Comments on: Sunday Errands and Parking http://isocrates.us/bike/2008/12/sunday-errands-and-parking/ Getting Around on Two Wheels and Two Feet Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:13:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Andy Cline http://isocrates.us/bike/2008/12/sunday-errands-and-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-1175 Andy Cline Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:39:51 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=624#comment-1175 David... Yes. Parking is really not the issue at Primrose. It's that there's no way to get to it except by roads that most beginners would avoid. Downtown Springfield continues to add bicycle parking. Mostly that means developers are sticking whatever racks they happen to buy in whatever spots that happen to be open. The city requires all new development to accommodate bicycles. The problem is: No one bothers to ask cyclists about rack style and placement. I have begun talking up those racks you showed me. We'll see :-) David… Yes. Parking is really not the issue at Primrose. It’s that there’s no way to get to it except by roads that most beginners would avoid.

Downtown Springfield continues to add bicycle parking. Mostly that means developers are sticking whatever racks they happen to buy in whatever spots that happen to be open. The city requires all new development to accommodate bicycles. The problem is: No one bothers to ask cyclists about rack style and placement.

I have begun talking up those racks you showed me. We’ll see :-)

]]> By: David Hembrow http://isocrates.us/bike/2008/12/sunday-errands-and-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-1160 David Hembrow Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:45:56 +0000 http://isocrates.us/bike/?p=624#comment-1160 As you've noticed, cycle parking needs to be ample and convenient. It needs to be obviously right outside your destination too. In this case you have a destination which is cycle hostile, and people who might cycle are put off from cycling there. Some effort is involved in making sure that there is always somewhere to park your bike next to shops here. In fact, some considerable effort is gone to in order to ensure that there is parking for your bike while new cycle parks are being built. You can see an example of a temporary cycle park here (it may well upset you in the circumstances): http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2008/12/temporary-cycle-parking.html Once you've got people cycling, it's really important not to put them off by overlooking details like this. As you've noticed, very few people cycle to this destination because it is cycle hostile. It's also, of course, hopeless to have destinations which are "challenging" for other reasons. People are generally not interested in a challenge when they go about their everyday business. If cycling is challenging and driving is easier, they'll drive. It's what the infrastructure is telling them to do. As you’ve noticed, cycle parking needs to be ample and convenient. It needs to be obviously right outside your destination too. In this case you have a destination which is cycle hostile, and people who might cycle are put off from cycling there.

Some effort is involved in making sure that there is always somewhere to park your bike next to shops here. In fact, some considerable effort is gone to in order to ensure that there is parking for your bike while new cycle parks are being built. You can see an example of a temporary cycle park here (it may well upset you in the circumstances): http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2008/12/temporary-cycle-parking.html

Once you’ve got people cycling, it’s really important not to put them off by overlooking details like this. As you’ve noticed, very few people cycle to this destination because it is cycle hostile.

It’s also, of course, hopeless to have destinations which are “challenging” for other reasons. People are generally not interested in a challenge when they go about their everyday business. If cycling is challenging and driving is easier, they’ll drive. It’s what the infrastructure is telling them to do.

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