Rise and Decline of Bike Share

Five Years Ago, Bike Share and Scooter Rental were Neck and Neck. Now Scooters FAR Outpace Bike Share

This is a fable for our times. It was just a bit more than five years ago that bike share programs really go going. I will use history from the Seattle Bike Blog (SBB) as illustrative of bike share.

The first SBB post on the subject was made on May 5, 2014. By August 25, 2014, the headline: 

"It’s really happening. Today, you can buy a membership for a Seattle public bike share system."

 Somewhat grumpily, I forecast, on July 29, 2014:

"They’ll later use our tax dollars to subsidize the bike share system when it fails due to their policies. Perhaps they’ll emulate NYC in outlawing large soft drinks and in arresting cyclists for imagined offenses."

 At this point, the system was run by Pronto, a subsidiary of Alta Planning. It used fixed bike stations and tried to work around the Seattle helmet laws in order to draw in casual riders who didn't happen to bring their own helmets along on the chance they might want to rent a bike. Before too long, this became a drain, leading them to charge for helmet rentals. On May 11, 2015, SBB reported:

"If you buy a 24-hour or three-day pass to use Pronto Cycle Share, you will now have to pay an extra $2 to check out a helmet."

It also became clear that the service area with bike stations was pretty limited, and, as a result, on June 8, 2015, SBB reported:

"...the biggest problem with Pronto is that the service area is simply too small to meet most people’s needs. And under the current business model, the system would expand slowly over time as more private sponsorship investments or city budget line items lead the way. It’s a plan that creates solid benefits for relatively little public investment, but it’s not a plan that can truly revolutionize transportation and low-income access to bicycling in Seattle. 

"That’s why the city has put together a visionary plan for a massive, fast expansion of Pronto that would increase the service area from five square miles to 42 square miles..."

Bike share was growing by leaps and bounds! However, cracks were beginning to appear. While Seattle proposed a massive expenditure to dramatically increase the size of Pronto, and (move in to management of Pronto as well), the Feds said "nope." By October 27, 2015, SBB reported:

"...the city still intends to move forward with an expansion. Mayor Ed Murray’s proposed 2016 budget includes $5 million for expanding Pronto. If that funding is approved by the City Council, the path forward really hinges on whether the city focuses on expanding the station area or on electric bike technology."

Scooters - Cheaper Than Ebikes, Faster than Pedal Bikes

Electric bikes - well that IS a new development indeed. Things went down a bit further, when, on February 4, 2016, the SBB post headline read:

"Pronto needs city buyout before end of March, how did we get here?"

And things continued downhill for the Pronto, station-based bike share. By October 10, 2016, SBB reported:

"Though it’s not final, Seattle has indicated that it intends to select a young Quebec-based company to launch an all-new electric-assist bike share system. 

"That means both Motivate, the current Pronto Cycle Share operator, and the existing Pronto equipment are out if the deal goes through. The city is now negotiating directly with Quebec-based Bewegen to finalize a deal."

Now, bikes were only a part of the solution if they were electric assist, though bike stations were still the fundamental backbone of the system. By October 20, 2016, the SBB headline read:

"Council faces a choice: Kill Pronto now or make lemonade out of the existing stations?"

There it was, bike share, at least if it wasn't "electric" was going away - and fast. In January, on the 13th, SBB headlined the final resolution:

"Mayor Ed Murray has scrapped his bike share expansion plan, ending the city’s efforts to create a new public e-assist bike system to replace the doomed Pronto system set to shut down March 31. This officially ends a frustrating era..."

And so it was. Bike share was dead in Seattle. A victim of inflexible docking stations, mandatory helmet laws, and bureaucratic meddling, just to mention three factors. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

On July 19th, 2017, SBB reported on the beginning of dockless bike share. Spin and LimeBike started operation and exceeded the old Pronto system ridership in their first week. They would have done better, but old city rules were still in place that presumed an "ease into the water" approach. The report of the death of bike share was greatly exaggerated. By December 15, 2017, SBB headlined:

"Bike share pilot’s daily ridership blows past Pronto’s lifetime totals, rivals both streetcars combined."

and, in that article, stated:

"...bike share services are already rivaling two streetcar lines that cost about $190 million to build is pretty incredible. Free-floating bike share services have cost the City of Seattle almost nothing. In fact, these companies pay the city permit fees. And at $1/ride, bike share is the cheapest way to get around other than walking or owning your own (not-high-end) bicycle. That’s far, far cheaper than other private mobility services, like car share, taxis and app taxis."

However, this was about the peak for bike share. Instead, the future looked like e bikes and scooters. On August 19, 2018, SBB reviewed the timeline. Notably:

"2018: Lime introduces 15¢ per minute e-bikes, Spin leaves town as it transitions to scooters and ofo leaves town as their China-based business begins imploding. Bike ridership in Seattle increases significantly, smashing bike counter records all over town. Uber-owned Jump joins Lime at the end of the year as the $1 pedal bikes disappear."

Lime Rental Scooter

Scooters are Getting Fancier

Which brings me up to the present. Recently, in downtown Dallas, I noticed scooters ALL OVER THE PLACE. All of them were electrically powered. There was not a single "regular" bike to be had. Things didn't look a whole lot different in Seattle. The story continues to evolve. As with bikes, it appears that many of the people who rent these electric scooters do not understand that they are really renting a small motorcycle and zooming along sidewalks and against traffic is really NOT a good idea. Perhaps our driver licensing system should start by ensuring that  prospective motorists understand that the rules of the road apply to ALL that use wheeled things on public roadways (sidewalks are also part of those roadways) and require people to demonstrate they can do so with scooters and bikes before they move up to more powerful vehicles.

But I digress. Over on SBB, they are arguing that the best thing to do is bring back the dock system, but spend a LOT more money and make the bikes cheap to rent. Somehow, I think most people want a motorized item that they can simply pick up wherever they happen to be. It's been 30 years since the Soviet Union fell...

After Renting, Many People Scooter Along the Sidewalk

Enlightened or Retrograde?

Lots of Bikes for Rent at Yosemite National Park

Recently, we visited Yosemite National Park. Besides the always-wonderful scenery, I noticed bicycle and pedestrian approaches that were both enlightened and somewhat odd for non-motorized visitors.

First, I noticed that the loop road to see Half Dome was closed to motorists. In addition, there were LOTS of bicycles for rent. Even though this was October, there were lots of them getting rented.

Second, I was struck by a STOP sign on the path to the Visitor center. It seems odd, and a bit antiquated, to expect the vast majority of travelers to actually come to a full stop just in case the occasional bus might be coming by. In truth, nobody stopped at the sign. Of course, there wasn't any protected tour buses nearby. This is a case where a "Yield" sign might make sense, especially with an advisory sign underneath that notes "Tour Buses might be passing at any time."

How Many Pedestrians do YOU Know that Would Come to a Full Stop Here before Proceeding?

Little Steps

Is Texas Food Local if You Buy it in Ocean Shores? Well, it's More Local than Chilean Produce

Chandra, in his excellent "Green Comotion" blog, recently made a post where he included much good information from Dr Mercola about the viability of our food and health aspects of food. That post was here.

One aspect of Dr Mercola's article could have been improved. While his nine recommendations are all very worthwhile, I'd suggest a few MORE for those of us that aren't in a position to go "all the way," but may have to motor a long way to get some of those foods while our local grocery is a short bike ride. For the vegans amongst us, you may want to close your eyes with regard to my final recommendation. I'll continue from where Dr Mercola left off, with an emphasis on "easy to do" items.

10. SHOP THE EDGES OF THE STORE
It is well known that most of the most highly processed foods are in the middle of the store. Hence, sites such as mass.gov recommend that you get most of your food around the edges of the store. They have a good generic diagram to show this which is reproduced below. Simply shopping the edges of the store will be a step in the right direction.

Your Store Will Probably Vary, but the Principles Still Work

11. TEXAS LOCAL IS BETTER THAN FURRIN STUFF
While in Ocean Shores, buying things like kale might be best if it comes from Grays Harbor County, it is still better to buy from Texas than from somewhere the produce must be airlifted.

12. SHOP BY BIKE
Dr Mercola failed to consider the effects of transport of the shopper on food usage. While the Ocean Shores IGA might lack somewhat in organic and other "good" choices, one wonders at the tradeoff between non-local produce bought locally, versus local produce bought non-locally. IGA is next door to the espresso stand and I bicycle by there each morning. The "local" source of Hoquiam produce is 30 miles away.

IGA - Official Grocery Store of Frankenbike and Kermit

13. SHOP A GOOD FARMER'S MARKET WHEN YOU'RE GOING BY
Ocean Shores DOES have a farmer's market on summer weekends. Oddly, little of the produce at this market is produced anywhere close to Ocean Shores. Still, I go there on my bike. See rule 12. However, we've taken to stopping by the Hoquiam Farmer's Market when we have occasion to motor over in that direction. Their produce is mostly grown in Grays Harbor County and there're a lot of organic items.



Hoquiam Farmer's Market Has No Decent Bike Parking and is a LONG Ways from OS, but has EXCELLENT Organic Produce
The Lettuce is Grown by the Grizzlies (Hoquiam High School)

14. DIG FOR ALL YOU'RE WORTH
Vegans please close your eyes now. The rest of you may read the newspaper headline below. 'Nuff sed.



Definitely "NON GMO" and Locally Sourced. For the Record, Clam Guns do NOT Have "High Capacity Magazines"

 

Recreational Road Users

In case some have forgotten that cyclists are not the only ones that use roads for recreational use, seen in this post are photos shot in and around Ocean Shores. We should not forget that recreational road use is legitimate, as much so as using same for commuting. Especially now in the digital age!

On second thought, it should also serve as a reminder to cyclists that many motoring road users are really not ON the road with a mind to conflict with cyclists or anybody else...

 

Salute to France

Cycling Gloves help Grip the Opinel Lock Ring on this New Knife. A Multitool Screwdriver also is Handy

As in many other areas of life, we continue to discover new goodies that work well on our bikes. Recently, I discovered one that, while it remains new, makes good use of full finger gloves and the multitool that most cyclists carry with them.

Most of you have long known about Swiss Army knives. Unfortunately, they generally are bulkier and heavier than is ideal for a cycling accessory and they have lots of junk you probably won't use on a long cycling day trip. My wife loves them, but her purse isn't something I'd want to carry around even in a trunk bag.

Thanks to the bicycle blog world, I ran across a bit about Opinel knives on the Velo Orange Blog. I've purchased Velo Orange products in the past and found them to be reasonable values for the money they cost. They're better for the cyclist who is prepared to do a bit of fiddling and improvising than for someone satisfied with only a "turnkey" solution.

However, they introduced me to an excellent accessory for cycling or hiking. The Opinel knife has been around since well before the parents of anyone reading this were born. It's simple, and elegant. It's won lots of design awards. It is inexpensive and light. So I got one. It is everything people have said and Wikipedia has a good summary of it. It is VERY sharp as received. However, I did encounter a downside that I was alerted about by a few of the reviews. The locking mechanism on a new knife is pretty hard to engage or disengage. Presumably, this will get better with time. I suspect that if the knife locking worked too easily when new, it'd get sloppy before long. In that way, perhaps it has more in common with a Brooks Saddle than might immediately come to mind.

In the meantime, I quickly discovered that cycling gloves and a multitool make quick locking and unlocking a breeze. NOW you know what gloves and multitools REAL design goal was - to enable the famished cyclist to easily whip out his/her simple but elegant knife to slice up bread, fruit, or cheese (or to make some tinder for a quick campfire). C'est bon! Who says the French no longer make quality cycling items? Everything you need in a pocketknife and nothing you don't.

Local Observations

Ace Shortly Before the Lawnmowers Come Out

I’ve been back down in the DFW Metroplex for a bit and I’ll have some observations from there pretty soon. However, things being freshly back in Ocean Shores, Washington, some OTHER things stand out. First off, the daily “putting out of the lawn mowers” at the local Ace Hardware. Second, I noticed that not ONLY does the local McDonalds have a real, proper bike rack that even PM Summer would approve of, but they also have a SKATEBOARD rack. I’m not sure what design standards should be for skateboard racks, but people actually use the one at McDonalds. Nearby, they have a sign saying “No Skateboarding.” That, IMO, is a big step up from the Colleyville equivalent that simply says “No Skateboards.” FWIW, I'm not sure WHAT the rings on the skateboard rack are supposed to do other than maybe they provide some sort of locking advantage. I'm not up to speed on proper skateboard locking technique.

Ace as the First Lawnmowers are Brought Out for the Day's Consideration

Skateboard Parking Rack at the Ocean Shores McDonalds

To wrap things up, I thought I’d add a shot of the most direct route from our house to the community club. This “street” is known as “Draconis.” AKA pole line road. Quite bikeable with Frankenbike, though Kermit seems to feel a need to speak out along the way.

Draconis Road - Bike/Ped Shortest Route to the OS Community Club

Moving Up

It wasn't a lot beyond much that I've seen before. A business that didn't consider bikes in any way, shape, or form.

While I remain determined NOT to become a bicycle advocate, I asked if they had plans to put a bike rack in. Hearing nothing encouraging, I'll not be coming here again.
I didn't get the guy's name.

I forgot to mention that the scene immediately outside, shown below, prompted my initial inquiry. Perhaps a customer, perhaps a worker.

Bike to Work Conflict

Last week, during “Bike to Work” week, I received the email shown above from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

I’ve received a number of such items from time to time, but this time, I pondered the matter a little, and THAT caused me to wonder about things. For example, what is the cutoff between “regular” and “older” adults? Are “older” adults that ride their bikes to work supposed to stop, heeding the direction to limit outside activity or are they supposed to ride their bikes in order to cut air pollution? Or are they only supposed to do that until they pick up one of the lung disorders cited? Will Fort Worth have a “moment of silence” for the cyclists that aren’t at the “Bike to Work” event because they followed the advice to limit their outside activity? What about people that have to WORK outside? Are they simply supposed to take vacation? Actually, I asked the“tryparkingit” lady at the event, and she was well aware of the conflicting advice. She took my queries in stride, and I found that air pollution alerts come in “watch” and “warning” levels just as tornado alerts do. A “warning” is much more serious. Their email advice in future omits the encouragement to bike or walk on “warning” days. To my mind, this seems like a negative feedback loop. When it pollutes, you have to pollute when you wouldn't normally. Seems sort of topsy turvy to me. How about - when it is polluted, everyone takes the day off without pay. Maybe motorists would appreciate cyclists more when they get to go back to work. Nah, call me a dreamer!

Bottom line – This is a classic governmental conflict between a short-term event and long-term advice. After all, I think few of us would volunteer to simply stop breathing during the duration of one of these events. Probably fewer of us will consider that the items advised do not affect many major sources of local air pollution. Certainly cars make a lot of smog, but the same government that wants us to “drive less” encourages more driving by building more freeways and other highways that encourage people to drive more and further. Few politicians will make useful suggestions about what local governments can or should do to avoid such events in the future. Instead, we’re told to “limit outdoor activity.” And campaign promises promise cheaper gas. So the cycle continues.

On a more positive note, I got some "Air Quality Index Crayons." Read the description on each.

Something OLD, Something New...

Richard Nixon was still President of the USA. On his way to whooping my own preferred candidate; George McGovern. That was the year that I last bought a bike with my own money. Earned with my own hands. I was working at the "A&P" (as in "Breaking Away") in north Seattle. Now, that A&P is an "Apple Store." Specifically, it was 1972.

But I digress.

The bike was bought at the store shown below. At THAT time, it was known as "Gregg's Greenlake Cycle." As it turned out, that purchase formed a defining moment in my life as a cyclist. You see, that was the LAST time I ever bought a bike for myself from a cycling store. The bastards screwed me, though it took me many years to fully realize it. Still, I have no doubt that, over the years, these guys have improved mightily since they ARE still in business.

Gregg's Cycle in Seattle. Not a Lot of Bike Parking. Some Things Don't Change Over the Years

The bike was a "Champion Du Monde." It was a smidge more than I could really afford at the time. $100. For that price, I got something equivalent to the FAR more popular (and more expensive) Peugeot UO8. Yup, the same bike you now see on eBay regularly for - about $100. Unless the owner thinks it is collectible somehow. As in the case of the Peugeot, the CDM came with a steel, cottered crank, crappy Simplex shifting gear, and steel rims. The steel rims had dimples in them to create the illusion you could stop when the rims got wet.

Champion Du Monde - It Served Me Well, Even if Far Too Big...
I Named it "Betty Boop."

To make a loooong story less so, that bike is now on its third crank, uncounted wheels, its SECOND derailleur (viva Suntour!), and lots of other bits that got changed out over the years. The reason it is missing a saddle is I donated it to a guy with a bike a couple of years ago. It HAD fenders and a rear rack - both now reside on Frankenbike.

After Enough Miles, Chainstay Paint Starts to Get a Bit Thin...

Remants of the Seat Tube Decal

You may sense a faint touch of bitterness against Gregg's. That's because they sold me a bike that was AT LEAST two sizes too big. I was in High School at the time and the salesman made no attempt at all to do anything more than suck the money out of the dumb kid with as little effort as possible. Still, they did me one favor - they PERMANENTLY cured me of having too much reverence for any bike shop. For that, I will forever be grateful. It's also why you won't see me joining the "buy your bike from a proper bike store" crowd. I KNOW better.

Trust - but Verify

Despite the Gregg's salesman, I DID get my money's worth out of the bike, as you can see from what is left of the paint. Even a frame that is FAR too big for the rider can give many miles of riding pleasure. That bike rode miles in Seattle, Los Angeles, many towns around LA, Everett, and, finally in North Texas. Nowadays, I keep it mainly to remind me that bike shops should not be trusted any more than any other business. In the words of Ronald Reagan - "Trust, but verify." As significantly, that bike was within sight the minute I met my future wife. Better yet, I changed out those steel rims before they killed me. They were gone before the last "close call" I had with a car - around 1974, bombing down Admiral Way in West Seattle at nearly 40MPH when a motorist decided to pull out from a driveway without proper caution. Such an event would not be worthy of even a mention in this blog nowadays. Experience truly is valuable.

Having told y'all about my LAST new bike, I have weakened and bought a second. This one was bought nearly 40 years to the day after the first. Yes, I have to admit that even "Buddy" was a used bike. All I can say is what my wife calls me - "cheap." Well, and it arrived today...

What's in the Box? On the Porch, this Afternoon.

Helmetlessly Hurting

Yesterday, I wasn't wearing my helmet. I knew that not wearing it exposed me to the risk of a brain injury. I, too, have read the newspaper scare comments about cyclists eating (or is it drinking?) through a straw and (insert your favorite troll comment here). I've even hit my head before. As is usual in such cases, the event was totally unexpected, though foreseeable to any dispassionate observer. To modify a phrase to better suit the collision in question: "When an engineer and a filing cabinet collide, the cabinet always wins." Though, in my own defense, the cabinet suffered a dent and thus did not get away totally unscathed. When I donned my helmet for the ride home, I felt that cabinet's pain all the way home. Ditto for the commute today. Luckily for where I work, it did not QUITE rise to the status of a recordable incident. Darn that Safety Pyramid!

Je Me Souviens

Coat of Arms of Quebec

Is the motto seen on Quebec motor vehicle license plates. It also sums up a lot of the last week that will probably never get posted on this blog.

Lots of Stuff Happened This Week. This is Only One.
Je Me Souviens

For reasons totally unrelated to this post, I inquired of a French Canadian colleague about the motto's meaning. She indicated that "I remember" means that they had excellent memories of the past; going into the future. At the time, I remembered Wolfe and Montcalm, and the battle, (and, only to myself, Benedict Arnold), but, as I got to ride my road bike for the first time in many days, the Quebec motto; "je me souviens" could just as well apply to many of the bike posts I have read, and even sometimes commented on, while I was up in Quebec during the last week. What's more, they apply to world news.

Those Quebecois bear close watching, and pondering, as I ride from point to point around the DFW Metroplex. And, Thomas, this morning's ride was extra nice, even though no motorist was anything other than considerate or polite. What's more, I think the Chipseal affair is wrapped up and tied with a bow.

Je Me Souviens...

Rantwick's Tree is Safe - For the Moment. Quebec Trees are in Groups!

As Rantwick Says, A Group Might Well Overwhelm the King

IMO, We, in North America, Can TAKE THOSE Europeans On!
Je Me Souviens

On My Way Home, I Noticed Rubber on the Edge of a Bike Path.
I Noticed it AFTER I Almost Suffered a Diversion Fall
Je Me Souviens

This Guy Honked From His Parking Spot. I Think, However, His Honk was Not Intended Towards Me
I was Sipping Coffee at the Time. Who Knows if He'd Have Waved on the Road
Je Me Souviens

Back on the Bike After a Week of Driving
Je Me Souviens

Unlike Tim Horton, Starbucks has Free WiFi
Je Me Souviens

Smooth Roads and Light Traffic
Je Me Souviens

The First Left Has Pluses, Too

This morning, I went to work to do some cleanup prior to hunting for Canadian colorful trees. After all, we're in the process of becoming desert here in North Texas. Correcting an oversight in my last post, I included my favorite little barker I get the privilege of seeing when I take THE FIRST LEFT instead of the second.

This little guy just might suck me into bringing along dog treats for my morning commutes.

Howdy!

Stick Around Long Enough, and this Little Guy Will Still Give out a "Yip!"

The last photo is evidence that all the best bikes are red, albeit with lots of white as well. AND, in case anyone thought to ask, I gave the establishment in the last photo a hard time about having no bike rack, nor proper place to lock up a bike.

No Bike Rack Here. I Guess They Haven't Grasped the Concept that Cyclists Spend Money - YET...

Smart Business

These Guys are SMART - Maybe They Noticed Cyclists Coming in to the Store for Snacks

Last weekend, I saw something I've not noticed anywhere else. I saw a GAS STATION with bike racks. Specifically; the QUICKTRIP in Bedford, Texas at the intersection of Industrial and Harwood. They added these racks AFTER the station had been operating for some time. One might wonder WHY in the world a gas station would want to put in bike racks? Well, these guys seem to have a knack for making a buck. Cyclists stop by their store to get snacks. Snacks, as in something that is MUCH higher mark up than gas. I'll occasionally take advantage of their "two for $2" hot dogs. These guys have free air, too. As long as one has a Presta-to-Schrader adapter, what more could a cyclist want for a refreshment stop? Why would I go to "Racetrac" when "QuickTrip" has locking facilities? More to the point, even if I were to buy gas, guess which place would be MY gas station of choice?

QuikTrip Would be MY First Choice About Where to Get Gas for the Lawnmower

One wonders why MORE businesses don't find a way to sneak in a bike rack around their premises. Bike racks don't cost much, or take up much space, and cyclists may well have more disposable money since they don't have to spend as much feeding their motoring habit.



Buttermilk Cafe in Bedford May Not Have Good Facilities, But a Good Attitude Helped in the Predawn Friday

Even without proper cycling locking facilities, some businesses still get gold (or at least brass) stars for having a positive attitude about cyclists. One such is Buttermilk Cafe, where they told me they'd be thrilled to have me lock up my bike right next to their front door and would even seat me near the window so it'd be easy to keep an eye on things.

Myth 3 - BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME

Part 3 of a Continuing Series
"Little Things Mean a Lot"
I can't count the number of times I've heard "BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME." Like most slogans, this one is also demonstrably false. There are many places where virtually no cyclist-specific infrastructure at all exists, but cycling is robust and on the increase. On the other hand, this post could be entirely filled with examples of things intended for cyclists that go completely unused or are useful primarily to amuse us. "Where's Steve going with this one?" you might be asking yourself at this point.

Well, I'm not saying that cycling infrastructure can't add value for cyclists, nor that examples where infrastructure has helped mightily don't exist, but rather that it is simply that careful thought and consideration are more important to achieving more cycling than simply throwing money at cycling in massive projects that cost lots of money and generate big news stories, or drawing lines on maps to make nice connecting grids. In reality, to cyclists, "LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT." To illustrate the point, I will cite two "little" examples of how details ENCOURAGE people to ride their bikes. I will also cite two "little" examples where details send a less pleasant message. For anyone who does not think the principle also applies to bigger ticket items, I'll include a short sample list of big facility considerations.

My first example is from Saint Sauveur, Quebec. For reasons unknown, I stopped by a McDonalds last week for the first time in years. I think it was because I was certain I could handle the level of French necessary to get low carbohydrate food that I didn't just pick off a deli or grocery store shelf. It is not too hard to order a "McDouble sans ketchup." The sight in the photo below caught my eye. I had never seen such a thing at a McDonalds before except where some ordinance mandated it. While I am more sensitive to such things than most people, it sent a message: "cyclists are valued here" in a way that municipal bike lanes and "bike friendly" signs cannot. It told me that some businesses here had realized that attracting cyclists could improve their bottom line. While I didn't have a bike to ride, I went back there the next night. When people realize that cycling is getting thought about, they're going to ride more. It isn't simply the facility itself.


The Message This Quebec McDonald's Bike Rack Sent CANNOT be Purchased. With or Without Bike Lanes/Paths Nearby, it Says "Cyclists Valued Here"

I plan to write a letter to the McDonalds Corporation relating my impression and WHY I patronized that McDonalds a second time. In my letter, I will not mention that it is a lousy bike rack, poorly placed, nor that McDonalds food is not much better than simply going hungry. When businesses get enough such communications, they will begin to internalize and value cycling, and consider ways to market to cyclists. THAT will benefit them and cycling because more people will cycle. The facility building is the least of it. A nearby WalMart, is the case with many WalMarts, has a bike rack. Actually, it was a much better bike rack than the one at McDonalds. The WalMart bike rack had two feet of uncleared snow that had been thrown onto it during parking lot snow clearance. I don't plan to write a letter to compliment WalMart on putting a bike rack in. The dirty snow precluded warm fuzzy feelings from me about that WalMart.

My first BAD example is drawn from PaddyAnne's excellent blog, Pedal Talk. In it, here, she talks about a trip where she used two bike lanes to take a package on her bike to ship. My example is somewhat flawed because the lady in question is a more determined cyclist than many, but her photo, shamelessly stolen  and reproduced below (with a few Steve A additions), shows a different message sent to people considering cycling to the destination in question. It is not that the shippers were hostile to cycling. They simply didn't think about it or didn't think it was worthy of any attention, or didn't care. THAT sends a message to potential cyclists that they don't really count. I do not know if Paddy Anne has plans to write those responsible for THIS, but I'm a grumpy sort and not all of my letters tell owners they got my positive notice.

While Not an Obstacle to Cycling, THIS Facility Sends the Message: "We Don't Care and Can't Be Bothered"
Even a Sign Suggesting Cyclists Park Here Would Have Been MUCH Better

My second GOOD example is drawn from Hoquiam, Washington. At City Hall, the aggregate of the two signs in the photo below send a message that "we have thought about you and here's what you ought to do" to any cyclist coming to city hall. If I were considering riding my bike to do business at City Hall, I'd see that sign and know to go around back. If, on the other hand, they'd simply put the upper sign up, a lot of people might draw less encouraging conclusions. I do not know if they added the lower sign after receiving complaints from grumpy types or simply thought about things up front, but the current message is one I'd consider a positive one, despite the big "NO."

Note that the Inclusion of the Lower Sign Sends a Different Message Than if Only the Upper Sign Had Been Used

You Don't Even Need a Wrench to Steal a Bike Locked Here

Colleyville City, on the other hand, has sent a less attractive message to its cyclists. On the walls of its municipal complex, are posted signs saying "No Bicycles or Skateboards." What's more, within sight of these signs, there are "alleged" bike racks that are shown in the two photos below. They DO look "bikey" at first glance, but as noted in THIS POST, a simple action would result in the quick theft of any bike that used them. To me, the combination sends a message that "we're just going through the motions and can't be bothered to do what it really takes, even though it would not cost a single penny more." Ironically, there is a very good bike rack within steps of the library entrance. A sign change to "No bike riding or skateboarding here, bike rack to right" would have sent an entirely different message. I have never used these bikey racks and have never seen any other cyclist use them either. I lock my bike to something secure.

Sign on Colleyville City Hall. I Imagine No Guns are Allowed, Either. This Sign is About 30 Feet From the "Thief Friendly" Bike Rack

Taken individually, none of these examples make a strong statement, but cumulatively in a given area, they create an environment in which people feel increasingly comfortable riding their bikes - or not. In the US, unlike places like China, only a very small fraction of the population ride their bikes out of economic necessity.

When it comes to Multi-million dollar facilities, the principle is EXACTLY the same. A facility that is built simply because it follows some rail line that doesn't go anywhere cyclists WANT to go within a reasonable distance will not attract much use, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT COST. A facility that continually exposes users to obvious hazards will not succeed, either, because word will get around. A facility that treats users like second-class citizens will find limited use. Yes, the notion of "build it..." is insufficient by itself to make them come. It takes an accumulation of positive messages to potential cyclists that say "cycling is something you WANT to do." Brains need to be engaged first, and THAT happens less often than you might imagine. IMO, keeping cyclists in mind all the time, and the little ways that "in mind" shows up goes further to explain the explosion of cycling in some places more than the paths and paint and the dollars dumped into concrete and asphalt. It really is the thought that counts. When you are thinking, the money that gets spent, whether it is a lot or a little, is spent far more productively.

Source HERE.  Can You REALLY Simply Build Bike Facilities and Expect People to Come? As With MOST THINGS, the Devil is in the Details
BTW, I LOVE the Cotton Belt Trail - It is Like a "Bike Drag Strip" Where an Encounter With a Ped or Cyclist is Rare
DISCLAIMER - I Have No Way to Judge the Accuracy of the Counts Above

Actually, the notion that little things mean a lot ought to be really good news for cyclists in an era when governments seem unable even to pay for basics like police, fire, and teachers, and when other governments are flirting with outright bankruptcy. It means much progress can be made anyway. Signs are cheap and businesses improving their sales actually increase government coffers.