Photo via Boston Globe Photos of the Week.
Denise Simmons, mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts received a “chauffeured ride” on the back of a tandem bicycle, courtesy of Green Streets Initiative founder Janie Katz-Christy. But it was Simmons’ aid, Rosaleah Brown, who deserves the true props; she braved the frigid February day in green high heels, color-appropriate for the occasion.
Mayor Simmons and Rosaleah Brown prepare for their ride.
The trio pedaled to the Harvard Square Business Association’s annual breakfast and showing their support for the Green Streets Initiative and Walk/Ride Days. The event, held on the last Friday of every month, encourages members of the community to ditch their cars and “go and wear green.” According to the group’s website, “Our vision is to create a monthly city-wide party, which celebrates alternative transportation, gives people an opportunity to make community connections, and promotes a festive local atmosphere.”
The Walk/Ride Days event has spread from Cambridge into the surrounding communities of Boston, Somerville, and Medford. Retails sponsors are getting on board by offering discounts and prizes as incentives to participants.
While the US may have a long way to go before our bike culture resembles Amsterdam’s or Copenhagen’s Girls on Bikes Gone Wild, high-heel-sporting Brown is on the right track. One commuter wearing everyday clothes and treating the bike as the mundane transportation tool that it is will do more to promote cycling in our streets than 20 zippy racers decked out in garishly colored spandex (not that there’s anything wrong with that – I fall into the latter category for several hours per day).
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
We should get over there quickly to correct them before they do any more bad things.
I won’t ride a bike or a motorcycle to save money on gas because I don’t want to end up in the morgue to save a few bucks. Give me a sidewalk or bike path.
I completely agree with your approach to cycling. What surprised me the most from this post was ‘Cars have to swerve into the other lane to avoid cyclists’. Cars also have to swerve for other cars that are slower, stopped etc. But this wouldn’t cause quite the same reaction. There is some inherit hatred of cyclists it seems.
Indeed, bring more cyclists to the roads. Bike paths do not lead to every where one is trying to go–sooner or later one on a bike path will have to take to the road. As such, a movement is needed to force drivers to get use to seeing cyclists so that they can develop the same unspoken rules and respect for fellows on cycles as they have for fellows in cars. The alternative is dead cyclists.
Any competent driver would not have made that comment about it being dangerous to pass a bicycle. Maybe all the bad drivers should be taken off the roads. As the author says, if it is not safe to pass they should wait until it is. Cars irritate me more as a pedestrian than a cyclist though. Why if you are doing the right thing by walking should you be held up for ages trying to cross roads in cities while the fat lazy people drive by. Its frustrating and ridiculous!
As much as I agree with the thought of “Take the Road!”, it is a dangerous endeavour. I ride for fun and transportation and realize that a bicycle = car ideal is an utopia not easily achieved. In my experience, riding in the middle of a travel lane on a bicycle will make you a victim of road rage. More effort needs to be made to create bike lanes, sidewalk/bikepaths, including on interstate right-of-ways, and signs reminding drivers that bicycles are sharing the road esp. at intersections.
I ride side and back streets whenever possible, sidewalks if not filled with pedestrians and obstacles, and with traffic on roads, always remembering the rule, “the bigger vehicle has right-of-way.”
Wear bright clothing, lots of reflectors and lights at night. Ride defensively! DO take the middle of a turn lane! Until America’s streets look like Hong Kong’s, the bicyclist is effectively invisible to the average motorist.