What would get you to bike?

I already bike for fun and to commute. Am I thrilled with all the available or, as the case may be absent, infrastructure for cycling? Of course not. Changes to the network though have changed my routes but not my participation. However, there are lots of people who have shared with me that they are interested in biking but are reluctant to do so. This is a group who, if we could address their concerns, could reduce private vehicle use and potentially experience health benefits as well. This is what Pearson and colleagues (2024) set out to examine.

They did a qualitative study to better understand the reasons why prospective cyclists, those who are interested but not doing it, don’t ride. Their findings are not surprising.

Painted bike lanes don’t cut it. This doesn’t offer even enough illusion of protection to make them hop on a bike. But built infrastructure with physical separation could.

Intersections where bikes mix with motor vehicles are scary. So there needs to be solutions to improve the safety. I know I avoid a lot of intersections myself. Give me a small hill onto a bridge over a major road any day.

The big speed difference between bikes and motor vehicles is also a problem. As more and more cities are addressing speed through infrastructure and speed limits this could improve.

And finally, people need places to store their bikes and their gear on the other end. Showers, lockers, and secure bike parking all make it easier to ride.

Now the challenge is, how do we get these people to be heard during planning because honestly I’d appreciate all of this as well. So just because I’ll do it without doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happier and more comfortable with it.