Why Doesn't America Have This Mindset?

Also, cyclists are just generally cool people. I feel that pretty much the safest place you can be is on a bicycle path all around. People are generally very respectful of others. No one fucks with you. Even if your bike breaks down for some reason, it's amazing how many people will stop and help you. I just like the whole atmosphere and the people.
 
Superfreak said:
Just going to say to Darla... HA HA... we have bike paths integrated all over Denver and the front range. You can bike 40-60 miles and rarely have to cross a street. They are careful to integrate paths in newer neighborhoods as it is a very nice way to get around and avoid traffic at the same time (which drivers also appreciate).

For much of the northeast it would be like our downtown area, too many parts are so over developed there is nowhere to put a path. So they make do with bike lanes (if that). It is part of why I would never want to live out there. Great places to go for certain, but I would never live there.
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It's that way here in the part of Columbus I live in. We have nearly 100 miles of bike paths here in Dublin alone with bike paths that extend through out the entire city of Columbus. That helps keep a lot of cyclist off the road, makes it easier to commute to work and I can use them to commute out to the rural roads where I can ride safely at tempo. Having said that I still prefer bike lanes as we still have the pedestrian issue on most bike paths here which makes it frustrating to ride at tempo.
 
cawacko said:
Haha. This is random but I had two bikes in college. Both got stolen of course. I haven't bought a bike since.
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Uhm well if you don't leave your bike in places where it can get stolen it's not a problem. DUH! I've been riding since the early 80's. I have owned 8 bikes. One of them was stolen....when i was at college....and it was a POS beater bike that I used to commute to classes cause I new there was a high risk of it getting stolen.
 
Derp Derp said:
Uhm well if you don't leave your bike in places where it can get stolen it's not a problem. DUH! I've been riding since the early 80's. I have owned 8 bikes. One of them was stolen....when i was at college....and it was a POS beater bike that I used to commute to classes cause I new there was a high risk of it getting stolen.
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I'm not victim blaming I just question whether his bikes were actually stolen or he forgot where he left them. LOL I mean, that's two bikes and two cars stolen from him in a short period of time. If Cawacko said he had been raped twice in college and someone said well you must have been drunk, I would freak out. If Cawacko said he had been raped four times in college...I might start scratching my head? Though it would still be very wrong of me to do so. In fact, this post is very wrong of me to write. I feel dirty already. But it's Cawacko and having heard some of his stories (which are hysterical) I can't help it!
 
leaningright said:
That is such a good article. In a place where such an undertaking is feasible, it makes absolute sense to do it. I have noticed a few more bike paths around some areas of OKC. And people are going to be more convinced to ride bikes because "...biking was already the best option for many types of trips. 'If you want to drive a car for medium distance, you know you, are a fool,' he said, 'You are going to waste time.'" That works better for most folks than telling on he is going to be more healthy and save the planet. Anytime it is feasible to ride my bike, I do it. Anytime it is feasible to ride my motorcycle, I do it. I woul much rather go somewhere using those two modes of transportation than drive my truck or SUV. I never give the health benefit of biking a second thought because I'm too busy enjoying the open air. Thanks for posting the article. More bike paths in cities would be a great thing.
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You'd give it a second thought if you rode more. I ride about 100- 150 miles per week, except during the winter, when I do about 50 miles a week on a stationary trainer and I am extremely fit from doing that. My BMI is around 15% and my resting heart rate is around 52 bpm and my blood chemistries are that of a 30 yo. I can hold my breath for well over a minute and I have that lean athletic look which my wife finds attractive. :)

Though I do share your point. The reason I cycle is for fun and fitness but when I'm out on the road....I agree with you there....I'm enjoying the experience to much to think about the other stuff. Cycling is fun! :) Particulary on a high end road bike were you can average 20 mph and can hit down hill speeds that are down right scary.
 
Darla said:
Also, cyclists are just generally cool people. I feel that pretty much the safest place you can be is on a bicycle path all around. People are generally very respectful of others. No one fucks with you. Even if your bike breaks down for some reason, it's amazing how many people will stop and help you. I just like the whole atmosphere and the people.
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That's been my experience. I flatted the other day when i was out riding in the stix and two cyclist and two motorist stopped to see if I needed help. :)
 
Darla said:
I'm not victim blaming I just question whether his bikes were actually stolen or he forgot where he left them. LOL I mean, that's two bikes and two cars stolen from him in a short period of time. If Cawacko said he had been raped twice in college and someone said well you must have been drunk, I would freak out. If Cawacko said he had been raped four times in college...I might start scratching my head? Though it would still be very wrong of me to do so. In fact, this post is very wrong of me to write. I feel dirty already. But it's Cawacko and having heard some of his stories (which are hysterical) I can't help it!
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Knowing Wacko he was probably on the bikes (or in the cars) when they were stolen. LOL
 
Darla said:
The town I grew up in, which i still bike through sometimes, they just put bike lanes in last year. It's pathetic. Plus the people here are just not bike-friendly. It's a certain mindset. It's really weird. It's why I started sticking mostly to the paths at state parks, one in particular. I wish we had that here.
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FUCK BIKERS.
 
Derp Derp said:
It's that way here in the part of Columbus I live in. We have nearly 100 miles of bike paths here in Dublin alone with bike paths that extend through out the entire city of Columbus. That helps keep a lot of cyclist off the road, makes it easier to commute to work and I can use them to commute out to the rural roads where I can ride safely at tempo. Having said that I still prefer bike lanes as we still have the pedestrian issue on most bike paths here which makes it frustrating to ride at tempo.
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Most of our paths tend to be pedestrian free or at least sparse enough that it isn't a problem. I think a large reason for that is we have parks everywhere for people to walk etc... or they stay on the sidewalks not wanting to risk being on the designated bike paths.
 
Darla said:
Also, cyclists are just generally cool people.
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wrong.

I feel that pretty much the safest place you can be is on a bicycle path all around.
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yeah cause you are going 12 miles an hour a foot off the ground with grass usually to your right.

No one fucks with you.
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yeah lanky guys in spandex aren't usually very frightening.

Even if your bike breaks down for some reason, it's amazing how many people will stop and help you. I just like the whole atmosphere and the people.
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if your "bike breaks down" it's not like you are swapping out an engine. yeah they help you put the chain back on. I did that when I was 9.

Also, you need to check your privilege, girls get helped way more than guys. Obviously a damsel in distress is going to have 50 white knights trying to save the day. That wont happen nearly as much with guys.
 
Denmark models what I personally think the States should look like. We should have a small Federal government, and free up resources to allow States to do this sort of thing. Of course, some States, such as Mississippi and Alabama, will always suck. That is why I live in a liberal State and always will.
 
King of Owls said:
wrong.



yeah cause you are going 12 miles an hour a foot off the ground with grass usually to your right.



yeah lanky guys in spandex aren't usually very frightening.



if your "bike breaks down" it's not like you are swapping out an engine. yeah they help you put the chain back on. I did that when I was 9.

Also, you need to check your privilege, girls get helped way more than guys. Obviously a damsel in distress is going to have 50 white knights trying to save the day. That wont happen nearly as much with guys.
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Boy someone's jealous. Some of the hottest guy's I see and with the best bodies are cyclists. I don't think you around many of them.
 
everyone in boston that bikes are hipsters. and I am usually sympathetic towards hipsters, but i fucking hate biker hipsters with their fixed gear bikes and their ironic demeanor and their cambridge attitude.
 
King of Owls said:
everyone in boston that bikes are hipsters. and I am usually sympathetic towards hipsters, but i fucking hate biker hipsters with their fixed gear bikes and their ironic demeanor and their cambridge attitude.
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We don't have many hipsters on LI, that's a Brooklyn thing here. The guys I see here are mostly jocks. I always tell my girlfriends you want to meet men, go to a bike path and you have one of two choices.

-If you want to meet men within five seconds, pull over to the side, stand by your bike with a wide eyed look and just stare at your gears.

-If you want to wait five minutes to meet them, pull over to the side and drink some water and just hang out.
 
Darla said:
You had two cars and two bikes stolen there? LOL Cawacko you were in a drunken stupor during your college years weren't you?
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HA! I will say I went out drinking on a Friday night and woke up Saturday morning in a world of confusion as to where I was etc. I could not find my car for the life of me. I was so scared that I had drinken and drivin the night before and didn't know where I left it. As I later found out the car was on the side of the road in Inglewood completely stripped. Ripped off right out of our apartment complex parking lot.

No good stories with the bikes. One was taken on campus and the other the apartment complex bike rack. No drunken escapades with those.

My freshman year though I had a good one. I had this old Jeep Grand Wagoneer. One night I'm driving thinking to myself 'man it is dark out'. I pull over and realize my car lights and everything on the side had been stripped. I go to this Jeep place later for new parts and I am 99.9% sure I bought my old parts back. Such a racket.
 
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