More bicycles on our streets?

[zenstyle]

This morning I checked the "Gas Buddy" website for G.R. Cheapest gas in town is at Costco ($3.06 for members only.)

It's ironic that places like Costco and Sam's Club are located out in Hell's Half Acre, where nobody actually LIVES, and you have to drive quite a distance to get there, thus negating the "savings" in gasoline.

But on to my question. I hope it's not just rhetorical; when can we count on seeing our city streets chock-a-block with bicycle riders, ala the Netherlands? How high will the price have to go before the lightbulb turns on over the collective heads of our citizens and they leave the gas pig in the garage for a change?

[snoogit]

This morning I checked the "Gas Buddy" website for G.R. Cheapest gas in town is at Costco ($3.06 for members only.)

It's ironic that places like Costco and Sam's Club are located out in Hell's Half Acre, where nobody actually LIVES, and you have to drive quite a distance to get there, thus negating the "savings" in gasoline.

But on to my question. I hope it's not just rhetorical; when can we count on seeing our city streets chock-a-block with bicycle riders, ala the Netherlands? How high will the price have to go before the lightbulb turns on over the collective heads of our citizens and they leave the gas pig in the garage for a change?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately, with the suburban sprawl problem in GR, bicycle riding would be virtually impossible for a majoity of people who use 131 and 196 to travel into GR (due to the higways themselves). Most people will trade in their gas pigs for hybrid cars first, then if it gets too prohibitive for that, people will just stop going to work period. My guess is it might convince a few people who are in the city to ride a bike instead of driving a car, but I am certain the suburbanites wont change to bicycles anytime soon.

What will likely come of these high gas prices isnt a conversion to bicycle travel, its too late to ever think of using bicycles here in america, the infrastructure makes that nearly impossible without a prohibitive cost. Instead the conversion to plant oil based fuels (ethanol), and a switch to canadian oil will be the solution(with a 50/50 oil/ethanol blend to begin with)

Also the rise of the BRT, and later a conversion to electrified light rail would boost the area quite well.

[GaryP]

Can you imagine how much skinnier everyone would become if we all rode a bike everywhere?

[snoogit]

Can you imagine how much skinnier everyone would become if we all rode a bike everywhere?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

unless your lance armstrong (which im guessing no one here is that fit) theres no way someone could travel from rockford to GR daily on a bicycle.

[torgo]

unless your lance armstrong (which im guessing no one here is that fit) theres no way someone could travel from rockford to GR daily on a bicycle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is really problematic isn't the people who live 7 miles away from their jobs, I think mass transit can help that problem out. What will really be something is to see what the people who live 70 miles away from work decide to do. I can't imagine being these folks who travel an hour and a half to work one way at 3.49 a gallon. They must spend 400 a month on just gas! Not to mention wear and tear on the car. I heard a while back that "super commuters", those who travel more than 2 hours to work one way, are the fastest growing group of commuters in the US. It was something like 2.5 million and counting.

[PBJ]

What is really problematic isn't the people who live 7 miles away from their jobs, I think mass transit can help that problem out.  What will really be something is to see what the people who live 70 miles away from work decide to do.  I can't imagine being these folks who travel an hour and a half to work one way at 3.49 a gallon.  They must spend 400 a month on just gas!  Not to mention wear and tear on the car.  I heard a while back that "super commuters", those who travel more than 2 hours to work one way, are the fastest growing group of commuters in the US.  It was something like 2.5 million and counting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, i'm one of these types, GR to Holland every day. It's about 60 miles round trip in the G6, or a tank of gas a week. Used to be to Muskegon everyday, i've always been a "commuter" type person as my parents like to live in the sticks.

If i DID work in GR, i'd for sure be riding a scooter at the very least, one of those sweet retro style vespas or honda's. But alas, unless I want to move to holland, which I don't, i'll deal with the gas for the time being. Mass transit to the lakeshore, now that would be sweet.

[JimInGR]

I'm only 5 miles from work, so I only fill up about every 2 weeks, but since gas is getting so high, i'm riding a bike to work now. I can't complain, it'll get me in shape and I'm saving money. What more could someone ask for?

[daniel nudnik]

chicago is a 230 sq. mile city with an extensive bike lane network. bike lanes get people across town quickly. it is not costly.

[mpchicago]

chicago is a 230 sq. mile city with an extensive bike lane network. bike lanes get people across town quickly. it is not costly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mayor Daley has made biking to work a priority in the city of Chicago. The city offers a guide to those interested in doing so. Once a year the city will even shut down Lake Shore Drive to auto traffic and open all eight lanes to cyclists. The city also uses LSD for the cycling portion of Marathons. The new Millennium Park in Downtown Chicago includes a bike station were you can rent bikes or if you commute on your bike there is even a shower/locker room to get freshened up.

For those Lance Armstrong