[chema]

These lessons are a constant part of dialogue here in the US, particularly in cities like SF and NY. I would even call them universal.

The challenge is convincing folks that they are applicable to their street. Most people here are so attached to the car as the only viable form of transportation that they do not see bikes or transit as complete transportation alternatives, despite the best formed arguments.

[bsimpson]

It can be maddening to see both how little vision and how much time change-resistant people have to protest.

Polk Street in SF could have been the coolest public space in the region if they'd simply had the balls to say "Cars dominate every other street within a mile of here. We're going to make Polk into an open-air promenade that you're welcome to walk or casually bike through." They could have even razed a building within a couple blocks of there and put it ample parking if that's what it took to make progress. Our commercial districts should be destinations, not thoroughfares, and Polk was so close to becoming that before they caved to a propaganda war by some frightened old-timers.

On a completely separate note, if you're interested in cycling policy and working with stubborn merchants like those on Polk, chat with Gary Fisher. He's a smart guy who's spent a lot of time thinking about how to work collaboratively with people who are nervous about changing street priorities. He also is pretty easy to bump into if you hang out with cyclists in SF or Marin.

[chema]

It is maddening, but I also understand where some Polk merchants are coming from. They're being asked to stake their livelihood on a relatively radical proposal, at least by American standards.

I would like to see the City create some sort of financial incentive (like a tax credit) to bring them on board when it comes to safety improvements. In the long run, it would pay for itself.

I've worked with Gary in the past but thanks for the bringing him up, I'm going to reach to him and have a beer!

[huuu]

That's why this is working in Amsterdam. There is no space to park your car. Parking will cost you up to 8€ an hour. Most streets are narrow so they will get jammed.

All in all going by bike is much faster. That's why this is working in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities.

[chema]

All the same constraints apply to San Francisco! What little parking exists is expensive and traffic is so bad that getting around by bike is nine times out of ten faster than driving or even transit. That's why SF making (slow) progress.

The real challenge is outside of the dense urban areas, where most people biking are the poor or the undocumented. It's going to require a cultural shift.

[URSpider94]

The major difference being that Amsterdam is flat as a board, while SF is hella hilly. That does make cycling everywhere a little less of an equal-opportunity means of transport.

[chema]

That's certainly a factor. Commercial corridors became commercial corridors in SF because they were more accessible for horse and carriage back in the 1850-90s since they were flat, the same reason why they are the ideal bike routes around the hills today.

We can't do anything about these geographic bottlenecks though and the fact is that people are biking more and more, despite the hills. Better transit is probably the key, but I have a tough time seeing cars as a long-term solution.

[sliverstorm]

It's a chicken and egg problem. They aren't viewed as complete alternatives, because they aren't in many locations.

For example, you're going to have a hell of a time getting me to depend on my local bus network, which takes an hour to get me to work- a whole 6 miles away- and I still have to walk one mile. That's not complete.

I'm lucky to live in a bike friendly city with more public transit ambition than many other places, but people can't about-face tomorrow and depend on the public transit or bicycle infrastructure that isn't there, which I think you'll find informs policy.

[briandear]

Climate has a lot to do with it. Very few people would like to bike to work during a Houston summer. It's like riding through Equatorial Guinea during the rainy season.