I Love Riding in the City

NAME: Ben
LOCATION: Portland, OR
OCCUPATION: Computer Nerd

Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
Portland Oregon, mecca of USA bike culture and rideability. It’s better here than almost anywhere else, which means (as my friend Karl put it) that it sucks, but less than other places. The US is fully and irrevocably embroiled in car culture since we/Standard Oil/GMC decided that cars were the ideal form of transportation for our country. All streets, streetscapes, signs, signals, speeds, you name it, are designed for the speedy flow of personal auto traffic. Anything else is a tough fit.

On the other hand, Portland tries really hard, with bike lanes and signals, off-street paths, signs, and encouragement. Plus, it never gets cold here (maybe three or for days) so you can ride year-round.

What’s been your favorite city to ride in, and why?
Tokyo, Japan! Bicycles were part of the normal flow there, and many many people ride them. Most memorable was probably people riding bikes while holding umbrellas and talking on cell phones, all at the same time.

Why do you love riding in the city?
It brings home that cities are bike-sized entities, if they’re reasonably planned. It’s the easiest, fastest way to get around in town, and you see the most stuff on a bike. You can go from walking speed to super-runner easily, slow down and check out a cool new store or garden, or haul ass down the arterial.

Check out www.ridemybike.org