TheWashCycle

Columbia Heights Bikes

Columbia Heights Bikes, originally uploaded by M.V. Jantzen.

Gary Imhoff, still wrong

The bicycling-movie-ignorant Gary Imhoff focused like a laser beam on one part of Tim Craig's Washington Post article on biking in DC - the fact that only 2.2% of DC residents bike to work.

First of all, he's unaware of how that number is generated. 2.2% is the percentage who primarily bike commute. It ignores fair weather or occasional bike commuters. I don't qualify because I telecommute more often than bike. But I suspect there are a lot of fair weather cyclists (which is fine, IMO). 

Second, he doesn't consider that this is an average. On some days that number is much higher. And on those days bike commuting significantly decreases congestion and pollution.

Third, he fails to note that transportation is about more than commuting. There may be more trips by bicycle than commutes by bicycle. Update: In fact, there are. According to the LAB, bike trips are three times larger a percentage of total trips than bike commutes are of total commuting trips. Which makes sense. People are more pressed for time and more interested in looking clean and coiffed when going to work. 

Fourth, he uses 1990 census data. Why not go back to 1890. Driving doesn't rank that high there, does it?

Fifth, in DC the drive-to-bike ratio is only 30:1, which is really not bad. I'm not sure what the ratio of dollars spent for drivers to cyclists is, but my money is on a number larger than 30.

Sixth, what Dave Jamieson says.

Seventh, Rome<>one day

Georgetown ANC debated CaBi station locations last night

Though a Georgetown ANC rejected one CaBi station location, they're considering other locations for it. David Alpert writes:

When a CaBi station was proposed for the Car Barn on Prospect St, which would have been convenient for students and residents, a "loose coalition of homeowners" told their ANC commissioner that they opposed it. They cited concerns "about more noise and parking—that people might park nearby just to use the bike station."

Even though none of the homeowners felt strongly enough to subsequently attend an ANC meeting to oppose the Car Barn location, and I showed up and spoke in support of it, all but the GU student commissioner voted down the location.

Part of me wants to say "no soup for you!" but Metro-less Georgetown needs CaBi (and I like to go there at times) so I will refrain. GGW also breaks down the possible locations. Did anyone go last night?

Convenient Parking

Convenient Parking, originally uploaded by M.V. Jantzen.

New(ish) bike parking, in front of Loews Theatres. 3111 K St NW, Washington, DC.

It's nice, but I wouldn't want to have to change a flat

Michael adds "This is from a digitized journal "Cycling Life" with issues for 1896-1897. From the Library of Congress. It was a journal intended not for purchasers of bikes but for the "bicycle trade" and for that I think is more interesting in some ways. Mostly what I note is how little some things have changed or in some cases, how things that one sees presented as now today were actually explored more than 100 years ago."

More here. One interesting part is that it takes 8 men to propel it and that with them it adds 1120 lbs. Meaning that each man weighs an average of 140 lbs.

Dublin bike sharing success

This video is pretty good and the list of concerns: vandalism, drunk cycling, fatalities, etc... sounds like the same list I've heard here. 40% of users had never ridden a bike in Dublin before. They also discuss helmets and concerns that mandatory helmet use would kill bike sharing, as it has in Melbourne.

 

Thanks to Max for the tip.

Bicycle Highways coming to Copenhagen

It's a slow news day, local biking-wise. Here's some news from abroad.

It is on crowded Noerrebrogade -- the busiest bicycle street in Europe, according to the cyclist association -- that city planners have decided to build the first of Copenhagen's environmentally friendly boulevards.

The jammed bike paths will be widened up to four metres (yards) on either side of the road, which will itself will be reserved for buses only.

Copenhagen's bike highways of tomorrow will be dotted with pit stops where it will be possible to pump up tyres, fix a chain and have a drink of water, Roehl says.

And synchronised traffic lights prioritising bicycles over cars will bring riders from the suburbs into Copenhagen "quickly and safely," he says.

Lon Anderson would absolutely lose it if this happened here.

The first two city-to-suburb bicycle highways are due to open at the end of 2011 and reach a distance of 15 kilometres from central Copenhagen, while a third, going as far as 20 kilometres from the capital's centre, will be put into service in 2012.

If we were building two bicycle highways into DC, I might go with Piney Branch/13th and Mass Avenue. Third, Wilson Blvd with improve TR Bridge crossings.

Bike frames in Rock Creek Park

Bike frames in Rock Creek Park, originally uploaded by volcrano.

While hiking off some of my stuffing this weekend, I stumbled across these stripped bike frames in Rock Creek Park. There were also some wheels and other items scattered about.

Tour de Links - Dope

Maillot Jaune: A study out of Australia show that in 87% of car-bike crashes, the driver of the car is at fault.

The helmet camera study found that of the 54 incidents recorded, more than 88 per cent of cyclists travelled in a safe and legal way.

Conversely, drivers changing lanes and turning left without indicating or looking were the cause of more than 70 per cent of the incidents...

Podium: Contador's team is standing behind him for now, while Spain's beef producers stand behind their product. Meanwhile, investigating Lance Armstrong is fraught with political hurdles.

Podium: Some NYC city hall employees use the bike lanes they advocate for.

Podium: A doctor on Huffington Post argues that helmets should be mandatory for cyclists and motorcyclists. He quotes the same bad research that everyone else quotes. Except that now, helmets are 95% effective - no citation given. And only 8% of cycling fatalities were wearing helmets in 2008 (it was 9% and it's still likely wrong). But as with all the other doctors who weigh in on this, he doesn't take the time to understand these "facts". His logic could also be used to require helmets on motorists or pedestrians; or for mandatory sunscreen or condom use laws. A better article would have been "Head injuries, why motorcyclists and bicyclists should wear helmets" backed up with real, up-to-date cited science. As it is, he's saying "trust me, I'm a doctor." Which makes me want soda.

Maillot Vert: NYC starts a campaign telling road users "Don't be a jerk". In it there is information that John Pucher is doing a study of cycling and transportation in several cities, including DC.

In Chicago, Dr. Pucher said, taxi and bus drivers are required to take courses on safe driving with cyclists.

In Portland, motorists ticketed for cycling-related violations can take education classes in lieu of paying a fine. Paul Steely White, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, would like to see similar practices adopted in New York.

Maillot a Pois Rouge: An airless bicycle tire and a light, but powerful e-bike win "Best of 2010" awards from popular science. "The Serenity consists of a solid tube-like core made from a foam-type material, and an exterior rubber tread. No air means there are no pressure adjustments to make and, even better, no flats. It’s lightweight and long-lasting, and you can add a new tread without having to replace the whole tire."

Maillot Blanc: Sen. Mitch McConnel used an earmark to help build a bike path in Louisville, KY.

Lanterne Rouge: A NYC artist has an interesting project "She is halfway through an ambitious project to capture downtown denizens riding on two wheels down each of the approximately 200 streets below 14th Street." Quick, somebody in DC copycat her.



Maybe they're from out of town?

Photo of 15th Street NW by JeffB