Sense and stupidity in San Francisco's media

The higher echelons of editorial policy at the San Francisco Chronicle are generally indifferent to bicyclists and hostile to anti-establishment grassroots activism. This bias is clearly evident in the Chronicle's elevation earlier this week of an incident following the March Critical Mass. The paper continued to scold bicycling activists with an editorial in today's edition, "Cool it, Critical Mass":

For too long, the pack of rude and sanctimonious bicyclists who call themselves "Critical Mass" have been tolerated in San Francisco. The police have looked the other way and elected officials have been afraid to confront a determined political force in this city.

The more militant of the bicycle advocates fail to recognize that they are undermining their cause with their open provocation. Yes, San Francisco is precarious terrain for bicyclists, with its hills, narrow streets and concentration of people and cars in 49 square miles. It's also a difficult city for motorists, pedestrians and the many residents who must rely on the Municipal Railway to get around.

The way to make this compact city work for all modes of transportation is for San Franciscans to share the streets with civility, humility and adherence to the rules of the road. The Critical Mass rides contain none of the above.

Apparently, the Chronicle's editorial board wants bicyclists to behave more like motorists, who, let's not forget, kill more than 40,000 people each year in the U.S.

However, while the pro-car management of the auto-industry advertising dependent Chronicle may be hostile, bicyclists in San Francisco do have friends at the paper. One of whom is columnist Jon Carroll, nearly always a voice of sanity:

Something happened at Critical Mass last Friday. We were not there, so we don't know what happened. It's useful to remember that before talking about thuggish bicyclists or imperiled children. It's also useful to remember that not much actually happened. On the scale of things, the accident I saw recently on 580 in San Leandro was 10 times worse. It involved two ambulances and an accordion-pleated car.

It did not make the newspapers because no symbols were involved. So on the reality scale, the Critical Mass event was very small potatoes. If your blood pressure rose while discussing it, it's because you have strong feelings about the symbols. Everyone is safe and healthy, except the guy behind the wheel of the car on 580.

Automobile drivers have ruled the roads forever. Our cities have been built to accommodate automobile drivers because automobiles are profit centers for lots of companies. But it's not just that. People really like their automobiles. You've probably had a car you've liked; maybe you still do. You've probably said, on your way to somewhere, "How dare they do that thing which is delaying me?" Because you have the car. You are the boss.

Automobiles are all about entitlement. You can go anywhere you want! You are free! Also, you can have sex in the backseat!

Alas, there are way too many automobiles. They spew noxious fumes. They make loud noises. They threaten pedestrians. They threaten the planet. They are misused far more frequently than guns, with bloodier results. Also, they make people lazy. They contribute to obesity, rising health care costs, sloth, greed -- are you getting angry yet? (Read more.)

In cyber-saturated San Francisco, bicyclists have other friends, in the less partial media, such as the Fog City Journal, SFist.com, Indymedia.org, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. And bicyclists are fortunate to have the media-savvy San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Image: Roger J. Wendell. Bicyclist on Golden Gate Bridge.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Media war (again) on Critical Mass in San Francisco

Love it or hate it, Critical Mass provokes strong emotions.

San Francisco is abuzz, again, about Critical Mass following an unfortunate confrontation with a motorist during the March ride. The situation was agitated further with an inflammatory article by a team of notoriously manipulative San Francisco Chronicle columnists. (For one thing, there weren't 3,000 bicyclists at the start of the March 30 Critical Mass--I was there--which makes it highly unlikely there were 3,000 at 9 p.m. as reported by this intrepid pair.)

For bicycle commuters who face the hazards of traffic solo everyday, Critical Mass provides a monthly opportunity for solidarity, empowerment, and community. Combined with strong organized advocacy, Critical Mass can also help push politicians to act on behalf of bicyclists. San Francisco bicyclists wouldn't have made the gains we have achieved without Critical Mass, period.

The following is a letter I sent today, which likely will go unpublished. Many suspect the Chronicle is purposefully sensationalizing this incident to blunt the momentum for Healthy Saturdays in Golden Gate Park, a campaign led by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

April 5, 2007

Letters to the Editor
San Francisco Chronicle

RE: "CLASH REIGNITES ROAD WARS" (sic) 04.05.07

Editor:

Every day a "critical mass" of motorists takes over San Francisco's streets, assaulting our lungs, our ears, and too often our bodies.

And yet, what grabs the headlines? An isolated incident between a motorist (who may have provoked trouble) and some overly rowdy idiots who happen to be on bicycles.

The real story is the lack of any proactive vision from Mayor Newsom about how to tackle the plague of cars afflicting The City.

If the mayor spent as much time thinking about transportation as he does his dating life, we'd be making far more progress on reducing congestion, improving health, enhancing safety, saving energy, and limiting climate change impacts.

Critical Mass arose originally to, among other things, call attention to the monopolization of public space by cars. Nearly two decades later The City's transportation crisis continues to burn as the mayor fiddles.

Sincerely,

Paul Dorn
San Francisco CA 94114

P.S. NOT FOR PUBLICATION: In Matier and Ross' typically inventive telling of history, they credit Willie Brown with shrinking Critical Mass. ("In 1997, then-Mayor Willie Brown tried to control the rides. The result was anarchy and mass arrests. Since then the rides have shrunk in size.")

Huh? A better explanation might be that Da Mayor conceded defeat, started talking with the advocates, and implemented a few necessary improvements. This helped fuel the growth of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (from under-500 members in 1997 to more than 6,000 today). Simply put, the SFBC's effectiveness everyday has provided a more attractive voice for bicyclist discontent than a once-monthly bike ride.

For a more accurate account of the 1997 events, you could do worse than my article "Pedaling to Save the City," written for the San Francisco Urban Institute at San Francisco State University.
Image: Web capture. Critical Mass in Hungary, 2007.
Visit: "Demonizing bicyclists," San Francisco Bay Guardian, 04.05.07
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Call cops on bad drivers?

From the Daily Times (Maryville, TN) 03.31.07:

Bicycling advocates want to put brakes on bad drivers

As car and bicycle traffic grows heavier in the state, some bike enthusiasts are seeking new laws and tougher enforcement of existing ones to deal with motorists who hog the highways.

State lawmakers are considering legislation sponsored by Blount County and Sevier County representatives that would require vehicles to keep a 3-foot cushion between themselves and a bike when passing.

Drivers will pay closer attention if they receive tickets for endangering their pedaling counterparts, said Shannon Hornsby, executive director of the group Walk Bike, which promotes walking and biking in Nashville and is making a top priority out of prodding police to issue more citations to careless drivers. (Read more.)

This Tennessee legislation sounds similar to California's AB 60, introduced earlier this year by Assembly Member Pedro Nava (Dem, Santa Barbara). I have previously expressed reservations about this bill--presently scheduled for its long delayed first hearing in the Assembly Transportation Committee on April 16.

The vehicle code is a relatively poor method for regulating motorist behavior. Most motorists base their driving on road conditions, traffic, weather, visibility, prevailing speeds, presence of enforcement, etc.--and not on the minutiae of traffic law. Provide wide, straight roads, motorists will go faster. Better road design--generally summed up as "complete streets"--is a far superior way of encouraging respectful behavior by motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians--regardless of the presence of cops.

And demands for greater law enforcement are particularly frightening in this post-9/11 era of diminished civil and individual rights and a creeping police state. More cops will also likely mean more attention toward suspected violations by bicyclists, teenagers, minorities--and not simply motorist infractions.

Of course, laws against dangerous motorist behavior should be enforced, especially when such behavior endangers bicyclists, children, pedestrians, and seniors. Until we end the motorist monopolization of public streets and sufficiently improve the roadways to be hospitable for all users, law enforcement will remain as an unfortunate but necessary check on driver misbehavior.

Bicycling is about fun, freedom, and individual empowerment. Bicycling enthusiasts and advocates need to be cautious about calls for more laws and more police. We need to demand action on the cause (bad road design) and not simply the effect (dangerous drivers.)

Image: AP Photo. Cyclists in Nashville, Tennessee
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Seattle: Cyclists soon to get safer routes

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 03.28.09:

Cyclists soon to get safer routes
10-year plan calls for more than 200 miles of designated lanes
Making bicyclists of all ages feel more secure in city traffic is a top goal of the city of Seattle, which will soon release the final draft of its Bicycle Master Plan for public comment.

At the heart of the 10-year strategy is a call to designate more than 200 miles of roadway as bike lanes, along with guidelines for safely sharing roads and trails with cars and pedestrians. While the city currently offers only 25 miles of designated bike lanes, the plan anticipates a huge increase in recreational and commuting bicyclists.

What excites Wayne Wentz, the city's director of traffic management, is that the plan was mandated by the people--as part of a $360 million property tax levy passed last fall--which means it comes with the funding to make it happen.

"It's about building a society where people want to get along and know what to expect," he said. (Read more.)

This is a great article from a couple days ago. (I've been negligent in my blogging; the approach of April means tax preparation at home, budget preparation at work, and the opening of baseball season.) Among the great points the article makes is the improved safety for bicyclists as the number of pedalers increases; and it credits the Cascade Cycling Club for its efforts to promote safe conduct by motorists and bicyclists.

Image: Mike Urban/Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Cyclists in Seattle, Washington.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Google (Europe) gifts bikes to staff

The inimitable Fritz at cyclelicio.us shared this earlier, but it's worthy of additional exposure. From BikeBiz.co.uk, 3/23.07:

The web giant wants its staff to be fit and lively and so has 'done an Ikea' and has provided staffers with a catalogue from which they can choose free bikes and kit. The eco- and health-conscious largesse is for Europe, Africa and the Middle East only, Google staffers in America can go whistle...

At Christmas, the UK arm of Ikea gifted all 9000 staffers with free folding bikes, sourced by Raleigh UK from a factory in Eastern Europe.

Now Raleigh Germany has done a deal with Google to offer bikes of all shapes and sizes to Google staff across Europe. All the bikes will be branded with the Google logo. (Read more.)

One wonders when Google--purportedly supportive of bike commuting--will provide a similar bike perk to its employees in the U.S.

I don't think the primary obstacle to bike commuting is lack of bicycles. A primary challenge is the way employers in the U.S. encourage their staff to drive, by locating facilities in sprawling office parks far from transit and absorbing the cost of providing free parking. (Parking costs include land, construction, maintenance, security, and lighting.) It's amazing--and sad--that these same employers often vigorously resist creating bicyclist-supporting facilities (bike racks, showers, lockers, etc.) One automobile space could be converted to create parking for 10-12 bicycles.

Bike promotion activities by major employers such as Google could greatly help foster a more bicyclist-friendly U.S. The benefits to employers of increased bike commuting are many, including reduced medical costs, improved employee health, reduced absenteeism, improved productivity, and reduced parking costs.

Employee demand for enhanced bike facilities at work can often yield results. I encourage you to raise the issue with your employer. If you have a supportive employer, I'd like to hear about it.

Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Where's the bike rack (retail)?

Many communities recognizing the benefits of increased bicycle use understand the importance of facilities (bike lanes, bike paths, etc.), intermodal access to transit, and encouragement (Bike to Work Day, Safe Routes to School, etc.)

However, many of these same communities overlook bike parking. Bike racks lack the visibility of other facilities, where politicians and bureaucrats can smile for ribbon-cutting photo ops. The news cameras turn out when the mayor dons a helmet and joins the annual Bike to Work Day. But the media pays no attention to the DPW employee installing a rack.

And then there are commercial enterprises who believe: Motorists equals trunk space equals major cash register action. Hence, they provide ample vehicle parking, and, if they bother to consider bicyclists at all, their parking is often poorly installed, ineffective, or hidden.

This is the surely the case with the bike rack pictured here, at the Best Buy store in San Francisco's Mission district. Best Buy provides about an acre of car parking--not in sprawling Houston, mind, but in densely populated and transit rich San Francisco!--and locates its bike rack on the remote side of the building near the dumpster. And this Best Buy outlet is very close to some of San Francisco's most notorious chop shops.

Any wonder this bike rack is unused?

Many recreational bicyclists might considering commuting and shopping by bike if they were assured of a secure parking space. They aren't going to leave their $2,000 titanium road bike locked to a pole in a dark alley. Secure bike parking is a critical factor in the attractiveness of bike commuting.

Image: Marianne Skoczek.
Visit: Changing Skyline: The city needs to get creative on bike parking, Philadelphia Enquirer
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Connecticut: Not A Bike-Friendly State

From the Hartford Courant, 03.18.07:

Not A Bike-Friendly State

Around the country, forward-looking public officials are working like mad to make their cities and states bike-friendly. In Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley is building hundreds of miles of bike trails. From Washington, D.C., to Washington state, officials are promoting biking.

But alas, not in Connecticut.

Yes, mostly volunteer efforts have resulted in a growing but still fragmented network of trails around the state. These trails could be more quickly sewn together if the state made biking and bike trails a priority. But the state Department of Transportation, reluctant as always to embrace any form of transportation besides the car, can't be bothered. (Read more.)

This is a positive editorial from Connecticut's leading daily newspaper, in support of a bill to provide funding to complete the state's section of the East Coast Greenway, an off-road trail being built from Maine to Florida.

Image: Ted Bowman. Bicyclists in Connecticut.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Pedal-pushers seek ways to make city more bike friendly

From the Post-Bulletin, (Rochester, MN) 03.21.07:

Paul Anderson, a Mayo Clinic computer programmer, is a two-wheeled commuter. He rides his bike to work year-round.

"I do have my limits," said Anderson, 60. "If it's below zero, I don't do that. Too cold. And usually not the day after it snows."

The start of spring heralds a season when thousands of others, like Anderson, can confidently brave the elements almost every day for their commute. An estimated 5 percent of Rochester (Minnesota) workers walk or pedal to their jobs.

That's uncommonly high -- comparable to such bike nirvanas as Portland, Ore. -- and is just one of the reasons why Rochester won an honorable-mention award from the League of American Bicyclists in the group's most recent "Bicycle-friendly Communities" contest. (Read more.)

This is a optimistic, positive article from chilly Minnesota. It considers the challenges, motivations, and satisfactions of everyday bike commuters, and thankfully doesn't give voice to motoring objectors. And it conveys the optimism of the community's bicyclists for future progress.

Image: Post-Bulletin (Rochester, MN). Bike commuter Paul Anderson.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Bicyclists as fringe interest

From The Politico, 03.19.07:

Last week, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) braved a cold, rainy day to zoom around Capitol Hill on his Trek bike--appropriately, the Portland commuting model--to celebrate the National Bike Summit hosted by the CBC.

That's not the Congressional Black Caucus--it's the other CBC: the Congressional Bike Caucus...

As for the majority of the caucuses that focus on a single issue, many health-related, Smith said their work probably helps keep some legislative efforts alive. They can, he said, "make a difference at the margins."

The bike caucus, for example, promotes funding for cycling activities. It introduced the Bike Commuter Act to give transit benefits to bicycle commuters and establish a federal safe-routes-to-school program.

So far, no luck: The Bike Commuter Act has been introduced three times and has yet to pass. (Read more.)

Sigh. Bicyclists in the U.S. have spent most of the past two decades organizing as a political constituency, and the only way the beltway pundits can acknowledge us is as a wacky special interest.

I date the new paradigm of bicycle advocacy to the pivotal passage of ISTEA in 1991, which for the first time made federal transportation money available for bike and pedestrian facilities. Prior to ISTEA, bike advocacy was more pessimistic about the possibility of changing the streetscape, and bicyclists pursued adaptive "bike education" approaches. Sadly, many of these "old paradigm" bike advocates continue to push a narrowly defined approach to education.

The 2007 National Bike Summit attracted a record 430 advocates, and the primary announcement was the aforementioned reintroduction of the Bicycle Commuter Act. Eventually, we two-wheeled pedaling types will be recognized as legitimate commuters, and the BTA or something like it will succeed. However, it's hard to imagine this petroleum-soaked Bush administration actually signing the BTA. But we can always hope.

I'm more optimistic about the possibility of cycling improvements at the local and state level. The strong turnout at the National Bike Summit is indicative of the grassroots growth of our movement. (Or is it a cause?) We're making progress. At least the beltway pundits are noticing, even if they feel compelled to be dismissive. At least we aren't ignored anymore.

Image: BikePortland.org. Cyclist in Washington D.C.
Visit: League of American Bicyclists
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Sacramento: Complete river bike trails

An op-ed from the Sacramento Bee, 03.16.07:

Time to complete river bike trails
By Tom Higgins

In the 10 years since the city adopted its parkway plan to provide a continuous trail on the Sacramento River levees, several short stretches have been completed to improve public access...

Opening the stretch (of Sacramento River shoreline) through the Pocket area would finally make it possible for families to ride bicycles from anywhere on the city's west side to Old Sacramento and River Cats games, even all the way to Folsom by connecting to the American River Parkway. It is also a key gateway to the newly adopted California Delta Trail.

The huge public turnout and show of support for the recent Amgen Tour of California bicycle race confirmed that this is indeed a bicycle town. Last year, the city earned a bronze medal from the League of American Bicyclists for its efforts to promote bicycle riding and commuting. Together, we can--and should--go for the gold.

This trail could become a heavily used commute route and a significant, enjoyable recreation path. Think of the benefits: energy conservation, air quality improvements and a reduction in traffic congestion. The public is ready to take action on the environmental issues of the day, but they need the leaders to provide practical tools for making progress.

Outdoor enthusiasts crowd the 23-mile American River Parkway and its celebrated trail every day with bikers, skaters and strollers. They want to have fun outdoors, but they're also using that path for basic physical fitness, in turn combating another pressing contemporary problem -- the obesity epidemic. (Read more.)

Tom Higgins was the founding president of the California Bicycle Coalition, which I had the privilege to lead--or tried to lead--as executive director for a short year. Higgins continues to be a cycling enthusiast and advocate, working as a legislative aide to pro-bicycling California State Senator Tom Torlakson.

Recreational bike trails, such as the Sacramento River trail proposed by this persuasive op-ed, often become important commute corridors for biyclists. We enthusiastically support this proposal.

Image: Web capture.

Visit: Bicycling along the American River, Manteca Bulletin
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Stay off the sidewalks

Signs like these have popped up in San Francisco, ever since some "fist-shaking" senior citizens started campaigning against bicyclists. Good for them.

While bicyclist behavior that annoys motorists doesn't bother me much, pedestrians are already marginalized and abused enough. I always discourage bicyclists from riding on sidewalks. As I say on my Bike Commuting Tips pages:

Many beginning cyclists think that riding on the sidewalk is safer than riding in the street. They couldn't be more wrong. Cycling on the sidewalk means you have to dodge pedestrians, pets, scaffolding, garbage cans, parking meters and signs, vehicles exiting driveways and garages, landscaping, trees and leafy debris, motorists turning off the street, pedestrians leaving buildings without expecting a high velocity traveler sharing their space, and police officers with a ticket quota to meet.

Senior citizens and pedestrians are also oppressed by motorists. They should be allies of bicyclists, not enemies. When they see bicyclists organized as an effective political force against threatening traffic, they will join in our efforts against the automotive scourge.

In the meantime, stay off the sidewalks.

Image: Marianne Skoczek
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Where the bikes are

From the Chronicle of Higher Education, 02.23.07 (requires subscription):

Where the bikes are
By Scott Smallwood

Within Davis, the campus of the University of California attracts even more bikes. All college campuses are teeming with them, but Davis is in another league. With the core of campus off limits to most cars, the roads have become a two-wheeled version of a California freeway, with hundreds of students dodging one another around traffic circles.

At the center of the campus sits the Bike Barn--a remnant of Davis's roots as the "cow college" extension of the Berkeley campus. Built in 1910, it was a dairy barn for years. Now it houses a bustling bike shop where students repair more than 10,000 bikes a year...

When you repair 10,000 bikes a year, you see some crazy ones. One guy regularly brings his bike in with broken spokes and busted rear wheels. The problem, Mr. (UC Davis Bike Barn manager Robert)St. Cyr tells him, may be the garden that he grows on the rear rack. He carries 150 pounds of dirt and geraniums around the campus.

But mostly the shop deals with cheap department-store bikes. "You pay $50 for one from K-B Toys or Wal-Mart, and then instantly, the bike falls apart," Mr. St. Cyr says. And then he corrects himself. He shouldn't call them bikes: "Really it's an imitation bicycle."

He outlines a few of their failings. The brakes squeal terribly on the painted rims, giving off a toxic smell. And the wheels are so weak, he says, that properly inflating the tire will sometimes bend them in half...

Here's a surprising thing about the university in Bike City USA. "It's the scariest place I've ever ridden," says Mr. St. Cyr.

"You can ride through gangster neighborhoods, and it's safer than riding through here," he says. "Students will obey basic traffic signs off campus, but the minute you get on campus, it's just lawlessness. That's how you survive. That's how you get around on campus and you realize that no one behaves in a predictable manner. The pedestrians don't look when they cross the street. The cyclists just ride wherever they want to ride, and no one pays attention."

Sounding like a grandfather complaining about the younger generation, Mr. St. Cyr derides the students who ride while listening to their iPods or talking on their cellphones. All of that has made it even more dangerous. (Read more.)

I've provided extensive excerpts from this article, as it requires a Chronicle of Higher Education subscription to read the online archive. These are the primary points: that university students waste too much money on junky bikes; and that lacking much experience operating a bicycle, these students needlessly endanger themselves.

I'm an admitted enthusiast for "Bike City USA" Davis, California--where I am now employed at the University of California, Davis. With its high mode share for bicycling, the city has become a laboratory for traffic engineering for two-wheeled transportation. As the article indicates, there are challenges remaining to be sure. These shortcomings were the topic of a recent presentation on the city's bicycling history.

Image: Debbie Aldridge/University Communications/UC Davis
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Sharing road can be bumpy for cyclists, drivers

From the Iowa City (IA) Press Citizen, 03.13.07:

Sharing road can be bumpy for cyclists, drivers
Frustration goes both ways
As the weather warms up and spring nears, you can expect to see more bicycles on the roads. While some bicyclists...ride in harmony with motorists, there are others who say there is friction between drivers and bikers.

Some cyclists say drivers go too fast around them or don't give them enough room. On the other hand, some drivers accuse bicyclists of taking up too much space, not paying attention to traffic around them and disobeying traffic laws.

"I suspect there are some bicyclists out there who aren't as law abiding as they should be," (University of Iowa English professor Judith) Pascoe said. "But the problem is the bicyclists are much more endangered than the person in the car no matter what the bicyclist does." (Read more.)

The situation in Iowa City sounds pretty tense. (A bicyclist charged after biting--biting--a motorist's finger?!?)

The most disappointing element of this article was the fact the writer had to contact the Washington, D.C.-based League of American Bicyclists for a comment. Apparently, the local bike advocates aren't yet equipped to effectively position a media message about bicycling. In the absence of effective advocacy, the best bicyclists in Iowa City seem able to muster at present is a lame, "can't we all just get along?"

As I've commented earlier, bicyclists don't get respect by behaving better than motorized travelers. Accustomed to a privileged position on public thoroughfares, many motorists simply regard bicyclists as ill-mannered children, refusing to accord adequate respect as equals on the road. They refuse to see us as grown-ups, deserving of respect.

Organizing as a political consitutency--not polite behavior--is the only way to earn respect.

Visit: League of American Bicyclists
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

New bike commuter site

Press Release: Founders of MtnBikeRiders.com Launch Two New Sites:

Fullerton, CA, March 10, 2007--(PR.COM)--Founders of a very popular mountain biking website have launched two new sites, BikeCommuters.com and CiclistaFanatico.com.

Moises Ramirez and RL Policar have launched these new sites to cater to bicycle commuters and the Spanish speaking bicyclist.

"At the 2006 Interbike we were pleased to see that bicycle manufacturers stepping up their dedication to bicycle commuters by offering more models and options for the consumer to choose from. BikeCommuters.com will be a site that will provide commuters news, product reviews, and articles," Policar stated. (Read more.)

Welcome to the new kids on the block. It's certainly true that the bicycle industry is seeing more opportunity with the commuter market. However, with the exception of a few companies such at Breezer Bikes, the industry continues to prioritize the market for recreational and sport cycling.

Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Daylight savings = sun = sunscreen

Today's tough adjustment was the lost hour from the advanced Daylight Savings Time. Of course, DST is a hopeful signal of warmer weather and longer days. And for bike commuters, DST also means more sun.

Life spans in general are increasing, and healthy activities like bike commuting can help you maintain your health for even more years. You certainly want your skin to last as long as you do, and you should prudently protect it. That means sunscreen.

If your bicycling is 30 minutes or less in the early morning and late afternoon, you may be fine without sunscreen. However, if you spend significant time outdoors during the high-sun periods in the middle of the day, you will definitely want to apply sunscreen. The higher the SPF the better.

For bike commuters, I have two pieces of advice regarding sunscreen:

1) Shaved legs make application easier. (Men, get over your insecurity.)
2) Don't apply sunscreen to your forehead, as perspiration will wash it into your eyes. That ain't fun. Your helmet should provide adequate cover, or you might consider wearing a bandana.

The good folks at Rivendell Bicycle Works suggest an alternative to sunscreen: loose, long-sleeved shirts:

Long sleeves keeps the sun off, and puckery seersucker doesn’t lay on your skin. A loose shirt flaps to cool you. The high collar protects neck, too, and can be turned up for Gobi-desert riding.

Hooray for the approach of spring.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Pedaling their way to sustainability

From the Lake Oswego Review (Oregon), 03.08.07:

Pedaling their way to sustainability
There are thousands of ways to be sustainable, which makes sustainability not only the right and smart thing to do but also fun.

Certainly, one of the most fun ways is riding a bike.

"If we would all bike to work, that would be the biggest thing for our planet," said Michelle Poyourow, events coordinator for the (Bicycle Transportation Alliance). "That would be the easiest way to make a difference."

Poyourow can think of all kinds of sustainable, economic and physical reasons why people should go from four wheels to two. "It costs from $8,000 to $10,000 a year to operate a car in the U.S.," she said. "For an average bicycle it costs $500, so economically that's a huge key." (Read more.)

This a refreshing article, especially on a day when the front page of California's newspapers agonize over rapidly rising gas prices now topping $3 a gallon. There are many great reasons to commute by bicycle--financial, environmental, health, and time-saving--and this article hits on all the reasons.

Another great article in the same motivational vein appeared online today in the Houstonist. And I'm grateful for the mention of my modest Bike Commuting Tips website.

Image: BikePortland.org
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Bike commuting? No sweat

From the Boston Herald, 03.07.07:

Bike commuting? No sweat

Although the Ladder District's Ivy Restaurant doesn't brag about it on its menu, chef Tony Bifano might have the most powerful calves in Boston. Bifano, regardless of the weather, makes a three-hour roundtrip commute six days a week by bicycle. He wasn't motivated by the new Al Gore documentary. Fossil fuel consumption and global warming aren't on his radar screen. Bifano's purpose is more primal: He can now eat as much Italian food as he wants. "I can’t get fat," he claims. "I'm on my feet another 12 to 15 hours a day and I don’t get as tired as I used to." (Read more.)

Ah Boston, city of my youth, home to my beloved American League baseball franchise (opening game is just 24 days away!) Even in Beantown, location of the most expensive highway project in U.S. history, bicycle commuters are in the mainstream media. The Boston Herald no less. Maybe the bike movement is making progress.

Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Enlightened opinion from Virginia

From the Roanoke Times, 03.04.07:

Riding around Radford
Every person who chooses to walk or ride to a destination also takes one vehicle off the road. Alone, they don't make much difference. En masse, they ease congestion, reduce air pollution and burn less fossil fuel. They help create a less hectic, cleaner city.

Most important, though, is that bike and pedestrian facilities are community amenities.

Many people do not want to live somewhere they must risk their necks when they pedal on the streets. Whether as a means of relaxation, exercise or transportation, bike lanes and trails are must-have infrastructure for modern cities that hope to compete for young workers. (Read more.)

This is a surprisingly enlightened editorial from a mainstream publication. The writer gets it. Improved bicycling conditions are good things not just for bicyclists, but for the entire community and its economic vitality.

Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Minneapolis prepares for more bikes

From the Downtown Journal (Minneapolis, MN) 03.05.07:

A boost for bikers and walkers
(The) federal government is prepared to spend ($7.3 million) this year on encouraging more Minneapolis-area residents to use nonmotorized transportation. The program has already announced plans to pay for 1,000 new bike racks at schools, recreation centers and transit stops throughout the city, and it’s also funding the development of a pedestrian plan.

Larry Bontreger, 53, wore a maroon and white Golden Gophers jacket as he wrapped a chain around his yellow bike along 4th Street. The city might encourage more ridership by improving the flow of bike lanes in the city, he said. It’s inconvenient when lanes or trails end abruptly without connecting to other routes, he said.

The most pressing need for bicyclists, though, is the education of drivers, many of whom don’t understand the rules regarding bicyclists, Bontreger said. "I honestly believe most drivers view a cyclists as something that’s in their road and slowing them down," he said. (Read more.)

Exactly. This is precisely the issue for those motoring pundits who seek to privilege drivers--in their view bikes simply don't belong. Bicyclists are tolerated, only on the condition that they behave better than any other class of road users to earn respect. Of course, like many bicyclists, I can attest that vehicle code compliance is no, repeat no guarantee of safe passage on city streets.

Sadly, another example of such vehicularly biased nonsense also appeared in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as the paper's traffic columnist declared: "Bicyclists who don't follow the rules are a big pet peeve of mine. And unfortunately, far too many bicyclists act like they don't have any laws to follow." She went on to add: "If all bicyclists followed the rules, there would be less tension between riders and motorists." Right. Motorists are blameless, bicyclists are lawless miscreants. (Um, er, about those drivers who kill more than 40K people in the U.S. every year...)

The pervasive idea that motorists have a greater "right" to public thoroughfares--while bicyclists are barely tolerated intruders--is a great challenge to a more equitable transportation system. Effective advocacy that consistently challenges such nonsense is critical.

Visit: League of American Bicyclists
Visit: Bicycling is about to get a whole lot better in the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Spartanburg closer to becoming 'bicycle friendly'

From the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, 02.28.07:

Spartanburg is on the cusp of gaining full "Bicycle Friendly Community" status from the League of American Bicyclists.

Last year, the community received an honorable mention in its quest for the designation that's only been awarded to 60 communities, of the more than 140 communities that applied nationwide.

The honorable mention designation allowed Andy Clarke, executive director of the league, to meet with Spartanburg and the five other communities that received honorable mentions to explore what options they could take to give them a higher designation. (Read more.)

Watch out Davis, California. Spartanburg is coming after you.

The League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly Community program has succeeded in motivating cities around the country to pursue needed improvements in bicycling infrastructure.

Image: Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Visit: League of American Bicyclists
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Portland sets the pace

My friend Bob in Portland, Oregon, took time away from his relentless hunt for Bigfoot to forward the following item from the Willamette Week, 03.02.07:

Portland transportation officials calculate there were 12,000 daily bike trips in 2006 across the Hawthorne, Steel, Broadway and Burnside bridges alone. And U.S. Census data shows the percentage of trips by bike in Portland is 50 percent higher than in Seattle and twice that of San Francisco. (Read more.)

Impressive. The City of Roses is truly setting the standard for bicycling promotion by major cities.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
Visit: Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

More advice from motoring media

From the Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro, TN) 03.02.07:

Bicyclists must follow the rules to gain respect

For the most part, bicyclists who ride for recreation do follow the law, traveling with the flow of traffic and abiding by rules.

But if all bicyclists are going to get the respect they deserve--since they don't pack quite the heft of a car or truck--it is incumbent on all two-wheeling folks to follow the rules. We can't count the number of times we've seen a bicyclist, usually one not wearing a helmet or any safety gear, blatantly run a red light or stop sign while all other motorists sat there in shock.

Indeed, we'd like to see, just one time, a Murfreesboro Police officer pull over those lawbreaking bicyclists and give them a big fat ticket. Is there such a thing as "citizen's arrest" in Murfreesboro, and can we exercise it? (Read more.)

I've already expressed my exasperation with this sort of tiresome "friendly" advice to bicyclists, suggesting that respect is contingent on group behavior. If respect on the roads were earned by universal compliance by a class of users, then motorists--who, after all, kill more than 40,000 people every year in the U.S.--would be the first group banned from public thoroughfares.

Bicyclists earn respect when they organize as a political constituency, forming advocacy groups that ally with other environmentalists, pedestrians, safety activists, clean air proponents (Lung Association, etc.), community organizations, preservationists, and others into coalitions challenging the pervasive hegemony of the motoring menace. Rights and respect aren't gained by "playing nice." Respect is earned by organized political power.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: League of American Bicyclists
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Davis commemorates 50 years of bicycling

From the California Aggie (UC Davis), 02.28.07:

Davis commemorates 50 years of bicycling

Even in a town reputed for its love of bicycles, Ted Bhueler (sic) stands out. On Monday night at the Varsity Theatre, Bhueler attracted a popcorn-munching, generation-spanning full-house audience that came to see a presentation based on the master's thesis Bhueler developed as a student at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies. Entitled "50 Years of Bicycling in Davis, California," the thesis represents the culmination of two year's worth of interviews and studies, according to Bhueler.

"I was really surprised when I got here five years ago that so little research had been done on biking in Davis," said Bhueler's adviser Susan Handy, who explained that Bhueler's ITS- and CalTrans-funded project was intended to fill that gap.

In conducting his thesis, Bhueler claims that he found biking in Davis to be on a decline. Between 1990 and 2000, Bhueler found an 8 percent drop in individuals biking to and from work. This drop was partly attributed to a rise in the number of people commuting from out of town during that same period, and partly to new families moving to Davis. (Read more.)

I was among the crowd that packed the Varsity Theatre in Davis on Monday night for Ted Buehler's presentation. Davis has a well-deserved reputation as the most bicyclist-friendly city in the U.S.

However, many in Davis, including Buehler, feel the city has been coasting on its reputation. Following the completion of several large projects in the late 1990s, Davis has lagged in developing innovative new infrastructure to enhance bicycling. Other American cities, notably Boulder, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon, have made great strides this decade towards great bikeability. (And San Francisco--which pioneered the "sharrow" among other things--hasn't been a slacker either.)

Buehler was effective at demonstrating the importance of citizen advocacy in establishing the bicycle friendliness in Davis. "Why Davis and not some other city," Buehler offered, as the primary question of his research. It wasn't simply favorable climate, flat terrain, and abundance of university students. In 1960, according to Buehler, Davis had rates of bicycling mode share comparable to other college cities such as Corvalis, Oregon, and Chico, California. However, pushed by community activists, Davis made great strides by pioneering bike lanes, bike paths, and other cycling amenities, often pursuing changes in state traffic law to facilitate bicycling infrastructure development.

Having made numerous improvements--with a few failed experiments, having few precedents to draw upon--Davis today boasts admirable bicycling infrastructure. But have cyclists in Davis taken these conditions for granted? Is Davis' bikeability in jeopardy as the city grows and traffic increases? Will pro-bicycling residents react and reclaim Davis' reputation as the leading national innovator for bike facilities?

In his persuasive presentation to more than 300 people Monday evening, Buehler sounded a clarion call for renewed bicycling advocacy.

Image: Cottergarage
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Winter cold no obstacle to bike commuting

As the winter (hopefully) winds down, there have been several inspiring recent stories from newspapers in northern states about hardy, year-round bike commuters.

From the Hartford Courant, 02.27.07:

Pioneers Commute By Bike
Piles of frozen snow stick out into Franklin Avenue like deadly icebergs, but Kevin Sullivan pedals on. He's got to get to work.

Sullivan is one of a handful who have said to hell with his car in favor of year-round biking to the office--and part of a national movement proving this is actually possible.

Even stodgy Hartford is now adding bike lanes when it repaves streets. Soon distinctive red bike racks will be installed downtown. Republican City Councilman Robert Painter says there's a plan for a bike path along the Park River and talk of another under the elevated I-84 that snakes through the city. (Read more.)

The article includes a quote from Connecticut native Chris Balish, author of the helpful guide, How to Live Well Without Owning a Car: Save Money, Breathe Easier, and Get More Mileage Out of Life.

The Monroe News (Michigan) 02.26.07:

She puts her mettle to the bicycle pedal in any weather

When winter strikes with a vengeance, Melissa Phelps doesn't worry about gas-line freeze-up, dead batteries or scraping windshields.

She doesn't have a car. Instead, she uses alternative fuel: Muscle power. She gets around on her 10-speed Free Spirit bicycle, even on inclement days.

"I use it to go wherever I need to," she says. "But, sometimes, I get a ride." The weather doesn't seem to break her bicycling habit.

Last week, with the temperature at 11, the wind chill in single digits, and mounds of snow still burying curbs, she was bundled up in a brown, hooded winter parka and gingerly walking her bike along the shoulder of busy Cole Rd. as cars whizzed by. (Read more.)

From the Wisconsin State Journal, 02.24.07:

Bicyclists wheel through winter

Everything feels stale. The snowbanks and naked trees seem to be permanent fixtures lining the streets of Madison. Days are getting longer, but winter goes on.

Kathy Rasmussen has found a solution--bicycle commuting. This Madison resident had long enjoyed her 30-minute ride to work during the warm weather months when she decided two years ago, with some inspiration from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, to continue the habit year-round.

A casual biker who enjoys "occasional little jaunts in the country," Rasmussen, 39, said winter biking in Madison is very doable. She feels safe with her reflective safety vest and "clunky old mountain bike," and as a winter biker, she is far from alone. (Read more.)

This article includes some helpful tips for cold weather bicycling from the inimitable folks at Icebike.

Image: Wisconsin State Journal. Madison cyclists Kathy Rasmussen.
See: Cold weather doesn't stop bike commuters
See: In Chicago winter, hardy cyclists keep riding
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

In praise of trees

Trees are truly wonderful things. They create oxygen while sequestering carbon, alleviating global climate change. They provide habitat for wildlife, even in an urban environment. And they are beautiful, green enhancements to any streetscape.

Of course, traffic engineers are less fond of trees. Their motto is wider, flatter, faster. Trees impede traffic flow: shade and foliage impair the motorist's field of vision, so drivers slow down.

Trees are therefore a great traffic calming tool, demonstrated very well by this large specimen on Sanchez Street near my home in San Francisco. It sits squarely amidst a popular city bike route 47 between the Mission/Castro and Golden Gate Park, and slows traffic better than any speed hump or enforcement.

In addition to traffic calming, trees provide shady relief for bicyclists during warm days, a benefit unnoticed by motorists in climate-controlled vehicles. Bicyclists are therefore great enthusiasts for trees, for their traffic calming, cooling, and aesthetic benefits.

(I would be surprised if this particular tree lasts another decade. Its roots are causing great buckling in the street pavement, and it has the misfortune to be located close to a fire station, which doubtless wants a clearer path for its vehicles.

Image: Paul Dorn. Tree on Sanchez Street, at 14th Street, in San Francisco's Duboce Triangle neighborhood.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Times of London acknowledges "the stick"

From the Times of London, 02.21.07:

In all the sound and fury about roads in the past few weeks, there can be few groups left that have not had their say, though the arguments of cyclists have quietly glided by. When London’s transport supremos launched the extended congestion charge zone this week, they noted in passing the dramatic increase in cyclists that the capital has seen. In the past five years, the number of people cycling in London has risen by almost 50 per cent. These people are not the mad, bearded loons of popular myth, their coat-tails flapping crazily as they pedal round the Elephant and Castle. The modern cyclist is making an elegant and intelligent response to pollution and traffic congestion.

Cyclist fatalities across the UK rose to three a week last year — the only form of transport to show an increase. Cycle lanes need to be better protected from motorists. There would also be safety in numbers. At 2 per cent ridership, London lags far behind cities such as Berlin (10 per cent), Copenhagen (20 per cent) and Amsterdam (28 per cent), where the cyclist numbers influence driver behaviour. (Read more.)

Supportive pro-bicycling commentary by mainstream news outlets is, thankfully, not that unusual anymore. Global climate change, high energy costs, expanding waistlines, pervasive traffic congestion--all are increasingly evident reasons to encourage bicycle commuting. Evident even to journalists.

What I found significant in this article is that it acknowledges the positive effect of "the stick": London's pioneering congestion charge for motorists in the central city has increased the relative attractiveness of the bicycling option. Policy makers in many communities in the U.S. are willing to offer "a carrot" to prospective bicyclists: bike lanes, secure bike racks, intermodal access. However, these same policy makers are reluctant to introduce any politically challenging "stick" (higher parking fees, speed reduction, traffic restrictions, road diets, etc.) that proactively discourages motorists. The balance of street conditions still heavily favors automobiles. Shifting that balance to encourage bicycling and walking will require not simply a few "carrots," but some "sticks."

The other significant point in this article is the recognition that increased presence of bicyclists and pedestrians is, in itself a traffic calming effect. (Thanks to Peter Jacobsen of Sacramento for his great research on this.)

("Mad, bearded loons"?!? Maybe we're not fully there with the mainstream media.)

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Bicycling on transit in Sacramento

On Monday, a friend and I boarded our bikes on Sacramento Regional Transit and traveled to Folsom, to enjoy a scenic return ride to Sacramento on the famed 32-mile-long American River Bike Path.

Intermodal travel--combining bicycling and transit--greatly facilitates bike commuting. Especially for those making daily trips longer than 3-5 miles each way. Many transit agencies across the U.S. have recognized the potential revenue growth to be gained from attracting bicyclists, and have installed bike racks on buses and built parking lockers near transit hubs.

San Francisco's MUNI, for instance, has made great strides in recent years toward a more bicycle-friendly system. Nearly every bus in the city's fleet now has a bike rack. However, MUNI continues to discourage bicycles on its light rail trains. Sacramento has this ingenious system on its trolley service, mounting bikes vertically to save space. A lesson for San Francisco?

Image: Paul Dorn.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Bike theft threat real, and preventable

Bike theft is a real bummer. Any lock can be defeated with enough determination on the part of the thief. No lock provides absolute protection. (For every higher wall, there's a taller ladder.) Two articles this week in Northern California publications illustrate the challenges of defeating bike thieves.

On Wednesday, the San Francisco Bay Guardian featured "Chasing my stolen bicycle" by Justin Jouvenal:

Bike theft may seem like petty street crime, but it's actually a humming illegal industry. Consider this: thieves steal nearly $50 million worth of bikes each year in the United States, far outstripping the take of bank robbers, according to the FBI. And in San Francisco's rich bicycling culture, thieves have found a gold mine. About 1,000 bikes are reported stolen in the city each year, but the police say the actual number is probably closer to 2,000 or 3,000, since most people don't file reports.

"It's rampant," Sgt. Joe McCloskey of the San Francisco Police Department told the Guardian. (Read more.)

The article's author explores the seamy underworld of stolen bikes: chop shops, fencing networks, steal-to-order thieves, addicts, poverty. Police claim they don't have the resources--or the interest--to aggressively target bike theft. So bikes are easy to steal and exchange.

"Bikes are one of the four commodities of the street--cash, drugs, sex, and bikes," (bike guru Victor) Veysey told me. "You can virtually exchange one for another."

In the wide world of illegal activity, bike thievery seems to occupy a criminal sweet spot. It is a relatively painless crime to commit, and city officials do little to stop it. As McCloskey readily admitted, bike theft is not a priority for law enforcement, which he said has its hands full with more serious crimes.

If bike theft is rampant in a major urban area such as San Francisco, it also plagues bicyclists in smaller communities such as Davis, California. Also on Wednesday, the California Aggie at UC Davis published "Bike theft: what to do if it happens to you":

With more than two bicycles for every resident, Davis has often been dubbed the bicycle capital of the United States. For locals, biking is not only a mode of transportation; it's a way of life. Yet hundreds of bikes are stolen from Davis residents each year, making the frustrating reality of bike theft a serious problem.

(UC Davis bicycle program coordiantor David) Takemoto-Weerts said he thinks the number of bicycles reported stolen is not representative of the real number missing.

"I'll bet in terms of the actual number of bikes stolen on campus annually, it's probably somewhere between [600 and] 700 and 1,000 bikes," he said. (Read more.)

I've been fortunate (knock wood) so far. I've had parts stolen, but never lost a bike in 15 years of everyday riding in San Francisco. I agree with the suggestions for bike theft prevention in both these articles, and offer similar advice on my bike commuting tips website. My own technique is to use a relatively low-value bicycle for everyday commuting--the famed "urban beater bike"--and lock it securely, usually with two locks.

I have no illusions. I've been very lucky to avoid bike theft. But no locking technique is completely, absolutely secure. The best you can do is reduce your risks. And the suggestions in these articles are very helpful.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Chicago Critical Mass protests car show

From the Chicago Tribune, 02.11.07:

Pedaling protest takes on car show
Bicyclists use satire to drive home point

Dressed as polar bears and Santa Claus and towing signs that read "True Patriots Don't Burn Oil" and "Be a Hero: Drive Less," a group of bicyclists gathered Saturday in front of McCormick Place to protest the Chicago Auto Show.

"We feel there are enough cars in Chicago," said Dan Korn, a lead organizer. "You can't get away from the sights, smells and sounds. And here comes the auto show glorifying it."

For 99 years, automakers have brought hundreds of their most modern cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles to the city for the show.

And for the last eight years, Critical Mass, a group of bicycling activists, has protested, saying there are too many autos on the streets already, Korn said... The protesters chanted `No thank you' about the products being marketed inside.

"We already have an auto show every day," Korn said. "Everywhere we go there is an auto show."(Read more.)

Yes, I'm a fan of Critical Mass. I'm also a big fan of the irreverant advocacy organization, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, which consistently reminds people that bicycling is fun. (As opposed to more sober advocacy groups, who emphasize safety only.) The creative minds at the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation were also behind the great Bob Fuller Roadside Memorials public service announcements.

Image: Web capture. Chicago Critical Mass.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Cold weather doesn't stop bike commuters

From the Campus Press (Boulder, CO), 02.12.07:

Despite snow and slush, bikers push through
Winter weather no obstacle for some with the right gear

Ryan Cheney, a Full Cycle employee, hopped on his bike for the commute to Boulder, only to find two popped tires. The weather stopped his ride.

Winter difficulties include terrible road conditions and chilling temperatures. However, setbacks have not stopped the Boulder residents who depend on biking for transportation.

"Boulder does a lot for bikers, plowing roads and keeping them in good condition," said Peter Roper, transportation program manager for (Colorado University). (Read more.)

As a former resident of Davis, California, I'm proud of that city's status as the only platinum-level winner in the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community Program. However, after reading this article about cyclists in Boulder--perhaps Davis' closest rival for supremacy as the premier U.S. bike town--I have to tip my helmet to Colorado's hardy cyclists. Slush? Road salt? Not part of the cycling environment in Davis.

Image: Colorado University student unlocks her bike.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Catching up on recent bicycling news

From the Ann Arbor News, 02.05.07:

Infrastructure alone won't lure bicyclists

The city's vision, as stated in the report, is "to establish a physical and cultural environment that supports and encourages safe, comfortable and convenient ways for pedestrians and bicyclists to move throughout the city and into the surrounding communities.'' The ultimate goal? A city with "individuals freely choosing alternative transportation modes (walking, bicycling, mass transit, etc.), which will lead to healthier lifestyles, improved air and water quality and a safer, more sustainable transportation system."(Read more.)

The issue in Ann Arbor seems to be safety. Many prospective bicyclists are fearful of traffic, and infrastructural improvements are proposed as a solution. This will certainly help. But as the article's title suggests, infrastructure is only part of the solution.

From the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 02.05.07:

Transit factors into plan for bikes
The city revamps a 9-year-old effort to improve commutes for cyclists islandwide
Not much has been done with the current (Honolulu) bike plan, but on this issue, residents are leading the way and forcing the city to act. In November, voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the City Charter that would make it a priority for Honolulu to be a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly city. (Read more.)

In warm Hawaii--even while many of us shiver elsewhere this February--the planning emphasis appears to be on improving intermodal access for bicyclists. Intermodal commuting has also been a topic recently at Cleantech Blog and WorldChanging.

From the VC Reporter (Ventura County, CA), 02.01.07:

The constant cyclist
Improving health and the environment are two reasons some locals use pedal power everyday
Ventura is seeing a new breed of bicyclist lately. Not just the occasional pedal pusher or weekend jock, these folks are everyday commuters who prefer to bike instead of drive everywhere — to market, to work and even to entertainment and social events. They prefer to use bicycles for a combination of reasons, including concern for the environment, desire for personal fitness and wanting to escape the cost of driving a vehicle. (Read more.)

Image: Bicyclists in Hawaii, in shorts. Lucky cyclists.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site