Ride Boulder Co

Cyclist versus cars? How about reporter versus master bike plan?

Posted on 11. May, 2010 by Jennifer in Community by bike, Uncategorized

In what appears to be a never-ending narrative about cars and bikes, CNN had this article
Drivers, bicyclists clash on road sharing
and I thought is there really anything more to be said about or examples provided of cyclists and drivers not getting on. There are examples of bad behavior on both sides and I can’t help but think that sometimes a cyclist is a driver and vice versa. I think this type of reporting is why newspapers are struggling; they trot out the same story line again and again and nothing is added to the discourse except for maybe this rant.

Here’s a different story line -  why doesn’t said reporter try commuting from their home to work for a day and see what it actually entails to get around using public transit or cycling. Or encourage their local officials to ride to work a day and report on it, blog on it, whatever.

On another but related note San Antonio, Texas is developing a master bike plan to connect the different cycling networks. It’s from 2004 and I am a little uncertain of the status of the program.  But the program called San Antonio Bikes was named the 2010 Downtown Alliance “Best Public Program Work in Progress”. Of course, it’s a bit like naming your favorite only sibling your favorite sibling. Nevertheless, This is HUGE! I think this type of program demonstrates a real shift. Having grown up in San Antonio, I know with some certainty that the perception was you only rode a bike if you were too poor to drive a car.

And here’s where our intrepid reporter could give us some actual feedback on how well this is all working by riding their bike to work, to the grocery, bank anywhere get some feet on the street perspective. I remember trying to cycle to work in SA and it was a bit like a triathlon event or at least interval training, with some mountain biking thrown in for good measure and to keep me looking my best for work.  But that was before such a comprehensive plan to encourage cycling in the city. There’s a story here and it isn’t the usual one but it is one that would give feedback to people thinking about commuting by bike, city planners and people already commuting.  Hmmm…maybe I should write it.