Bikes for Boston

I’ve been dreaming of a day in the not-too-distant future when my son and I can ride our bikes anywhere we want, side by side.

going home from school, Netherlands

I ride my bike to work almost every day, in full business attire. In heels. Lipstick, even. It’s not as scary as you’d think.

My commute is about four miles—mostly on bike paths along the Jamaicaway—from Brookline Village to Back Bay. Sometimes it’s the only time I’m outdoors, getting precious fresh air and exercise.

Bicycling is a way of life in the Netherlands and in wintery Copenhagen, where they bike year-round. The same momentum’s rolling NYC forward—hell, even Bogota’s going bike-crazy…if other U.S. cities and countries around the world can be more bike-friendly…why not Beantown?

Sunday in Bogota. Why not Beantown? (source: Becky Youman, vacations.com)

Boston and its surrounding areas have the right blend of demographics (huge student/hipster/highly educated and eco-aware population), geography (manageable distances, cool scenery), and traffic (hellacious) to make biking a viable transportation option. Plus, it’s fun.
Why not here? Why not now?
Bike sharing is coming to Boston. If bikes are a safe, fun, affordable and plentiful transportation option, more people will ride, and more people will want safer places to ride.
And maybe crabby old signs like this will soon be a thing of the past…

boo hoo!

Category : bikes, cycling, Green, health, life
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