Rapid Transit Cycleshop

You can also find me at...

Feeds

Blog powered by TypePad

  • Copyright 2008 Rapid Transit, Inc. All rights reserved.

« Sam & Sarah's bicycle wedding | Main | It's time again for the Winter Tune-Up »

August 27, 2009

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341cf6ad53ef0120a523062e970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Navigating the suburban wasteland with my son:

Comments

2whls3spds

This is one of the primary reasons for PROPERLY designed and installed separate cycling infrastructure, as well as proper pedestrian infrastructure. The two go hand in hand. I ride in many places in the US as well as abroad and have yet to find a place in the US where they have gotten it completely right, and in many cases even remotely right.

We don't have to copy the Dutch or Danish (or any other EU system) but look at what works, how it works and adapt it to the idiosyncrasies of the US system. Yes it will cost money, but if we can subsidize the automobile to the tune of $700billion usd (includes soft costs to society caused by pollution, accidents, etc, direct costs are estimated at around ~$200billion usd) we certainly should be able to subsidize cycling and proper mass transit.

Children need to be able to cycle freely, but do not have the skills, nor should they be required to mix it up with automobile traffic. Basic laws of physics and lack of responsibility on the motorists part are the primary reasons.

Aaron

Justyna

I increasingly agree with you about separating bike facilities entirely from motorized traffic. Initially, my view was that it is easier and cheaper to incorporate cyclists into the existing infrastructure, but after years of riding, observing, and hearing people's stories, I believe that having to share the road with cars is what keeps most people from cycling. And, certainly, that's what keeps most people from letting their kids range freely.

Jennifer

And this is why I believe most of the bikeway planning should happen at the county/regional level instead of at the municipal level. Crazy *&^%$#@! happens far too often at those places where one town turns into another.

The problem I see with separate facilities is the problem we already have with separate facilities: What if there aren't any where you want to go? I think you hit on the best solution when you noted that the places where people aren't biking are places where people aren't walking, either. Push for better pedestrian facilities, and then use them as separate bike facilities as needed. Holy cow, the ATA was right...

This is all based on the grossly unscientific and therefore potentially dangerous assumption that more walkers = fewer cars, of course. There are plenty of places where all three kinds of traffic get equally nuts. (The area around your shop comes to mind.)

Yokota Fritz

I've taught my kids to ride 'vehicularly,' but yeah, I get worried too, especially since I still see my son (the older child) make some extraordinarly stupid moves in traffic. Gah!

Apropos to children riding in heavy traffic, the infamous "helmets cut fatalities by 85%" study was flawed precisely because the researchers used two distinct demographics in Seattle: The helmeted population were all upper-middle class children riding with their parents on a park trail where the typical accident was the child falling over on his bike, while the unhelmeted population were unsupervised lower class children riding their bikes in heavy urban traffic where the typical accident was getting hit by a truck. So yeah, the unhelmeted kids were more likely to die from their head injuries.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

RT Bikes


  • Our own line of urban bikes with frames made by Waterford