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Main
Date: 05 Aug 2006 21:02:24
From: Garrison Hilliard
Subject: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly?
By Kevin Eigelbach
Post staff reporter
Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and makes
the rider a healthier, happier person.
So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to climb. Or it
might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its automobiles.
With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state bicycle
riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an adventure.
Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a
growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and governments
should pay more attention to their needs.
"As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to bicycles
as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph Mitchell,
the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club. "As
gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested."
Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said Mike
Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing because of
better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de France
bike race.
At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's roads
than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile Association.
Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see more
accessibility for bicyclists.
So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike racks
at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's on his
bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving.
"If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike
racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street sign."
He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the Kroger
store in Erlanger.
Then there's the safety issue.
In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in Crosby
Township on the west side of Hamilton County.
Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks, but what
bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that informs
motorists of the rights of cyclists.
Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six miles
from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets downtown,
Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding in
snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain.
As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he encounters.
The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a
rear-view mirror.
"There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not giving you
your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed.
Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way, motorists
would get used to them and act accordingly.
Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to work on
his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said. One
exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives.
Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect in any
way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said.
"There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said, listing
the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus the
University Hospital area in Corryville.
He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the blame. They
are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large groups to
allow motorists to pass."
The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing broken
bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year,
one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles.
He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and threaten
his bicycle tires.
Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible to
automobiles than to bicycles.
Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center," has
plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks.
The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have bicycle
racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in Norwood,
keting Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she said.
"We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really clue us
in to what's important to the communities," she said.
The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle racks - to
do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said.
He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway or
Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no dedicated
paths for bicycles.
"There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said.
Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on the Levee
has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet, General
Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle until you
return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she said,
but it's there.
Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road, said
spokesperson Stephanie Wood.
You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston Road in
Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has required
them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said.
Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and now has
about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from nearby
Plantation Pointe subdivision.
But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age of the
automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't belong in
some places, including shopping malls.
"I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks and
invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and get a cup
of coffee."
When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall, he
simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on it.
"Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done the same
at Panera Bread for years."
Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the Public
Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said.
Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle trails on
city streets.
"If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the law to
stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how far you
could go."
Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic Trail
on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater park
on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be
dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them,
Listerman said.
"Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to them," he
said.
The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown to Buck
Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with
bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more.
The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to Clear
Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said.
Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston Road
in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell said,
because it goes nowhere.
But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle lanes,
has attracted riders, he said.
When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most
progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires new
developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello said.
Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as part of
that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to link Ky.
18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a bicycle
path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to the
one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said.
Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that would
connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its bicycle paths
in Central Park, he said.
The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require
developers to create bicycle trails.
"I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would know I
have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and the
Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for long-range
planning.
Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the commission
has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for
pedestrians.
Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly.
Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of Northern
Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a $70,000
grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina Douthit
said.
The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just huge for
the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had racks for
years that are not right in line with where we are."
All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have bicycle
racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said.
Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but Hilvers
said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months.
Publication date: 08-05-2006
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060805/NEWS02/608050327
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|
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Date: 09 Aug 2006 03:06:53
From:
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
>>Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State"
areas in the USA?
If he's writing for a local newspaper which just happens to be online,
perhaps he doesn't realize the article will be 'lifted' from its proper
place and taken out of context elsewhere.
As far as bike friendly cities are concerned...
I used to live in Minneapolis which has plenty of bike trails, but I
also rode on the street because most of the time they were wide and
there was plenty of room for cars and bikes. So one day I was riding
down Central Avenue, a pretty busy road, apparently, and we were
stopped at a stoplight. So some jerk behind me yells at me to get off
the road...I can't remember his exact phrasing, but I turned and yelled
back, "I have a right to the road also."
And he yelled back the same thing he'd said before...and each time I
told him I had a right to the road he just repeated himself also. I
thought about pointing out to him that he was pretty stupid but since
he was in a pickup truck and I was on a bike and he seemed kind of
unstable..I didn't want to provoke him any more than he already was.
Having said that, every time I was driving and passed a biker riding
the wrong way on the road, or unable to keep to a straight line, or
biking at night while wearing dark clothing, I could just shake my
head, as it's these types who give bicyclists a bad rep.
Now I'm vacationing in Germany for a month - the southeastern part near
Kaiserslautern, and it is *great* for biking. The rules are very strict
- drivers have to give bikers a 3 meter clearance when passing, and
can't pass until it's safe to do so...and they don't mind doing
it...there are plenty of car free days so that bikers can get out and
use a section of the autobahn en masse, etc.
Caroline
The Thunder Child Science Fiction webzine
http://thethunderchild.com
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| |
Date: 05 Aug 2006 16:47:09
From: Earl Bollinger
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
"Garrison Hilliard" <garrison@efn.org > wrote in message
news:uq1ad2dj65u1dm1udr3bblbkotkhkseihe@4ax.com...
> Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly?
>
> By Kevin Eigelbach
> Post staff reporter
>
> Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and
> makes
> the rider a healthier, happier person.
>
> So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to climb.
> Or it
> might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its
> automobiles.
>
> With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state
> bicycle
> riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an
> adventure.
>
> Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a
> growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and
> governments
> should pay more attention to their needs.
>
> "As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to
> bicycles
> as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph
> Mitchell,
> the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club.
> "As
> gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested."
>
> Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said
> Mike
> Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing
> because of
> better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de
> France
> bike race.
>
> At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's
> roads
> than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile
> Association.
>
> Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see
> more
> accessibility for bicyclists.
>
> So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike
> racks
> at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's
> on his
> bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving.
>
> "If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike
> racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street
> sign."
> He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the
> Kroger
> store in Erlanger.
>
> Then there's the safety issue.
>
> In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in
> Crosby
> Township on the west side of Hamilton County.
>
> Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks,
> but what
> bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that
> informs
> motorists of the rights of cyclists.
>
> Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six
> miles
> from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets downtown,
> Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding
> in
> snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain.
>
> As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he
> encounters.
> The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a
> rear-view mirror.
>
> "There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not
> giving you
> your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed.
>
> Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way,
> motorists
> would get used to them and act accordingly.
>
> Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to
> work on
> his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said.
> One
> exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives.
>
> Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect
> in any
> way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said.
>
> "There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said,
> listing
> the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus
> the
> University Hospital area in Corryville.
>
> He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the blame.
> They
> are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large
> groups to
> allow motorists to pass."
>
> The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing
> broken
> bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year,
> one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles.
>
> He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and
> threaten
> his bicycle tires.
>
> Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible
> to
> automobiles than to bicycles.
>
> Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center,"
> has
> plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks.
>
> The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have
> bicycle
> racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in
> Norwood,
> keting Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she
> said.
>
> "We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really
> clue us
> in to what's important to the communities," she said.
>
> The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle
> racks - to
> do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said.
>
> He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway
> or
> Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no
> dedicated
> paths for bicycles.
>
> "There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said.
>
> Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on the
> Levee
> has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet,
> General
> Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle until
> you
> return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she
> said,
> but it's there.
>
> Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road,
> said
> spokesperson Stephanie Wood.
>
> You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston
> Road in
> Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has
> required
> them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said.
>
> Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and now
> has
> about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from
> nearby
> Plantation Pointe subdivision.
>
> But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age
> of the
> automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't
> belong in
> some places, including shopping malls.
>
> "I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks
> and
> invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and get
> a cup
> of coffee."
>
> When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall, he
> simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on
> it.
>
> "Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done
> the same
> at Panera Bread for years."
>
> Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the
> Public
> Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said.
>
> Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle
> trails on
> city streets.
>
> "If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the
> law to
> stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how
> far you
> could go."
>
> Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic
> Trail
> on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater
> park
> on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be
> dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them,
> Listerman said.
>
> "Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to
> them," he
> said.
>
> The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown
> to Buck
> Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with
> bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more.
>
> The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to
> Clear
> Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said.
>
> Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston
> Road
> in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell
> said,
> because it goes nowhere.
>
> But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle
> lanes,
> has attracted riders, he said.
>
> When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most
> progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires new
> developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello
> said.
>
> Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as part
> of
> that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to link
> Ky.
> 18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a
> bicycle
> path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to
> the
> one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said.
>
> Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that
> would
> connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its bicycle
> paths
> in Central Park, he said.
>
> The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require
> developers to create bicycle trails.
>
> "I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would
> know I
> have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and
> the
> Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for
> long-range
> planning.
>
> Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the
> commission
> has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for
> pedestrians.
>
> Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly.
>
> Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of
> Northern
> Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a
> $70,000
> grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina
> Douthit
> said.
>
> The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just huge
> for
> the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had
> racks for
> years that are not right in line with where we are."
>
> All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have
> bicycle
> racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said.
>
> Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but
> Hilvers
> said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months.
>
>
>
> Publication date: 08-05-2006
>
> http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060805/NEWS02/608050327
Amaeicans are pretty much tied to the automobile as the priy mode of
transportation. even if gasoline went over $5.00 US a gallon it would have
little effect on this.
What would have to happen is gasoline shortages and high prices. At that
point the populace would scream for other forms of transporation and mass
transit and bicycling would become much more popular then. Unfortuanately,
except for some limited mass transportation features in a few cities, most
cities have none at all. It would take at the minimum about five years to
even get a bus system running in most localities with all the red tape
involved. Ten years to get a train system going. So that means people had
better get used to using bicycles, walking, or working from home
(telecommuting for example). But it would have the benefit of getting a lot
of multi-billion dollar road and highway projects shelved so the money could
be used to build mass transporation alternatives in some areas.One major
issue is most all the cities have little or no money for mass
transportation, so it would mean taxes would go up to support it.
|
| | |
Date: 05 Aug 2006 19:47:54
From: James Fitch
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
"Earl Bollinger" <earlwbollinger@comcast.net > wrote in message
news:u9OdnSYyR-dDjEjZnZ2dnUVZ_u-dnZ2d@comcast.com...
> "Garrison Hilliard" <garrison@efn.org> wrote in message
> news:uq1ad2dj65u1dm1udr3bblbkotkhkseihe@4ax.com...
>> Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly?
>>
>> By Kevin Eigelbach
>> Post staff reporter
>>
>> Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and
>> makes
>> the rider a healthier, happier person.
>>
>> So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to
>> climb. Or it
>> might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its
>> automobiles.
>>
>> With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state
>> bicycle
>> riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an
>> adventure.
>>
>> Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a
>> growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and
>> governments
>> should pay more attention to their needs.
>>
>> "As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to
>> bicycles
>> as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph
>> Mitchell,
>> the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club.
>> "As
>> gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested."
>>
>> Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said
>> Mike
>> Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing
>> because of
>> better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de
>> France
>> bike race.
>>
>> At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's
>> roads
>> than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile
>> Association.
>>
>> Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see
>> more
>> accessibility for bicyclists.
>>
>> So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike
>> racks
>> at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's
>> on his
>> bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving.
>>
>> "If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike
>> racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street
>> sign."
>> He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the
>> Kroger
>> store in Erlanger.
>>
>> Then there's the safety issue.
>>
>> In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in
>> Crosby
>> Township on the west side of Hamilton County.
>>
>> Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks,
>> but what
>> bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that
>> informs
>> motorists of the rights of cyclists.
>>
>> Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six
>> miles
>> from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets
>> downtown,
>> Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding
>> in
>> snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain.
>>
>> As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he
>> encounters.
>> The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a
>> rear-view mirror.
>>
>> "There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not
>> giving you
>> your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed.
>>
>> Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way,
>> motorists
>> would get used to them and act accordingly.
>>
>> Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to
>> work on
>> his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said.
>> One
>> exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives.
>>
>> Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect
>> in any
>> way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said.
>>
>> "There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said,
>> listing
>> the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus
>> the
>> University Hospital area in Corryville.
>>
>> He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the
>> blame. They
>> are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large
>> groups to
>> allow motorists to pass."
>>
>> The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing
>> broken
>> bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year,
>> one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles.
>>
>> He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and
>> threaten
>> his bicycle tires.
>>
>> Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible
>> to
>> automobiles than to bicycles.
>>
>> Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center,"
>> has
>> plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks.
>>
>> The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have
>> bicycle
>> racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in
>> Norwood,
>> keting Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she
>> said.
>>
>> "We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really
>> clue us
>> in to what's important to the communities," she said.
>>
>> The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle
>> racks - to
>> do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said.
>>
>> He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway
>> or
>> Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no
>> dedicated
>> paths for bicycles.
>>
>> "There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said.
>>
>> Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on
>> the Levee
>> has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet,
>> General
>> Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle
>> until you
>> return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she
>> said,
>> but it's there.
>>
>> Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road,
>> said
>> spokesperson Stephanie Wood.
>>
>> You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston
>> Road in
>> Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has
>> required
>> them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said.
>>
>> Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and
>> now has
>> about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from
>> nearby
>> Plantation Pointe subdivision.
>>
>> But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age
>> of the
>> automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't
>> belong in
>> some places, including shopping malls.
>>
>> "I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks
>> and
>> invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and
>> get a cup
>> of coffee."
>>
>> When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall,
>> he
>> simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on
>> it.
>>
>> "Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done
>> the same
>> at Panera Bread for years."
>>
>> Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the
>> Public
>> Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said.
>>
>> Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle
>> trails on
>> city streets.
>>
>> "If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the
>> law to
>> stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how
>> far you
>> could go."
>>
>> Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic
>> Trail
>> on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater
>> park
>> on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be
>> dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them,
>> Listerman said.
>>
>> "Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to
>> them," he
>> said.
>>
>> The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown
>> to Buck
>> Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with
>> bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more.
>>
>> The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to
>> Clear
>> Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said.
>>
>> Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston
>> Road
>> in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell
>> said,
>> because it goes nowhere.
>>
>> But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle
>> lanes,
>> has attracted riders, he said.
>>
>> When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most
>> progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires
>> new
>> developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello
>> said.
>>
>> Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as
>> part of
>> that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to
>> link Ky.
>> 18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a
>> bicycle
>> path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to
>> the
>> one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said.
>>
>> Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that
>> would
>> connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its
>> bicycle paths
>> in Central Park, he said.
>>
>> The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require
>> developers to create bicycle trails.
>>
>> "I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would
>> know I
>> have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and
>> the
>> Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for
>> long-range
>> planning.
>>
>> Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the
>> commission
>> has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for
>> pedestrians.
>>
>> Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly.
>>
>> Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of
>> Northern
>> Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a
>> $70,000
>> grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina
>> Douthit
>> said.
>>
>> The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just
>> huge for
>> the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had
>> racks for
>> years that are not right in line with where we are."
>>
>> All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have
>> bicycle
>> racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said.
>>
>> Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but
>> Hilvers
>> said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months.
>>
>>
>>
>> Publication date: 08-05-2006
>>
>> http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060805/NEWS02/608050327
>
> Amaeicans are pretty much tied to the automobile as the priy mode of
> transportation. even if gasoline went over $5.00 US a gallon it would have
> little effect on this.
> What would have to happen is gasoline shortages and high prices. At that
> point the populace would scream for other forms of transporation and mass
> transit and bicycling would become much more popular then. Unfortuanately,
> except for some limited mass transportation features in a few cities, most
> cities have none at all. It would take at the minimum about five years to
> even get a bus system running in most localities with all the red tape
> involved. Ten years to get a train system going. So that means people had
> better get used to using bicycles, walking, or working from home
> (telecommuting for example). But it would have the benefit of getting a
> lot of multi-billion dollar road and highway projects shelved so the money
> could be used to build mass transporation alternatives in some areas.One
> major issue is most all the cities have little or no money for mass
> transportation, so it would mean taxes would go up to support it.
>
>
>
This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more
sense.
-JF
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 19:49:04
From: Earl Bollinger
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
>
> This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more
> sense.
>
> -JF
>
Actually, 1/3 of the readers like bottom posting, another 1/3 of the readers
like top posting, and the other 1/3 of the readers wants to see the whole
thing, as their newsreader software tends to drop the original messages
fast, so they miss out on much of the discussion going on.
So obviously no matter what one does it offends someone somehow.
|
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 12:23:40
From: Pat in TX
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
>
> This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more
> sense.
>
> -JF
Not at all. The problem here is that both of you haven't learned to snip out
the parts that don't need to be repeated!
Pat in TX
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 02:55:07
From: Bill Sornson
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
James Fitch wrote:
> This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes
> more sense.
You left 14 KB's worth of text to add THAT?
God help us...
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 18:29:06
From: James Fitch
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
I left it there precisely to emphasize the point.
-JF
"Bill Sornson" <sornonispam@sanon.rspamr.com > wrote in message
news:fScBg.9335$Vq1.3816@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> James Fitch wrote:
>
>> This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes
>> more sense.
>
> You left 14 KB's worth of text to add THAT?
>
> God help us...
>
>
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 21:09:36
From: Bonehenge
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
Which "Tri-State"?
Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State"
areas in the USA?
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Date: 08 Aug 2006 09:56:33
From: Dane Buson
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
In rec.bicycles.misc Bonehenge <DwightSchrute@dundermifflin.com > wrote:
>
> Which "Tri-State"?
>
> Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State"
> areas in the USA?
Garrison seems to be a trifle provincial. I'm not sure if he's figured
out how to respond to people posts as he seems to think Usenet is a
write-only medium.
Also, ontopic to the thread. I lived in Cincinnati for seven years
(mostly pre-cycling). A few obervations: First, the city has the
worst drivers in the state - backed up by accident statistics
unfortunately. I didn't feel particularly safe in a car in Cincinnati,
it was worse when I was on a bike. Second, the city has a dramatic
segregation in terms of race and income. The haves and have-nots do not
mix and if you are riding a bike you are automatically classed as a
have-not and noone cares if you live or die.
Plus the terrain is crappy, the roads are poor and the weather is
abysmal. Oh, and not many good bike stores.
I can't imagine why cycling is unpopular there.
--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
"Life is cheap. It's the accessories that kill you."
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Date: 05 Aug 2006 21:29:34
From: R Brickston
Subject: Re: Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
|
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 21:09:36 GMT, Bonehenge
<DwightSchrute@DunderMifflin.com > wrote:
>
>Which "Tri-State"?
>
>Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State"
>areas in the USA?
I think "cincy" in the url is the give away. Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana.
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