What’s Wrong with Cycling in the United States?

October 2, 2013

Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times

Holland is world renowned for its cycling transportation infrastructure, and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of spending a few days biking around Amsterdam, then you know just how pleasant, easy, and affordable cycling is there. People from every demographic use the bike routes for daily transportation, intersections are controlled with a unique bicycle traffic light system, bike lanes are well-marked and well-separated from automotive lanes, and people are courteous. Biking is extraordinary fun in Amsterdam.

America has yet to show much widespread interest in cycling as a practical means of transportation, and most new infrastructure development still emphasizes the automobile as an integral and mandatory feature of American life. There seems also to be a rather dense social animosity built up between cyclists and motorists, as both groups are guilty of aggressive and dangerous behavior, fighting over who should be king of the road.

Over-dependence on the automobile in America is costly in many ways, and the solution to this is more complex than just riding bikes to work, but there are some very real advantages to better integrating cycling into the American lifestyle:

Cycling can be a faster means of commute than riding in a car, and can avoid the dreaded 5:00pm traffic jam.
Cycling is good for your health in many ways.
Cycling is far more affordable than car ownership.
Air pollution – not only do cyclists not contribute to it, but you breathe less of it from on a bike than you do sitting in your car in traffic.
Parking is easier for bikes in many places.

With gas prices at an all time high, the expense of car ownership averaging around $9,000 a year nationwide, and the economy in such poor shape, more people will have to make lifestyle changes in order to adjust to these difficult times, and the benefits of cycling are certain to resonate with more and more people in coming years.

So, what is wrong with cycling in America today? Why isn’t it more attractive to commuters and everyday people as a means of getting from ‘A’ to ‘B’?

For those who do cycle in America, life on the road is not quite as relaxing, enjoyable, or as safe as it could be, and for those behind the wheel, cyclists are often seen as a nuisance. You are 30 times more likely to be injured cycling in the US than you are in the Netherlands, and the following observations from a Dutch cyclist give us insight into this, noting both the negative and positive aspects of riding here:

Cycling is not taken seriously; it is something that children do; a leisure activity, mostly done on designated tracks for recreation, not for transportation from A to B.
Where people do ride bikes it seems more like a chase or a race, than a relaxing ride.
Motorists broadly ignore bike lanes, blocking them or opening doors into them.
All traffic is trying to outurn other traffic in various ways, for this it is no wonder that cyclists ride on sidewalks and other pedestrian spaces.
There are some places in the US where cycling is more of an ‘A’ to ‘B’ activity, but even here people are hurried and in a race.
There is largely no specific cycling infrastructure. People compensate for this by wearing colorful lycra, helmets and other gear.
There is lots of cycling despite the infrastructure.
Bike lanes are made in existing roads out of painted stripes on the road – but cars can easily invade the lanes.
Some bike lanes are improved by physical seperation from automotive traffic with pylons or other temporary barriers.
Some places like Chicago are using bicyle traffic lights and in San Francisco they are using bike counters to bring awareness to cycling.
There are a lack of bicycle parking racks in most places, but places like Chicago offer ample parking at transit stationw, which goes largely unused.
Bikes on buses are possible, but only with low numbers of bus users.
Shared bikes are making cycling more practical and possible for people in many American cities.
If cycling was more relaxed and safe then more people could identify with it and would do it.

There may be a ripe future for cycling in the United States yet, but a greater interest in developing the infrastructure for cycling will have to emerge first. Cycling in Amsterdam for a short weekend or week long vacation is enough to turn any non-cyclist into a vocal advocate of daily cycling. How did the Dutch come to live amongst such an effective and inspiring infrastructure designed for cycling?

In the following short video we learn a bit about how public spaces can grow to reflect the intentions and wisdom of local residents, and how the Dutch got their bicycle paths:

Urban sprawl, city planning dedicated to the automobile, and the broadly held American attitude of reliance and dependence on the family car are obstacles to greater adoption of a culture of cycling. Yet, with gas prices so high, traffic congestion growing rapidly in cities, air pollution at dangerous levels and the overall poor condition of health in America, more people are bound to reconsider cycling as a viable means of daily transportation.

About the Author

Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and co-host of Redesigning Reality, both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation, societal awakening, and planetary renewal. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world.

Sources:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/461679_4

http://www.businessinsider.com/13-reasons-you-should-bike-to-work-2013-4?op=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2THe_10dYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t62_xkHDS1k

http://gasbuddy.com/

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