"How do we get more people walking and bicycling in the US?"
Good question.
MSNBC reports on the results of a global study that shows a positive link between fitness and active transportation, stating what I could have told you for free: people who walk and bike instead of drive everywhere weigh less. Not surprisingly, the US came in last.
Susan Handy of UC Davis' Sustainable Transportation Center asked the million dollar question: "How do we get more people walking and bicycling in the US?"
The problem really isn't that we're all lazy and addicted to our cars. Okay, that's part of the problem. But a bigger part of the problem is infrastructure. Our cities simply weren't designed for active transportation. We built a nation to support the automobile, not the human being.
Anne Lusk, one of Bicycle City's advisors and a Harvard School of Public Health research fellow, is featured in the piece:
"What
I found most exciting about this excellent research is the
applicability," she said. "The issue then becomes should we improve our
transit, walking or bicycling opportunities simultaneously or should we
focus on one of the three?"
Lusk
said her first choice is bicycles — and not just because of global
warming, fluctuating gas prices or the economic downturn. When Dutch
researchers asked people to match emotions with various forms of
travel, she said, "The greatest emotion was joy for bicycling."
The evidence is mounting that a community like Bicycle City is needed now more than ever.
Comments
Anonymous
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 09:55
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It easy, it's starts with
It easy, it's starts with you. Ride your no matter what.
I ride 20 miles each way to work and back which is 40 miles a day. I'm also on call and have to go back in many ime and I ride my bicycle again for a total of 80 miles.
I was on jury duty 25 miles from home and rode everyday. I had a flat one day on my way in, stopped and fixed it and was still in before most of the others.
I ran 5 years in a row in the P F Changs 1/2 marathon. In 2007 I rode my bike 16 miles each way to the marathon for 32 miles on top of running. It was also the coldest day in the Phoenix area in 20 years at 26 F. No big deal. I from upsate NY where it gets to -40 below with wind chill. I also ride in summer Phoenix 120 F. It's nice with the bicycle breeze
It's all in your attitude, Ride like your life depends on it. I've been riding for 50 years and still love it. Now I have airless tires on my specialized sequia bicycle. It's the most reliable and efficient ride in the state.
Anonymous
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:00
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High gas prices helped a
High gas prices helped a lot. I rode with more bicycle traffic than ever before.
If we stop subsidizing big oil it will be $4 to $9 a gallon like it is in most countires. All of Europe let's the real price be right at the pump.
In the USA congress tried to pass HR6 bill tried to stop the #13 Billion we give big oil each year and have been for 30 years. Congress was afraid people whould blame them and not vote them back in so it failed to pass by 1 vote. Maybe this year it will pass.
Mos bicycle lanes also helps a lot. We have great lanes in Arizona.