If they can have handicap parking, wheelchair ramps, and other accessibility features (rightfully so!), what’s the problem with helping businesses to make their stores accessible by bike?
Everyone wants to support “buy local”, and there’s no better way to do it than by bike!
Seems like installing a simple bike rack would be a win-win-win all around. What exactly is the difficulty?
I don’t believe for a second that it’s a “they don’t know unless you tell them” problem, because I’ve contacted many, MANY stores and plaza management to let them know that they are losing business. Nothing changes.
And it’s not like they can’t see people locking their bikes to signs, trees, fences, or cluttering up the walkways because they have no other options when visiting their business.
Backstory: Over the last two years, I’ve been adding cycling infrastructure to OpenStreetMap. Stuff like bike lanes, bike parking, repair stands, etc. I’ve spent dozens of hours checking plazas in a 30 km radius, local storefronts, malls, etc., to see what options they offer. It’s SHOCKING to see how many have absolutely no bike parking. Large stores, post offices, coffee shops, or even gyms. I try to contact as many as I can, but almost never receive replies or acknowledgement. Contacting local representatives is even more futile, as they have no control over what these businesses do. This means I’m either going far out of my way to visit stores that have bike parking, or I take a car, which seems like madness either way.
Yeah I’ve discovered the non bike-friendly stores and venues in my area recently since getting an ebike in an attempt to be more eco-friendly. I absolutely hate it and I’ll just go to another store - I’m not locking my bike a block away. Tangential rage: bike paths or sidewalks that abruptly end, pushing me out onto a 45mph road in order to continue on my way. Shitty businesses and garbage city planning to blame.
km for km, more cyclists die on the sidewalk than on the road.
Honestly did not know that. I guess this makes sense with cars pulling up to turn onto roadways whereas on the roads you’re already visible.
Would love to use bike lanes more, but also hope they’re at least consistent and have enough of a space buffer from vehicle traffic to feel safe.
Yup, it’s true.
HOWEVER, that only applies to sidewalks that lead across intersections or have cars entering/exiting driveways/parking lots.
If you have to choose between a road with no shoulder and traffic going 80km/h or a sidewalk with no pedestrians and zero chance of cars crossing it, take the damn sidewalk!
Yeah, this kills me every time I see it. It’s like leading lambs to slaughter.
Part of the problem is when two municipalities (or the region they are part of) are on different wavelengths or at different stages of planning.
One could have a multiuse path or bike lane spanning across the entire municipality, and then it ends into a death trap once you hit the neighbouring municipality.
We have a section around here where multiuse paths connecting two municipalities ends with no sidewalk, no bike lane, and a highway overpass cross over to get to the other side. Or, you could detour 6KM to avoid 1KM of high-speed traffic… Like WTF?
Let me tell you how much I love to play the game of choices that I have to make very publicly and abruptly on the roads… Ashamed to say, but 9 times out of 10 I’ll make the dangerous, but more convenient one.