
Fewer Americans bike to work despite new trails, lanes, bicycle share programs - prostoalex
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/02/bike-work-fewer-americans-new-trails-share-programs/2319972002/
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bike1321
I feel like in Europe and America, the attitude is "If somebody breaks the
rules, it's morally justified to endanger that person".

I recently experienced cycling in Taipei. Traffic rules seem to be somewhat
"loose" compared to the situation in European cities. Two lanes, but some
space? Let's make a third lane. Red light? Better pay attention while running
it.

But, and that's my main takeaway, people don't want to kill each other and
keep calm in any situation.

Riding the bicycle doesn't feel like "one against them", it's more like "I'm
in this chaos together with all the others".

[edit] I'm not advocating for less rules, but for a more harmonic attitude
towards others in traffic.

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colechristensen
This is a generalization but very many less developed countries have much less
adherence to traffic laws and very many more traffic injuries. The attitude
might be better but the outcomes are worse.

~~~
bike1321
You should google Taipei, it's location and development, though.

Taiwan's HDI is between Austria and Luxembourg.

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stretchwithme
When the route to work was mostly bike trails and I only encountered two heavy
traffic intersections, I cycled to the office a few days a week.

Otherwise, it's just too dangerous from my perspective. Too many drivers do
not pay attention.

~~~
choward
Walking can also be dangerous. Especially if you follow the laws. If find it a
lot safer the do the made up crime of "jaywalking" between intersections than
crossing legally. I have had several close calls crossing legally because of
people just not paying attention. I have had zero close calls crossing between
intersections.

~~~
chrisseaton
Am I right in thinking that American traffic lights don’t actually stop cars
for pedestrians? They just sort of give you more priority don’t they? What’s
the advantage of crossing away from the lights?

~~~
war1025
Away from the lights you have 2 directions to check for traffic from. At an
intersection you have to be aware of people coming from 4 directions
potentially turning towards you.

~~~
chrisseaton
Just wait for your turn to cross at the lights? People don’t often just full
on run red lights do they?

~~~
war1025
The walk light will often be on at the same time as the green light for
drivers going the same direction. Sometimes a turning driver won't notice you.
Doesn't happen that often, but happens often enough that you have to be aware
of it.

A lot of times it is just easier to cross in the middle of a block because you
have a much better buffer area where random cars can't pop out from. Obviously
it depends on the particular road. If it is some 6 lane wide main
thoroughfare, I'd probably opt for the cross walk.

~~~
chrisseaton
> The walk light will often be on at the same time as the green light for
> drivers going the same direction.

Well that’s just bonkers.

Where I live when a pedestrian wants to cross the lights stop all cars for the
duration.

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bobnarizes
Here in Germany there is a strong culture to bike to work. Even with bad
weather (as now in winter) you see a lot of people including kids biking.

At the company I'm working at there is some programs where you can buy a
bicycle and the company pays you some percentage of the price back [1]

[1]: [https://www.jobrad.org](https://www.jobrad.org)

~~~
megaremote
In the UK as well. As someone from Australia, I was so surprised so many
people riding in all conditions, when back home it was incredibly rare even
though the conditions were so good, all the time.

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ikawe
Keep in mind this is the American Community Survey, which, unlike the full
census, only counts about 1% of the population.

Given that cyclist commuters only only account for 0.3% of the population
already, the large swings become a little less statistically significant.

I don’t find it hard to believe that cyclist commuting decreased by a few
percent overall, but it is hard to believe that cycling decreased in Oakland
by 25% while increasing in Philadelphia by 20% in one year.

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nathanaldensr
Is this a surprise? America's run on the car for over 100 years; it's deeply
ingrained in the culture. Replacing that culture was never a matter of trails,
lanes, or bike sharing.

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petsormeat
Not mentioned is whether sprawl has increased the distance between home and
workplace, beyond acceptable cycling limits.

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adrianN
How much of the new infrastructure is just paint on the roads? That doesn't do
very much to make people feel safe on a bike.

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arpuja
This is because this issue is now tribal and political. In "Critical Mass"
bicyclists gather together and block common roads. Very American, but not an
effective way to promote anything.

Was there also some other action where mostly ugly fat people drive around
naked - the purpose of which now escapes me.

Also in America you can often see fat bicyclists in tights, to reduce wind
resistance I presume?

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derrekl
I wonder how much electric scooters impacted the decline over the last year,
anyone have any data or further insight on this?

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skookumchuck
The Seattle bikers disappear when it's cold and rainy.

In Amsterdam, the bikers are more sensible. They wear street clothes, and ride
heavy bikes suitable for street clothes and casual use. In Seattle, it has to
be a $$$$ racing bike and one has to wear a tour de france spandex outfit.
It's the law.

~~~
jvolkman
Amsterdam is also flatter than Seattle. Heavy bikes (without assist) and
street clothes don't work as well on large hills.

~~~
fyfy18
A racing bike for commuting isn't that sensible an option either though.
Unless you race in your spare time and want to get miles on the bike, a hybrid
or touring bike will be a lot more comfortable and durable on city roads.

~~~
jvolkman
People don't actually commute on racing bikes in Seattle all that often. At
least not the ones I see. Touring bikes, cyclocross, and similar with slightly
larger tires and often disc brakes seem more common.

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JSHat
I would _love_ to bike to work everyday, but there are a few things that
prevent me from doing so, none of which are the weather like another poster
suggests.

1\. Lack of showers in basically everywhere I’ve worked. I don’t mind making a
10+ mile trip each way twice a day, but not if it means I get to sit there at
work smelly and gross the entire day.

2\. The ingrained sense of “fuck bikers” that most people feel in the US. I
mean, go on any public forum and ask people what they think of bicyclists
riding their bikes on the road, where we are legally allowed to do. You will
be met with so much vitriol. People will literally tell you they hope you get
ran over and die because you deserve it.

~~~
bsder
> I mean, go on any public forum and ask people what they think of bicyclists
> riding their bikes on the road, where we are legally allowed to do.

To be fair, there just is no good way to share a 40mph thoroughfare between
bikers and cars. Most of the Northern European countries get away with sharing
by having _MUCH_ slower roads.

Bikers need their own dedicated lanes that don't interact with automobile
traffic.

~~~
sjoerdsjoerd
The safest place to cycle, among 40 mph traffic, is in the middle of the lane
where it is 100% obvious to everyone driving that you are there.

Now tell that to random people and they will get angry and upset and wish you
harm.

It seems like the problem isn’t the lack of bicycle infrastructure, it’s the
ingrained culture.

~~~
helthanatos
It's also a problem with people not being smart enough to pass someone on a
bike, which causes everyone in cars anger. I can't wait for cars to be not
operated by humans. It will be safer for everyone.

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dfgert
I feel like biking to work is being promoted just for the sake of polishing
city's reputation. Cities would build all these fancy facilities, which are
grossly expensive infrastructure to build and maintain, just for sake of
feeling that they did something to solve traffic problems. Everyone is aware
of problems a biker faces on everyday commute(lack of amenities at work, not
safe, weather, lack of infrastructure and motor driver's attitude) all of
which needs to be solved for more people to adopt biking.

~~~
adrianN
In what way is improving infrastructure not a step in the right direction?

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sandworm101
Bikers tend to forget the class separations that biking entails. You can only
ride to work if your work supports biking. That means a place to lock your
bike and a place to shower/change. Most people work at places without such
luxuries. And you have to be in a job where you don't have to look nice all
day. Public-facing people such as receptionists or sales people cannot bike to
work. People who have to haul their own tools cannot bike to work. If your job
can tick all the boxes, great for you. But don't lecture those who don't have
such options.

I'm reminded of that scene from the IT Crowd where the boss, in bike shorts,
is yelling at a room full of people in suits about stress. The ability to bike
to work is often a distinction, something to be waved over those in you
organization who dare not wear spandex in an office environment.

~~~
adrianN
You don't need to shower or change after biking to work in many climates. Look
at the cyclists in Holland. They wear street clothes and don't go fast enough
to sweat a lot.

