Better biking just up ahead?

Is bicycling gaining on us? I sure hope so, and some academic researchers give reason to argue that it is.

In an article entitled “Bicycling Renaissance in North America? An Update and Re-Appraisal of Cycling Trends and Policies” that is to appear in Transportation Research A, Professor John Pucher of Rutgers University and his colleagues report the results of their review of trends in cycling levels, safety, and policies in Canada and the United States and case-study data for the cities of Chicago, Minneapolis, Montréal; New York, Portland, San Fransisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington (DC). Their paper is a follow-up analysis from one that they published over 10 years ago in the same journal.
Professor Pucher and his colleagues wanted to examine national trends in cycling levels, safety, and funding in general and in those cities that had “been especially innovative and successful at increasing cycling” (p. 4). The results are informative. According to their abstract,

Bike Week is coming

It’s just about here! Tomorrow is the official launch.

Bike Week. Spring is here. If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your bike out of the garage, dust off the seat, pump up the tires and of course, put those safety tips to use because May is National Bike Month and May 16-21 is Charlottesville Albemarle Bike Week. To celebrate, Bike Charlottesville, Charlottesville Community Bikes, Alternative Choices in Community Transportation, and UVa Parking & Transportation have teamed up with local sponsors to offer a bevy of free events for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

See Bike Charlottesville for a schedule of those events and a downloadable flyer.

Bike to work

It’s time to add a category to the list of categories for my notes that appear here. Since our move into the city, I’ve begun to use a bicycle for transportation around C’ville. Now, what should I call most posts on this topic?

My neighborhood has changed. The current new one (Pat call’s our place “The Rental”) has what seems like wonderful neighborhood. We know folks here. We’ve met others. People stop and talk with each other. Sheesh, community. I wave and ring my bell as I pass them on my way out of Willoughby.

The old category, “Neighborhood,” is a bit out of date now. It had many of the same features, to be sure, plus all of the benefits of living in the country. I miss our more frequent contact with our friends and neighbors around Tom Mountain and North Garden. Perhaps I should have “Neighborhood NG” and “Neighborhood City,” but that’s unwieldy.

But, as important as it is, the neighborhood’s not the point. I wanted to talk about commuting via bicycle. Before I create a category, I’ll just use a tag. I’ll start posting entries about my local bicycle situation and tag ‘em biking or cycling or some such. As things evolve, I’ll develop the category…then I’ll have to go back and re-categorize the earlier posts.

I rode to my office today.

I ran this AM, too, so the ride of ~18 min each way was on top of that work out. How does that add to my aerobic fitness, if at all?

I was glad to be able to contribute less to the carbon impact of driving fossil-fueled devices.

I was glad that no drivers knocked me off my bike.