We ended National Bike Month with 1,369.4 commuting and errand miles, plus countless more for BikeFest and other fun trips, as well as for the Ride of Silence. Thanks to all who sent in their tallies! The total can be updated with late entries, so don?t be shy about e-mailing.
I, for one, am noticing many more cyclists on the roads, whether heading to work or on the weekends. Hopefully, the WWBPA?s work is encouraging more people to get around by bike some of the time.
www.pedbikeimages.org / Laura Sandt
Having just spent two weeks in London, I was amazed at how many more cyclists there were than when I left in 2005?and how many wear helmets and safety vests. London has been working for many years to improve cycling infrastructure, has a mayor who bikes to work and wants to develop bicycle ?superhighways,? and will be launching its version of the Paris Velib program in July. Of course, it isn?t Copenhagen or Amsterdam, where many more people walk, take public transportation, or drive to get around. But there is no denying that cyclists are much more visible in the heart of the city than they were five years ago.
Closer to home, WWBPA advisor Ken Carlson reports on the differences between West Windsor and his new home in the Boston area:
?Better infrastructure. There is a significant number of streets with bike lanes or sharrows, as well as bike paths along the Charles. Not to say that there isn’t more work to be done. There are always improvements to be made!
Much greater presence of bike commuters. There is a very significant presence of bike commuters, and there is certainly a safety in numbers vibe here. At red lights on a nice day, there commonly is a traffic jam of cyclists waiting for the light to change. There is a wide variety of styles of commuters, from the lycra-clad commuters who are coming in from the suburbs, to the hipster bike commuters with their kryptonite locks stuffed in the back pocket of their jeans, to the average person dressed for work riding an old beater, to everything in between.
Increased awareness by drivers. Most drivers know to expect cyclists- looking in their rear view mirrors before making a right turn, drivers (and passengers) looking behind them before opening their car door. Not to say that there aren’t conflicts and drivers who don’t pay attention to cyclists. But for the most part, there’s a considerable awareness level.
A wide range of cyclist behavior: cyclists who stop for red lights, who don’t stop for red lights, cyclists who bike in bike lanes, on sidewalks, with traffic, against traffic, with and without helmets, with lights, no lights, etc.?