Encourage More City Biking

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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???

Others???

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

Others???

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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