tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post4730097722437191217..comments2024-03-27T19:12:49.609-07:00Comments on Midlife Cycling: Justice: It's Bigger Than BikesJustine Valinottihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-5675930775563226982016-09-16T20:51:49.456-07:002016-09-16T20:51:49.456-07:00Brooks--You make a great point about safety in num...Brooks--You make a great point about safety in numbers. Now that I think about it, I could say that my own experience bears out what you say: All except one of my accidents, or near-accidents, took place in areas where not only were there few or no other cyclists on the street, but where few or no people ride--and they would probably ride only if economic circumstances forced them to do so.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-61681837701996757612016-09-16T09:15:05.988-07:002016-09-16T09:15:05.988-07:00A few things about this post -- Love that old phot...A few things about this post -- Love that old photo. Can't tell exactly when that would have been taken (30s? 40s?) but I'll bet those gals were cutting edge for their time. I'm sure they raised some disapproving eyebrows, and more power to them. I wonder whatever became of them?<br /><br />The organizations you mention to encourage minorities to cycle sound great - it would be great to see them succeed.<br /><br />About the higher fatalities among cycling minorities in poorer areas - No doubt that lack of cycling-specific infrastructure is a part of that. Also, the fact that cycling is "rarer" in those areas works against those that ride, because as we know, cyclists are safest when there are more of us -- that is, the more drivers encounter cyclists on the road, the more they learn to expect them and how to interact. But also, in my own experience, and living in an urban area myself, often when I see lower-income people riding, it's often they don't own a car (or the car is no longer functioning - or they've lost their license . . .) and they are usually the ones riding the wrong way on the road, apparently unaware or ignorant of how traffic laws apply to cyclists, and (if it's dark out) no lights or anything. Lack of cycling education really works against them. Occasionally, I've mentioned to such riders when I've encountered them that they should ride with traffic, and the reaction is almost as if they think I'm insane to ride that way. <br />Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-5191312614585514452016-09-16T09:13:50.594-07:002016-09-16T09:13:50.594-07:00A few things about this post -- Love that old phot...A few things about this post -- Love that old photo. Can't tell exactly when that would have been taken (30s? 40s?) but I'll bet those gals were cutting edge for their time. I'm sure they raised some disapproving eyebrows, and more power to them. I wonder whatever became of them?<br /><br />The organizations you mention to encourage minorities to cycle sound great - it would be great to see them succeed.<br /><br />About the higher fatalities among cycling minorities in poorer areas - No doubt that lack of cycling-specific infrastructure is a part of that. Also, the fact that cycling is "rarer" in those areas works against those that ride, because as we know, cyclists are safest when there are more of us -- that is, the more drivers encounter cyclists on the road, the more they learn to expect them and how to interact. But also, in my own experience, and living in an urban area myself, often when I see lower-income people riding, it's often they don't own a car (or the car is no longer functioning - or they've lost their license . . .) and they are usually the ones riding the wrong way on the road, apparently unaware or ignorant of how traffic laws apply to cyclists, and (if it's dark out) no lights or anything. Lack of cycling education really works against them. Occasionally, I've mentioned to such riders when I've encountered them that they should ride with traffic, and the reaction is almost as if they think I'm insane to ride that way. <br />Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110998345857993287noreply@blogger.com