Encourage More City Biking

It is estimated that under 4% of our population fit into the category of "city biker" - i.e. they are comfortable with riding in traffic and are equipped to deal with adverse weather. City planners are hoping to get that number up to 10% and higher. What steps can we take to help achieve that goal?

Barriers to Entry

There are two main factors that contribute to keeping people from riding more frequently:

• Perception of Safety
• Perception of Convenience

Both are addressable with policy for infrastructure and education.

Perception of Safety

Fear of the Rear

Dave - can you give us a good description of it

Advocation:

• Infrastructure: Separate cycle traffic from automobile traffic
• Education: Use a mirror on your bike

Riding in the Dark

During late fall through early spring the odds of riding in the dark are very high. This is a barrier for many riders. How can we improve it?

Advocation:

• Infrastructure: Separate cycle traffic from automobile traffic
• Infrastructure: Better street lighting on dedicated routes
• Education: there's no such thing as too many lights on your bike
  • front, rear and side
  • reflectors and reflective clothing
  • helmet mounted lighting
• Education: Ad campaigns
  • Who will pay?

Dangerous Drivers

Crazy vs careless drivers

Advocation:

• Infrastructure: Separate cycle traffic from automobile traffic
• Education: Ad campaigns
  • Who will pay?
• Education: Rider education
  • Cardinal rule: Always be visible
  • Cardinal rule: Be predictable
    • Use hand signals
    • Don't weave in and out of parked cars - stay on line
    • more???

Perception of Convenience

Travel Time

• Travel by car is typically going to be faster

Advocation:

• Education: What about time finding parking

End Point Facilities

See End of Trip Facilities for deeper discussion

Weather

We live in a region where rain and cold are a fact of life. This can be a huge deterrent to riding. How do we get more people riding through these conditions

Advocation:

• Deal with Perception of Safety
• Education: How to dress for our weather
• Education: Tips for riding in the rain and the cold

Properly designed dedicated routes

Advocation:

• If hills are involved try and follow contours
• Cyclist accessible signal triggers (sensors and buttons)
• Curb drops, speed bump cutouts, signage, traffic control, etc

Transit

Advocation:

• More bike racks on buses
• Education: Translink campaign to let the public know that bikes can be taken on bus, Seabus and Skytrain

Bike Theft

Here's an ugly one...

Advocation:

• Lockup facilities
• Education: how to lock a bike

Positive Reinforcement

What are the benefits?

Budget Friendly

• Discuss cost of operating a vehicle vs operating a bicycle
  • Fuel
  • Parking
  • Insurance
  • Wear and tear
• Possibly no more gym fees

Health

• Discuss the health benefits
  • General fitness
  • Lose weight
  • Social aspects

Environment

• Duh...

Convenience

• Don't have to deal with parking
• Get around traffic jams

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