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Baker, CA to Las Vegas to shop wouldn't be much fun at any time of the year.
How is this thread got anything to do with automotive?
It has to do with the replacement of cars for many ,not all, everyday functions. If you'd read the article BEFORE you commented you'd know that!
Sad as I am to say this about 90% of Americans still think bike are toys for kids which they are NOT! True bikes can be toys but bikes also are a viable method of transporting all people that are physically able,which is way more than people think, for local errands & work. Cycling just needs to made safer to encourage folk's to ride more.
Since fully 90% or all our driving is local THAT is where a bicycle shines. Bicycles and long distance are only for the hardy and robust but they CAN carry you a long distance if you're not in a hurry.
I think tightwad bicycle owners should have to pay taxes for road construction and take road tests to be able to ride on public roads that way the automobile owners is not the one left paying for all these new bike trails and roads.
they should also have to pay for insurance premiums in case of accidents just like the car and motorcycle owner does if they want to ride in or near traffic.
What makes you think people want to bike to work much less long distances?You can't even get folks in the US to trade their cars for motorcycles which can get 50-80 MPG and require no muscle power.
Please folks!! READ THE ARTICLE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!
Much of your concerns and worries are addressed in the article since the Dutch have already solved many of these issues you've noted.
I read the article and they didn't solve any of my complaints. I'd still show up to work with swear stains on my dress shirt (along with any associated odor) and it won't make it any easier to lug around everything I need for my classes, and they haven't done a thing to help me out in a blizzard, in strong storms, etc.
Time is also a huge issue. Lets take just one example. I spend a great portion of my week traveling between San Francisco, CA to San Mateo, CA (19mi). To make this trip on a bicycle would take about two hours for someone who is fairly experienced, longer for someone who is just starting out. The same trip takes about 30 minutes by car. Counting both ways, I can decide between one hour of travel time by car or four hours by bike.
Location: The Circle City. Sometimes NE of Bagdad.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tightwad
It has to do with the replacement of cars for many ,not all, everyday functions. If you'd read the article BEFORE you commented you'd know that!
Sad as I am to say this about 90% of Americans still think bike are toys for kids which they are NOT! True bikes can be toys but bikes also are a viable method of transporting all people that are physically able,which is way more than people think, for local errands & work. Cycling just needs to made safer to encourage folk's to ride more.
Since fully 90% or all our driving is local THAT is where a bicycle shines. Bicycles and long distance are only for the hardy and robust but they CAN carry you a long distance if you're not in a hurry.
I think tightwad bicycle owners should have to pay taxes for road construction and take road tests to be able to ride on public roads that way the automobile owners is not the one left paying for all these new bike trails and roads.
they should also have to pay for insurance premiums in case of accidents just like the car and motorcycle owner does if they want to ride in or near traffic.
I don't disagree one bit. If ya wanna play then ya gotta pay!
During the colder months of the year (November to April), my bike is parked at my family's business, where I currently work (I am applying for graduate schools next year). Although I drive the 9 miles to and from the store, it makes a great vehicle for running errands on the warmer days - say, above 20 degrees - of the cold season. My errands tend to be within no more than 1 - 1.25 mile of where I work, so the "drive" is usually manageable. I just can't see driving to the gas station or pharmacy when they are under 1/2 mile away. Plus, it probably saves a small but disproportionate amount of gas.
I disagree with bicyclists having to pay insurance premiums or take a road test to utilize public roads. Where would 10 year old kids ride their bikes then? How would people who could not afford a car commute to their destinations? American transportation policy has traditionally been slanted in favor of the private automobile. With rising fuel rates and (especially) an obesity crisis, which can partially be traced to relying on cars for even the shortest trips, we need to re-consider this position. Forcing bicyclists to carry insurance or pay road taxes would certainly discourage cycling, and we need to do all we can to combat obesity in this country, which includes encouraging and incentivizing, not discouraging, biking.
yeah but what if the biker weights 220-250lbs and rides down a hill and cuts into heavy city traffic and hits a car and causes $500-$1000 bucks in body damage to a car he/she (the biker) should pay for it no?
what if the biker does not have a grand to shell out for body repairs in a accident he caused should the car owner be on the hook then?
There are occasions when riding a bike could very well get me from point A to point B quicker than driving, and many more occasions where it would get me there quicker than public transportation. But God knows you put your life at risk riding around here, and that's not a risk I'm willing to take very often.
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