It's been a while, mostly because I'm working on some bigger things lately, but I wanted to get something out there this weekend.

Thanks JohnDuh (if you're still around) for the motivation.

mk, you mentioned you didn't see this infographic I made when we met. Forgot to link it to you until now!

kleinbl00:

There are substantial impediments to adoption, unfortunately.

I ride maybe ~50 miles a week in one of the most bike-hostile cities in America: Los Angeles. Even here, the mayor set forth to make 1700 miles of bike paths in 2011. The problem: Those bike paths eliminate parking, in most cases, or retail space in others.

The Netherlands incorporated bicycles as they advanced. Thus, super-excellent bike infrastructure. Most of America incorporated after automobiles: as such, a car infrastructure is all it's ever known. And while I've discovered I can get into Hollywood quicker on two human-powered wheels than I can on two gas-powered wheels (and a good 20 minutes faster than I can by car), it's a virtually impossible task without Google whispering in your ear and telling you which surface-street-you've-never-heard-of to turn up next. It's a 14-mile trip - essentially crossing all of San Francisco on this map:

Which, if I'm not mistaken, would pretty much take you from one end of Amsterdam to the other with plenty of room to spare. in order to meet someone for lunch.

I'd ride to work if I could, despite the fact that it's 26 miles. The problem is this little bit of geography:

Which must be crossed on roads that look like this.

Don't get me wrong: I'm a big fan of anything that makes it safer, anything that makes it better. I got broadsided by an AT&T truck last month because my "bike lane" happened to cross the onramp for the Pacific Coast Highway. But I simply don't see a "dutch style" solution to the problem where I live.


posted 3587 days ago