As an avid rider myself, I find it hard to believe that such a large majority doesn't enjoy biking for the sake of biking. Rather, I think the determining factor is convenience. I realize that bikes often are less convenient than cars, but this is a convenience that is becoming ever more difficult to pay for. Also, the convenience of biking does not have to remain static. Imagine how much the convenience of driving a car everyday to work would diminish if the roads were constructed of nothing more than speed-impairing gravel, parking was sensible parking was nearly impossible to come by, and our traffic laws were designed with something other than cars in mind. The difference would be incredible. If much of convenience depends on external structures, than it is entirely possible to improve the convenience of something like biking as a form of transportation.
Since I'm living in Germany right now, I'll share some practices here that makes bike transportation more convenient.
Bike LanesIn every German city that I have ever visited, the bike lane system is extensive. Each system stems from the heart of the city and branches out radially to connect different neighborhoods. Depending on the size of the city, the branched bike paths are connected in whichever manner makes the most sense. The bike paths are designed for mixed use, and are clearly divided between a pedestrian friendly half and a bicycle friendly half. If a biker is approaching a group of pedestrians, the biker just rings a bell, or squeaks the brakes to let the pedestrians know to move on their side on the path.
At the very heart of the city, it isn't uncommon for certain streets to be pedestrian only zones. These are usually the streets with outdoor markets. On any road without a bike path, the road is shared, and the those on bike ride without fear of cars (but they also follow rules).
At the very heart of the city, it isn't uncommon for certain streets to be pedestrian only zones. These are usually the streets with outdoor markets. On any road without a bike path, the road is shared, and the those on bike ride without fear of cars (but they also follow rules).
Bike Storage
Just as cars need parking lots or garages, bikes need bike racks or lockers in order to increase the convenience. Plus, it's just good for organization and security. Cities won't have to worry about an entire workforce worth of bikes being locked to flagpoles, fences, rails, and trees. Riders won't have to fret about locking their bikes in a safe area.
Depending on the city design, a centralized bike locker can make sense. A centralized locker requires that a large number of jobs be concentrated in a relatively small area, so downtown business districts are usually a safe bet. In cities with less concentrated employment, centralized lockers can still make sense providing that public transportation or pedestrian traffic is accommodated to connect the dots. In some cases, smaller decentralized lockers will just make more sense, especially if there isn't already established convenient public transportation.
While I was in Freiburg earlier this summer for the TREE seminar, I took a renewable energy tour of the city. The tour covered solar and biogas, but we also spent time on transportation. The tour started at the RE-tour agency's office, located in a mixed use bike locker facility. It was part bike
locker, part café, part bike shop, and part city of Frieburg renewable energy tour agency office space. On a side note, those are solar panels on the sattelite dish looking thing. On the front of the building hung a meter which showed how much energy was being generated and consumed by the building. This building was definitely a centralized bike locker, and the location definitelz impacted this. One needed only to step off the Straßenbahn (Tram) at the main stop, and walk 20 meters. Plus, the main stop was conveniently located on a bridge spanning Frieburg's Hauptbahnhof (main train station). This transportation trifecta allowed those living in neighborhoods outside the city to commute by bike (which, if only a few miles away is faster than the tram, because of the fluidity of the bike path and Tram stops), park their bikes at the locker, and then catch a quick Tram ride to their office building or a Train for a daytrip/weekend getaway. Prepare yourself for pictures.
The effect is that of a parking garage. This is the basement/ground floor, and these are all citzen bikes that get dropped off in the morning and picked up at the end of the workday.
This is looking inward toward the center of the building.
This picture makes it look like you just remember your number come pick-up.
The fun doesn't end here though, because as we made our way back upstairs an onward on the tour, our guide drew our attention once more to the exterior of the building. In this case, we were directed to study the café balcony. Go ahead, study...
Nothing yet? That's okay. The next picture is my attempt to get a closer shot.
Answer: The balcony railings are actually water pipes that take advantage of the sun's heat to warm the water before running through the boiler line to heat the café or hot water line in the kitchen and bathrooms. Be impressed, it's okay.
Depending on the city design, a centralized bike locker can make sense. A centralized locker requires that a large number of jobs be concentrated in a relatively small area, so downtown business districts are usually a safe bet. In cities with less concentrated employment, centralized lockers can still make sense providing that public transportation or pedestrian traffic is accommodated to connect the dots. In some cases, smaller decentralized lockers will just make more sense, especially if there isn't already established convenient public transportation.
***
Bike Storage Case Study: Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, GermanyWhile I was in Freiburg earlier this summer for the TREE seminar, I took a renewable energy tour of the city. The tour covered solar and biogas, but we also spent time on transportation. The tour started at the RE-tour agency's office, located in a mixed use bike locker facility. It was part bike
locker, part café, part bike shop, and part city of Frieburg renewable energy tour agency office space. On a side note, those are solar panels on the sattelite dish looking thing. On the front of the building hung a meter which showed how much energy was being generated and consumed by the building. This building was definitely a centralized bike locker, and the location definitelz impacted this. One needed only to step off the Straßenbahn (Tram) at the main stop, and walk 20 meters. Plus, the main stop was conveniently located on a bridge spanning Frieburg's Hauptbahnhof (main train station). This transportation trifecta allowed those living in neighborhoods outside the city to commute by bike (which, if only a few miles away is faster than the tram, because of the fluidity of the bike path and Tram stops), park their bikes at the locker, and then catch a quick Tram ride to their office building or a Train for a daytrip/weekend getaway. Prepare yourself for pictures.
The effect is that of a parking garage. This is the basement/ground floor, and these are all citzen bikes that get dropped off in the morning and picked up at the end of the workday.
This is looking inward toward the center of the building.
This picture makes it look like you just remember your number come pick-up.The fun doesn't end here though, because as we made our way back upstairs an onward on the tour, our guide drew our attention once more to the exterior of the building. In this case, we were directed to study the café balcony. Go ahead, study...
Nothing yet? That's okay. The next picture is my attempt to get a closer shot. 
Answer: The balcony railings are actually water pipes that take advantage of the sun's heat to warm the water before running through the boiler line to heat the café or hot water line in the kitchen and bathrooms. Be impressed, it's okay. ***
So, what can we learn from Freiburg? The culture is obviously different, and so is the city design. Some naysayers might end the conversation there, saying that such infrastructure just wouldn't fly in the States, certainly not small Jackson, Michigan or suburban Dayton, Ohio. And they might be right, because we don't have the same city design, equivalent public transit, or bike culture. The thing is, we don't need to be the same as Freiburg. We can meet our own needs and still be progressive and ambitious enough to open the door to better bike culture and public transit.
Please use the comments as a forum to discuss this topic. What does everyone think? How can we build upon Freiburg's ideas? What is feasible? Do we need to consider other factors?
Please use the comments as a forum to discuss this topic. What does everyone think? How can we build upon Freiburg's ideas? What is feasible? Do we need to consider other factors?
10 comments:
Hopefully there will be a bike rack at St. Mary's by the end of the summer. But beyond being a mild attempt at humor, it introduces my rant. As you so rightly suggest, we need to change the culture of thought in this country regarding bikes. In a small town like Jackson (and perhaps Dayton), the city council could attempt to mandate that every business provide a certain number of designated parking for bicycles (racks or what have you). I say attempt, cause I have no doubt some idiot would file a lawsuit. But the point is, the way to get people riding bicycles is to make it more acceptable. You are right that convenience is a huge factor, but until the stigma is taken away from that mode of transportation, it will never take off as it should. Perhaps if there were bike racks all over town, it would put bikes in the mainstream thought of the population. Every road should have a bicycle lane, and there should be a hefty fine for driving an automobile over into a bicycle lane. Empty downtown buildings could be converted into bicycles garages. Sadly, as I sit here staring blankly at the screen, I realize that I have no new ideas, and am merely stealing what you have already written about. Perhaps the Ad Council can start running commercials to promote bicycle riding. I think that weather and belongings are big obstacles to bicycle riding. So many people live out of their cars, and no one wants to arrive at work soaked or cold. Those are just random thoughts, no real idea on how to fix that problem really. What about making sidewalks wider so that the existing sidewalks can be bicycle paths. Pretty much the biggest problem I think we face in this country is that we are so suburban. Much more difficult to ask people to commute longer distances than the much more compact urban landscapes in other areas of the world.
Stopher, I know that current policy can be frustrating, but something like transportation, smart growth, and renewable energy are all things that can be accomplished.
Sometimes, I think that we delegate too much responsibility to the bureaucratic system. These are our communities, our states, and our nation; voting a few times a year isn't exactly the best prescription for a strong democracy.
Instead, I think that we should really be organizing and trying to bring about change from the bottom, up. Biking is perhaps the easiest to organize a campaign for because it can realize success on a community basis. We can't expect it to take off if we aren't willing to buy into it, though.
This has to be a citizen's movement, because, as you suggested, we don't exactly have the bike culture. Think grassroots, and we'll be on our way.
On a related topic, I think that the U.S. falls on its own sword in regard to other modes of public transportation. A huge number of automobiles could be replaced by a reliable subway, train, or bus system. Katie got held over at Amtrack for over 24 hours, and Damian over 48. I can only think of the New York and LA subways; other than that, I'm not sure if the U.S. possesses any others. Not many people take the buses here, at least in Jackson, because it is an underappreciated utility. Then look to Europe and developed Asia--public transportation rules supreme and the citizens and environment alike are glad of it. In the case of commuters, consider how economic and sustainable a subway linking the major cities of Michigan would be. There are plenty of folks who work in another city and have to make substantial commute to work. Then to speak more directly of our plight in Jackson (though I know this will open up a whole new discussion for you in regard to Jackson's cultural dearth, Franz), consider how often we find ourselves going to Ann Arbor or Lansing for the day to enjoy the amenities there that our city lacks. Bike culture is certainly a noble pursuit, but I think it overlooks another factor existing infrastructure and culture aside--good old American laziness. Other modes of public transportation might speak more convincingly to an America that knows change is desirable and even necessary, but still is considerably stuck in their old ways. There are many fronts on which to fight the war of uneconomical transportation, and some might be more readily won than others.
You'd think that a city where flight was invented using the bicycle would be more equipped for bicycle riding. Sadly the bike is under appreciated by most people who travel by air today.
Suggestions... ride bikes, in mass amounts. Living in a capitalist society is not all bad, we have the power of supply and demand. If the people demand bike paths, the supply will be there. There is a path that runs the whole length of lake erie, and through parts of downtown cleveland, its a pretty nice path, well maintained, and used frequently. Many of the metro parks have bike paths as well. While the seemingly under representation of bicycles exists, it is only because no one has demanded the need for bicycle paths to exist. Maybe, with the rising costs of fossil fuels, more people will demand alternative ways to get to where they need to be, but so long as we stay independent, with no need to even know our next door neighbors name, we will not have bike paths or public transportation if it means that we could possibly end up to a smelly person on the bus. The culture has to change as a whole, its not just the thoughts about riding bikes, its the thought that we are, as a people, dependent on one another for survival. American's tend to avoid thinking that way as much as possible. In the end, I have no real answers, just thoughts.
Franz, we'll have to scout bike routes downtown and to important destinations (i.e. Second street market, good bookshops and coffeehouses, nightspots, Oregon District.)
When I was younger my Dad and I used to ride the Loveland trail, which is a north-south connector which I think runs from Cincinnati all the way to Columbus by now. It runs through Xenia and Yellow Springs, and we could probably find a safe and direct way out to it. The ride would be long, but a day trip would be feasible.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to using my bike next semester both as practical transportation / hauling stuff tool and also for recreation. Biking (and finally knowing the bus lines) is our ticket to engage with downtown and Dayton culture. I saw your post on my blog, Franz, and I couldn't agree more. We need to break the campus mold and make going downtown to have fun and culturally refine ourselves a regular thing.
Good ideas, everyone.
Mark, I'm curious as to what you have in mind when you suggest a more winnable front. Are you back-referencing the light rail, subway, high speed train mass transportation?
I think that a successful bike campaign is achievable. The biggest obstacle is a mindset, and I think that there are a number of ways to attact that mindset.
First of all, I think the easiest way to support a bike-culutre is to ride. If everyone who really wanted to see a more popular bike transit system was willing to ride a bike 2 miles to the grocery store, 3 miles to work and 1 mile to the ice cream shop, a huge victory would already be won.
This of course requires all of us to ride a bit more frequently, say once a week for starters.
Another idea would be to organize regular riding outings so that the group effect will be more easily realized. What if 20 people met for an Thursday evening or Saturday afternoon bike ride through the city?
As far as the needed infrastructure, I think that Abbey is right. We need to demand our city officials to create bike lanes throughout the city. This can't be our only game plan though.
City officials want to know that bike lanes will work before they allocate the necessary tax dollars. Riders want the bike lanes before they start riding. Someone has to make the first move, and since we only have control over ourselves, I don't see how we can reasonably wait for the lanes to come. We need to be proactive on these matters.
Mark makes a very good point about public transportation. While biking is a great idea, we have to remember that we are in America and as a whole, Americans are lethargic. This is why simple and easy public transportation systems, such as trams or subways, would be beneficial to not only larger cities, but also cities such as Jackson. The Eastern Seaboard, from Washington D.C. to Boston, does a very good job of employing a subway system for everyday travelers. I think anything resembling that kind of system could make business travel in the Midwest more economical and more environmentally friendly.
funny story about the need for bike paths. My boss at the coffee shop I work at was riding his bike with his kids in a trailer attached. He was in the road which is his right, and some lady came around the corner, tried to pass him on his right side, nearly killed him and the kids. She proceeded to yell, bike bitch get your babies out of the road, after nearly running him over. So yeah, there is a definite need for bike paths... Hahaha
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