tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5079297043552042968.post1193766489467360409..comments2024-03-19T07:24:18.715-04:00Comments on Discovering Urbanism: Measuring the switch to BicyclesDaniel Nairnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14127732825472374125noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5079297043552042968.post-74420866752110222922008-11-13T20:10:00.000-05:002008-11-13T20:10:00.000-05:00I agree that bicycle commuting is only one piece o...I agree that bicycle commuting is only one piece of the puzzle. It skews on the younger, less risk-adverse, healthier, urban side. It just happens to be pretty cool right now, so we may as well run with the momentum.<BR/><BR/>But without the other things you mentioned, a real biking solution would be hard to get off the ground.Daniel Nairnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14127732825472374125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5079297043552042968.post-48496737350057718812008-11-13T16:03:00.000-05:002008-11-13T16:03:00.000-05:00Hey Dan,Nice post. I think it is great that many c...Hey Dan,<BR/><BR/>Nice post. I think it is great that many cities are creating more bike lanes and instituting a biking culture. New York, as you've probably seen, passed zoning regulations for bike parking. <BR/><BR/>However, outside the ideal of biking, in general, I don't think that biking has that much of an impact on either congestion, gas prices or climate change. I think there would have to be a critical mass of people biking before any real impact occurs. I think the main problem is that the bike lanes are being used by people who already bike. (These numbers from NYC and elsewhere are encouraging but seem a bit shaky). <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, outside the dense Northeastern cities I doubt that biking will ever really help out on any of the aforementioned issues. The density and exclusive zoning makes biking to work or for errands undesirable. Biking as recreation may benefit but biking as a policy tool, I doubt, will be very effective. Now, if Biking is coupled with other measures, like TOD or a loosening of zoning, etc... maybe then we can use biking as a viable policy tool.J Kellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293775146520888024noreply@blogger.com