Comments on: It’s All About the Bike http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/ The source on how we live, work and play Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:10:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Greg http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13889 Greg Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:30:57 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13889 You may find this blog amusing and popular among bike commuters in NY. http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/ You may find this blog amusing and popular among bike commuters in NY.

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Deborah http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13252 Deborah Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:51:47 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13252 Fort Collins, Colorado is also a a great place to ride bikes. You can see more and more bikes in our city and recently some prime parking spots in the downtown area were given over to large bike racks which make it even more conducive to leaving the car at home. We've got mountains in the background but it's pretty flat too. If you don't own a bike in Fort Collins, you can "earn" one by contributing volunteer hours to help refurbish bikes http://fcbikecoop.org/ Fort Collins, Colorado is also a a great place to ride bikes. You can see more and more bikes in our city and recently some prime parking spots in the downtown area were given over to large bike racks which make it even more conducive to leaving the car at home. We’ve got mountains in the background but it’s pretty flat too. If you don’t own a bike in Fort Collins, you can “earn” one by contributing volunteer hours to help refurbish bikes http://fcbikecoop.org/

]]> By: Michael Wells http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13251 Michael Wells Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:08:22 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13251 Good catch Anna. Don't know how the Oregonian got the video wrong. But the story is still about Amsterdam. I wonder how much of the Amsterdam region they're talking about? The old city, 5 miles out, 10 miles out? Not to quibble, because a lot of Amsterdam transport has always been bicycles, and I'll bet it's increasing. Here's a video from Portland: http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/portland-bike-rush-hour-on-the-hawthorne-bridge/ If you just count Inner Southeast Portland where much of the population is young creative class, the percentage using bikes as primary transportation is around 20%. For the whole city, the Census bureau says its 4%, which is still a huge increase over 10 years ago. Whether Amsterdam or Utrecht, Holland is flat and has lots of old streets so bicycling is easy. Portland or San Francisco by contrast have lots of hills, so bike commuting is a sweatier affair. What I know as a driver is that the number of bicyclists has grown to where I automatically watch for them, which is different from watching for cars or pedestrians. I also think Portland bicyclists have become much better at following the rules of the road and thinking safety. I suspect this has to do with biking becoming more mainstream. A few years ago you saw bikers running stop signs and red lights at speed without looking. Good catch Anna. Don’t know how the Oregonian got the video wrong.
But the story is still about Amsterdam. I wonder how much of the Amsterdam region they’re talking about? The old city, 5 miles out, 10 miles out? Not to quibble, because a lot of Amsterdam transport has always been bicycles, and I’ll bet it’s increasing.

Here’s a video from Portland:
http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/portland-bike-rush-hour-on-the-hawthorne-bridge/
If you just count Inner Southeast Portland where much of the population is young creative class, the percentage using bikes as primary transportation is around 20%. For the whole city, the Census bureau says its 4%, which is still a huge increase over 10 years ago.

Whether Amsterdam or Utrecht, Holland is flat and has lots of old streets so bicycling is easy. Portland or San Francisco by contrast have lots of hills, so bike commuting is a sweatier affair.

What I know as a driver is that the number of bicyclists has grown to where I automatically watch for them, which is different from watching for cars or pedestrians. I also think Portland bicyclists have become much better at following the rules of the road and thinking safety. I suspect this has to do with biking becoming more mainstream. A few years ago you saw bikers running stop signs and red lights at speed without looking.

]]> By: Buzzcut http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13243 Buzzcut Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:34:03 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13243 <a href="http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/30/americans-voting-with-their-wheels-study-finds/" rel="nofollow">Not entirely unrelated.</a> Not entirely unrelated.

]]> By: anna http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13242 anna Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:38:53 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13242 the place isn't Amsterdam but Utrecht: see http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregraisman/3548341974/in/set-72157618735799428/ the place isn’t Amsterdam but Utrecht: see
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregraisman/3548341974/in/set-72157618735799428/

]]> By: GJeff http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13241 GJeff Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:46:50 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13241 The video did not show up on my computer, but can be seen at "The Oregonian" link in the story above, or here: http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/06/in_amsterdam_more_trips_now_by.html The video did not show up on my computer, but can be seen at “The Oregonian” link in the story above, or here:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/06/in_amsterdam_more_trips_now_by.html

]]> By: Michael Scott http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/07/01/its-all-about-the-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-13240 Michael Scott Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:25:19 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=12070#comment-13240 Richard, I just ended my W-2 position (with a one-hour commute) to purchase a bike and couldn't be happier. The Sacramento-Folsom-Davis, CA biking corridor is one of the most well developed in the nation. It is fraught with danger though as increasing numbers of bicyclists are competing with cars for control of the roads. Michael Scott Richard,

I just ended my W-2 position (with a one-hour commute) to purchase a bike and couldn’t be happier. The Sacramento-Folsom-Davis, CA biking corridor is one of the most well developed in the nation. It is fraught with danger though as increasing numbers of bicyclists are competing with cars for control of the roads.

Michael Scott

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