Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by ABrandt 5468 days ago
Three weeks ago I relocated to Madison, WI which (I'm told) is one of the most bike friendly cities in the US. I haven't ridden or owned a bike since childhood, but I wouldn't be surprised if that changes in the near future. Having trails that get you where you need to go simply turns the biking questions from "how?" to "why not?". Why continue a) paying gas prices b) causing unnecessary pollution and c) sitting on your a if a bicycle can truly fulfill 75% of your transportation needs. Time will tell but I definitely think availability of greenbelts can only be a good thing.
2 comments

I'm not against them, I'm just trying to play devil's advocate. I bought a bike last friday because mine was stolen before I moved to New York City. I mention this because I moved from Dallas, which is one of the unfriendlier cities for biking - the heat makes it impractical to bike to work unless you have a shower on site, and the other drivers make it a more dangerous sport than it has to be.
How close to work and your favorite play areas do you live? That's what really matters is it not? I'm betting your desire to bike is driven more by proximity first, and bike amenities second.
I actually live about 10 miles from both my work and where I play. Biking would add about 30 min to my commute each way. Culture probably has a lot to do with my desire too. Biking is almost a way of life in Madison. Creating these bike amenities would be the first step for any city to create this culture.