting in the afternoon sun. Then she turned west. Her two-mile ride home wound its way through the hills there. "No driving today," she said as she rode off.
Charrette recently started cycling to work a few times per week. At age 50 and admittedly out of shape, her main reason was exercise. She also wanted to save money on gas and do something for the environment.
By most accounts, people like Charrette are taking to the streets in ever greater numbers. They are spurred by gas prices nearing $4 per gallon; horrendous traffic conditions that are vulnerable to disruptions, such as the recent collapse of the Interstate 580 connector; an increasing concern for the environment; and an ever stronger focus on health and fitness.
They bike to commute, for errands, recreation and other activities. As they get more experienced, they will bike farther and more often — and spend more on their bikes, too.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission discovered "the first significant increase in bicycle commuting in years" in its 2005 Commute Profile. Some 12,000 people belong to cycling organizations in the Bay Area alone. (Read more.)
Image: Adbusters.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site
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