Bicycle Slo(w)

There’s some good news and some not so good news in a recently issued report on bicycling in nine North American cities.

The cities are: Chicago, Minneapolis, Montréal, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, D.C.

The good news includes finding that in the seven U.S. cities bicycle commuting increased by 64% between 1990 and 2009.  In the two Canadian cities by 42%.  Also bicycling fatalities rates have fallen dramatically since the late 1980s in all the cities.

Yet, the amount of commuting that takes place by bicycle is less than 1% in the U.S. cities, less than 2% in the three Canadian cities.  And by far, men are much more likely to bicycle commute than women.

The report goes on to cite all the innovations each of the cities have made to encourage increased and safer bicycle travel.  By far Portland leads the pack in all the areas: bicycle boulevards, a dense network of dedicated bikeways, bicycle corrals, a large number of cycling events and a generally vibrant bicycle culture.

The report was written from the perspective of New York City, which has made a major investment in promotion of bicycling, has fallen far behind the other cities in terms of the increase of ridership and decrease in fatalities, and is currently embroiled in controversy over its aggressive biking program.  The report concludes that New York has a long way to go in terms of separation of bike and auto traffic and law enforcement support for bicycling.

Lots of food for though in the report for bicycling advocates and city officials, even in Small Town, U.S.A.

Los Angeles has a very ambitious bicycle plan.  So does San Francisco, Davis, Long Beach and many other cities in California.  Add Ventura to the list.

The city council recently approved a plan to spend $23 million on bicycle projects over the next five years.  They’ve already secured $7.4 million for several projects to be completed this year.

The plan passed unanimously, but several council members cautioned that raising the additional millions in the plan is not a given, especially considering the prevailing attitude in the U.S. House of Representatives against expanded funding for everything but the Department of Defense.

We all have our list of things to take on every bike ride. Most do not include an adult beverage, as suggested in the post below.  But David Fiedler of Ask.Com has a good starter list of seven items:

• Spare tube
• Patch kit (because you can have more than one flat)
• Levers
• Pump or CO2 cartridges (although I have never once successfully used those expensive little buggers, mostly because I’m too cheap to practice at home)
• Multi tool
• Cell phone (for sure) (I’d add on the phone list of favorites “I.C.E.,” meaning in case of emergency call this number—even though a lot of first responders still don’t know the meaning of I.C.E.
• I.D. card/insurance card/money

I’d add the following:

• A boot or just a thick piece of rubber for a tire tear
• A credit or debit card (for when you have to buy a new tire)
• Water and energy food
• Handkerchief (for cleaning glasses, sunglasses or hands that have just put a chain back on)

It’s rained off and one for the last two days.  The weather mavens say that maybe, just maybe, the skies may briefly dry up in a day or so.  Briefly.

It’s depressing.  It can drive a person to drink. 

If you’re consider a nip as you gander at the lowering skies, consider this (brought to our attention by the peripatetic Abrechts).

After posting the above, this note came from Chris Fylling: “This is how I normally carry my wine.” Exhibit #1:

• Velophilia. 
• The difference between Japanese and U.S. nuclear reactors.
• The film “Cadillac Lawyer.” 
• And how to get the best value from a salad bar.

The mind reels after over 3 inches of rain in 24 hours and the prospect of being house-bound for the remainder of the week.

Velophilia. It may be the first time I recall seeing the word, in this case referring to what a writer for the New York Times Magazine, Tim Adams, calls “… the closest thing London has to a political philosophy.”

Can’t say in the end he’s a velophan, but makes some interesting observations about how the mayor of London, one Boris Johnson, has single-handedly changed the city’s commuting and transportation philosophy.

He’s not much interested in anything else. “His zealotry is reserved for pedal power,” writes Mr. Adams.  One of the most visible symbols of his political platform is Boris Bikes, the 5,000 rental bikes distributed all over the city, ready to propel people on their errands and commutes.

It turns out that the velophilia may have as much to do with the need for exercise than with economics.  Among other thing it costs the equivalent of $16 to take a motor vehicle into the center of town.

So Mr. Adams decides to try out one of the Boris Bikes after demurring for six months or so.  His experience?  After a few hours’ ride, with snarling traffic, potholes, and construction zones, “… I docked by bike near the river an set off to walk home while the convoy of the righteous, heads down, legs pumping, swept by to where they had to go.”

Can’t please them all.

Oh… about the other things on the mind this rainy day. 

Tomorrow I’m interviewing for an hour the head of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Reactor (KCBX,90.1 FM, 4 PM) and madly doing my homework. 

Took time off to see “Cadillac Lawyer,” which I loved.  (“Rango” is a blast, too.)

And there’s another piece in the NY Times Mag about the price of salad bars, the individual price of the things that make up the bars, and how to get your money’s worth.  If you chose well, the mark up can be about 8%. Choose poorly and you give the market a 223% markup.

Gotta go: Going to get a salad bar at Ralphs ($6.99/lb)… honest.

The San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club has been designated as one of twenty clubs to be named “Club of the Year” by the League of American Bicyclists.

In naming the club, the League wrote:

The SLOBC is several hundred strong and is a group of all ages. They have fun with events and blog posts but are also quite active in local bike advocacy and creating need infrastructure like paths and bike boxes.

The SLOBC was the only club in California so named. And word has it that club member Dave Abrecht was the one who wrote up and submitted the nomination. Other clubs were these:

• Westchester Cycle Club, New York

• New York Cycle Club, New York

• Bonneville Cycling Club, Utah

• Bloomington Bicycle Club, Indiana

• Baltimore Bicycle Club, Maryland

• Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Virginia

• Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks, Arkansas

Here’s some ammo to toss at the anti-bikers.   (See earlier posting for the latest kerfuffel in New York City.)

Two pieces of research to consider: 

One finds that increased biking, by reducing obesity and perhaps depression, could save the economy $6-million annually.  All right.

Next comes a study that shows that helmet laws reduce youth cycling.  Wait, you say, this isn’t good.  Well, maybe.  But Wall Street Blogger Justin Lahard says all the enemies of cycling need to do when trying to capture the transportation regulators is to insist on more safety measures.

Now you’re talking.

Here’s another story to give you a boost.

It’s the story of 103-year-old Octavio Orduño, of Long Beach, who they want to make the city’s bicycle ambassador.

The L.A. Times reports that nearly every day Orduño leaves his third-floor apartment that he shares with his wife of 60 years, gets his Torker trike out of the garage and bicycles along the six block route he has ridden for over 30 years.

Some think that he may be the oldest bicyclist in the world, but he can’t remember exactly how old he was when he started riding.

His wife has to pressure him to wear his glasses, without which she maintains he can’t see a thing.

Trikes and recumbents.  They’ve extended the bicycling careers of a great many people, with a without motor assists.

UPDATES:

Reader Chuck writes: “There’s one in Austin called “Juan Pelota’s cafe” and is attached to Mellow Johnny’s bike shop…owned by Lance.  It’s been there for a few years, and while I have not been there,  my daughter will be during spring break (I’m hoping for a hat…maybe)”

Sandi from SLO wrote that her son tells her the CBO Bike Shop is great. 

George from Avila writes about CBO: “I had a couple of negative experiences there as well a couple of years ago.”

Original posting:

There’s nothing like having a leisurely coffee break in the middle of a morning bike ride.  There are few stores more appealing than a well equipped bike shop.

Imagine if you could have the two experiences at the same time: sip a couple of deeply aromatic joe, while perusing the latest bicycling gear or perhaps have a bit of a tune up on your current mount.

Turns out you can combine the two in the relatively new concept of bike cafes.

One of the first, according to a piece in MSNBC Online brought spotted by Dave Ahbrect, was in Sedona, Arizona, but they have spread all over the country, from Seattle to Pittsburgh, PA, and abroad.

The Sedona Bike & Barn was founded in the mid ’90s, located at the entrance of a major hiking and biking trail.  It features what they feel are excellent mechanics and friendly sales people, with a strong commitment to service.

The closest thing to a bike cafe around SLO is on Monterey St., where the CBO Bicycle Shop is next to both a coffee shop and a few steps away from a brewery.  Not sure it’s a first-rate bike store, but it’s a start.  Also not sure the coffee shop is still open.  Gotta check it out.

In San Francisco the is the Mojo BIcycle Cafe and the Velo Rouge Cafe.

In Madison, Wisconsin, a “bike-in, bike-out” cafe is planned along a bicycle path.

Bicycle cafes are found in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, even Louisville, Ky.  And some have rather interesting names like “Cars-R-Coffins” (Minneapolis) and “look mum, no hands” (in London).

Five California Universities were celebrated for having exception facilities for bicyclists.

Stanford and U.C. Santa Barbara won the top award, a platinum designation, from the League of American Bicyclists, meeting now in Washington, D.C. for its Bicycle Summit. 

U.C. Davis received a gold award.  Among those California schools also cited: Long Beach State, U.C. Irvine won a silver and U.C.L.A. won a bronze.

The award recognizes schools that have an exception environment for cycling, and make special efforts to encourage and nurture a cycling culture.

A total of 34 universities applied for the designation, 20 were awarded.  There’s no indication which universities applied but were passed over.

None of the California schools are really surprising.  Those who have visited the Stanford or U.C.S.B. campus while classes are in session know that the campuses are awash in whizzing cyclists going in every direction.  On the U.C.S.B. campus any visitor oblivious to the fact that the nice paths are for bikes only takes life into their own hands.  Davis in the very flat Delta region is also extremely bike friendly.

A nice climate helps.  Among the Platinum, Gold and Silver level schools only one — University of Wisconsin Madison — is from the Midwest or East.  Among the cold weather schools, only Boise State and Cornell received recognition.

Flat terrain helps too.  That may explain the exclusion of Cal Poly and U.C. Santa Cruz.

Yet it is nothing but exhilarating to see and be part of a bicycle-friendly campus.

There are a handful of good bicycling movies: “Breaking Away,” “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,” “The Triplets of Belleville” are a few that come to mind. Worth probably a theater admission of (an inflation adjusted) $9.00 when they were released, $2.50 for a video rental today and even potentially less on Netflix.

But $20 for a bicycling movie!?

That’s the price of admission to “Pure Visual Adrenaline!,” which is being shown tonight at the San Luis Obispo Film Festival, an account of the local High Road-HTC racing team’s campaign to win the 2009 Tour de France.  It uses a high definition camera, according to the Festival’s blurb on-line, to give a feel for the drama, both on the road as well as behind the scenes.

Sorry friends at the SLO Bicycle Coalition, who’ll get a piece of the door.  I’ll wait for it to come out on video.

Well, you can always buy a festival pass and have that ultimate Hollywood experience of watching the conferring of a lifetime achievement award to…….(ta da!) Greg Kinnear.  (I guess Rainn Wilson wasn’t available.)

The New York City bicycling backlash has gained considerable momentum in the last few days, and entered a higher intellectual level, or so it might appear.

The backlash is being played out in such places as the blogs for both The New Yorker Magazine and the New York TImes Magazine, and Outside Magazine Online.  And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s lots more. Phew.  It gets really vitriolic and convoluted, but kind of fun to read.

Those of you disinclined to click-through to the original sources might want to follow here.

A lot started when one of The New Yorker’s senior writers, John Cassidy,  stepped right into it:  I like bikes, he says.  But I like cars a lot more, and there’s a lot more of us than there are bicyclists.

A couple of things about Cassidy.  He writes on economics for the magazine, and he drives a Jaguar XKE, frequently using it for transportation into The City (as New Yorkers refer to Manhattan) for evening dinners and other entertainment.

Cassidy wrote: “Today, of course, bicycling is almost universally regarded as a serious, eco-friendly mode of transport, and cyclists want it easy. From San Francisco to London, local governments are introducing bike lanes, bike parks, bike-rental schemes, and other policies designed to encourage two-wheel motion. Generally speaking, I don’t have a problem with this movement: indeed, I support it.”

But… (there’s always a but)  “I view the Bloomberg bike-lane policy as a classic case of regulatory capture by a small faddist minority intent on foisting its bipedalist views on a disinterested or actively reluctant populace.”

New term: “bipedalist.”  Sounds slightly foreign, derogatory, unseemly.  Nobody would claim that a New Yorker writer didn’t have a way with words.

His case is that with 250 miles of bike lanes and relatively few bicyclists, especially in places like Midtown and The Village (“Even in Brooklyn, home to some of the most ardent bike activists, bike lanes have been overdone.”), it just doesn’t make economic sense: “Beyond a certain point, given the limited number of bicyclists in the city, the benefits of extra bike lanes must run into diminishing returns, and the costs to motorists (and pedestrians) of implementing the policies must increase. Have we reached that point? I would say so.”

The opportunities that Cassidy creates for rejoinders and verbal bomb-throwing are many indeed.  Reading them gives one a feeling of high-dudgeon, moral indignation and just plain anger.  Ultimately, however, what Cassidy acknowledges and others confirm is that the question of where and how many bicycling facilities are built is really a political one.  The people will decide in the long run what kind of city they want.

In a great many places, like Portland and Denver, but also Philadelphia and Chicago, the people have wanted more bicycling facilities, sometimes only after some tough political in-fighting.

In New York’s case, however, Mayor Bloomberg has taken a fairly firm (some would say “dictatorial”) hand in pushing his admittedly anti-automobile agenda.  If memory serves, at one time he proposed that there be a basic toll fee for every vehicle entering Manhattan, the state legislature disagreeing and prevailing.

It may very well be the case that the lame duck mayor, with the creation of 250 miles of bike lanes, and an increasingly unpopular transportation commissioner some in tony neighborhoods like Prospect Park in Brooklyn, has gone too far.

We’ll see.  In the meantime it’s kind of interesting and even entertaining to watch from the wings.

The “biological passport,” an innovative way of detecting blood doping in cycling, and perhaps many other Olympic sports, has been approved by the Court of Arbitration of Sport, regarded as the supreme court of sport. 

The approval of the passport program came in a case of two racers disqualified because the passport process showed that they had manipulated their blood over a period of time.

The program, which was adopted by the International Cycling Union in 2008, takes samples of blood from athletes over a period of time, and looks for telltale signs of changes in certain characteristics of the blood, changes which have been proved to indicate either the use of EPO of transfusions to enrich the athletes’ blood.

With the court’s approval, according to the article in the New York Times, the hopes is that the program can go beyond cycling and include skating, track and field and soccer.

While the assault on the Federal budget persists in Washington, with transportation funds set aside for left-propelled two-wheelers in jeopardy, there have been other political setbacks to take note of.  (Oops, a preposition ending a sentence. Forgive us, oh Skrunk & White.)

New York City has made a big push, under Mayor Bloomberg, to advance bike and pedestrian facilities.  They’ve produced over 250 miles of bike lanes, made parts of Broadway in Manhattan a pedestrian mall, and eliminate hundreds of parking spaces for cars.  Bike usage has doubled, traffic accidents have decreased, and special buses have exclusive lanes protected by camera enforcement.

Recently, however, there has been a decided backlash.  The transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, who is generally credited with the advancement of facilities for bikes and pedestrians has come under considerable fire, both for her policies and what some perceive as an imperious attitude.

One of the biggest flaps has involved the creation of a bicycle-only lane in tony Park Slope in Brooklyn.  The lane took away a lane for traffic and immediately engendered a lot of community opposition.  Among other things, residents on Prospect Place said the loss of the lane increased congestion and was unsafe for pedestrians crossing the street with the bike lanes. 

And now they’ve sued the city.  Their suit claims that data used to justify the suit was flawed, and that the city officials were too cozy with bicycling advocates.  Among other things. One of the leading plaintiffs is the wife of the state’s senior Senator, Charles Schumer, one of several influential and well-connected residents along the street opposed to the bike lane.

Of course it isn’t at all clear how successful the suit might be, but it is certainly putting the city on the defensive on a front that it was making nothing but fairly spectacular progress.