Will bicycles ever be taken seriously in America as a means of urban transportation? What would it take?
One thing that would really help is if people besides just bike riders themselves start supporting the concept. This concept - progressive but not so far-fetched - would include safe streets for cyclists, designated bike lanes, driver and cyclist education programs, bike storage rooms at workplaces, incentives for people to bike or walk to work instead of driving, urban restrictions on cars, and more.
I'm an example of someone who rarely rides a bike (I'm more of a city walker) but believes that making cycling safer and easier is a key strategy to fight global warming. And I'm happy to say that the city of Seattle and other nearby cities have started to make progress. The private sector has also been busy, creating exciting new ways to get around on two wheels. So let's take a look at some of the latest developments in the Northwest:
Sharrows
These are somewhat controversial in the cycling community, but the City of Seattle has painted them on a number of streets frequented by bicyclists around the city. Here's how the city describes them on their Sharrows web page: "Shared lane pavement markings (or 'sharrows') are bicycle symbols that are placed in the roadway lane indicating that motorists should expect to see and share the lane with bicycles. Unlike bicycle lanes, they do not designate a particular part of the roadway for the use of bicyclists." Some people say that even if you have these, bikes and cars are still competing for the same lane, so what good are they? But others feel that sharrows do raise the visibility of bicycles, and may help remind drivers to share the road with bikes. Most cyclists agree that increasing the number of designated bike lanes would be better than sharrows, and the city also seems to be working on doing that. But I couldn't find any firm details yet about exactly when and where these new bike lanes will be installed in Seattle.
Grate Replacement
Another small but helpful step. Some existing drain grates on Seattle streets catch bicycle tires, and the city will replace a number of those grates this summer.
Momentum
Urban cycling is a social as well as an environmental movement, and Momentum magazine really seems to capture that. It's published in Vancouver, BC, and you can pick it up free in Seattle at more than 20 locations, or read it online. It shows how hip and fun biking can be, but it also offers tons of survival tips, which any urban cyclist needs.
Folding Bikes
Making bikes easier to store or transport could go a long way to making them more city-friendly. So here's a solution: Folding bikes. Folding Bikes West in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle offers several models (most pedal-powered, but one electric) that fold up in 30 seconds into a compact 25-pound package. They start at $400 and up, but they are still a heckuva lot cheaper and greener than a car.
Cargo Bikes
Another fairly new (at least in the U.S.) idea that I love is the cargo bike. The Dutch Bike Co., also in Ballard (what is it with Ballard and cool bikes?) offers this great model, the Bakfiets cargo bike. It does cost $3,000, but maybe that's not so bad for a neighborhood delivery vehicle. And at least you don't have to pay for gas.
Recumbent Bikes
Sure, people laugh at these. They are even featured in the Pemco insurance ads making fun of quirky Northwest types (#15, the Recumbent Bike Commuter). But they're an excellent choice for some people, especially if you have back pains or other medical issues. The store Bikes 4 Health (on Beacon Hill in Seattle, open by appointment only) sells several recumbents, including some neat folding models.
Looking to the South
When it comes to a progressive atmosphere for cycling, Seattle can look to Portland. They have more bike lanes, more riders and more bike-related businesses. They even have a mapping website, byCycle, that helps people find safer bike routes. (I first heard about this in the Portland EcoMetro blog by Laura Garwood Meehan.)
Those are just a few examples, which show that there is plenty of good news out there for urban cyclists. The rise in the cost of living, especially gas prices, will also make cycling more attractive. So ride on!