Attention! This is what a bicycle looks like: According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is “a light two-wheeled vehicle with a steering handle, saddle, and pedals.” And get this: Bicycles were once used as transportation devices! Ha! Can you believe it? People once used those man-powered contraptions to get to work instead of fueling up the mini-tank SUV!
The Plog offers you this lesson in history because, according to this report just released by the U.S. Census Bureau, bicycle-riding commuters in Kansas City are nearly extinct. As Eric Rogers with the Missouri Bicycle Federation and the KC Coalition for Walking and Bicycling recently pointed out on his bike advocacy blog, KCMO ranks last among 50 cities surveyed. In 2005, Rogers says, just 50 of 216,000 workers pedaled to the office on a regular basis. Kansas City ranked below average in bus riders, walkers and car poolers, too. What does all this mean? Mull it over during your scorching-hot, gridlock-ridden drive home tonight. – Ben Paynter
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Kansas City, especially downtown, is too hilly for the average person to bike to work and not look wrecked or smell like a gym sock. I would like to thank all those people who do not bike and smell up my workspace.
Kansas City, especially downtown, is too hilly for the average person to bike to work and not look wrecked or smell like a gym sock. I would like to thank all those people who do not bike and smell up my workspace.
I live in Hermosa Beach, you pretty much need to have a bike or your not going anywhere (no parking, packed roads). Since we have so many bike riders cars are very aware at crosswalks, etc... I love my beach cruiser, 3 speeds, great basket to haul stuff. If I end up moving back to mid-town Kansas City, I'll be using it regularly.
I'm moving back to Kansas City soon and this is going to be a huge adjustment for me. I know as a fact people don't pay attention for shit at crosswalks in KC... very rarely do you see someone choosing to walk somewhere, or ride a bike... but to their defense the weather is rather unpredictable in Kansas City and getting stuck in a thunderstorm on your bicycle would suck!
As a former Kansas Citian and sometime bike commuter in the same city, I have to say this... yes, people do ride their bikes to work and to play.
I now live in Munich, Germany and almost never drive a car. The majority of people here ride their bikes to work, play, out on dates, etc. It can be done but it helps if the city is fully behind it and laws change to support the endevour.
Here in Germany, all bike accidents with another vehicle and/or person are found in favor of the person on the bike. Simply put, everyone must look out for bikes. Essentially, motor-powered vehicles are the bottom of the food-chain instead of the top.
Think about it. It can be done. Come on K.C., it's time that you become a first-class city.
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