[SustainableTompkins] Cyclovia and beyond

[gail at kitchenchairmusic.com]

George wrote:

> The fact is that here in Ithaca, as is the case through the US, the bicyle
> is viewed as nothing more than a recreational toy, simply because that is
> how 99 percent of bike owners use their bikes.  No amount of Bike to Work
> days or Cyclovias to the Farmers Market are going to change that
> perception.. 
>  

George,

Believe it or not, lots of folks are afraid to ride their bicycles in
traffic. No matter how much you might think they are sissies, they are
real people with real fears of being clobbered by two tons of metal. At
the cyclovia I attended a couple of weeks ago, many of the attendees
expressed a fear of traffic and appreciation for the handholding and
support that the cyclovia event provided. I agree that we all need to be
riding our bikes on the roads with cars and I do this every day. But the
best way to get more folks doing it is to help them, encourage them, and
hold their hands if need be, not to berate them or discount them.

Gail Blake