Immigrant communities and cycling

[NbyNW]

Just wanted to share an article that a friend recently brought to my attention, as this subject has come up in threads past . . . just couldn't remember when or where, but I think our discussions have been more anecdotal.

Here, a doctoral candidate studied immigrants and their transportation choices, based on data from the National Household Travel Survey:

Bicycles and the 'Immigrant Effect' by Elisabeth Best
http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/bicycles-and-the-immigrant-effect-14744/

[PamNY]

This is fascinating -- thanks for posting. I wonder how many cycling advocacy groups think about such things.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The Latino immigrants in my neighborhood are the ONLY people riding bicycles back and forth to work, the grocery store, laundromat, etc all through the dead of winter, 20F, ice and snow...with no special fancy wool clothes or studded tires, no fancy panniers. I really admire them for their determination.

[katherine]

That is fascinating. Not to make it political and incite a fevered debate, but I gotta wonder, living in AZ and all, are police going to be more likely to ask Chicano/a cyclists for their papers or non-cyclists?

[shootingstar]

but I gotta wonder, living in AZ and all, are police going to be more likely to ask Chicano/a cyclists for their papers or non-cyclists?

Can the police even figure out who 'looks' Chicano, lst generation but not 2nd, 3rd generation?

Ok, I'll shut up. :rolleyes:

An interesting thing to learn over time is if immigrant parents would buy for their child(ren) a bike/hockey stick/ice skates ..as part of the acculturation process in North America, if the kid wants it and if family budget it allows it.

[NbyNW]

IMHO, I would be surprised if the law stands up to the legal challenges that have been filed. But what do I know.

Back to the original topic -- I liked the conclusion of the article where it was recommended that transit and bike facility planners take into account these communities. That it wasn't so much about race or immigration status as it was about having information about where the demand for safe bicycle facilities might be.

[Kiwi Stoker]

I am spending time between New Zealand and Singapore at the moment.

In Singapore there's a huge "immigrant worker" population of mainly men from neigbouring countries brought over to work on projects and housed in dorms. They don't get paid alot in Singapore standards but do get free board and food. Their main way of getting around is by bike, often with bicycle baskets,a friend on the back, a pair of jandals and the seat as low as possible. They ride on the footpath, on the road, against the traffic- basically everywhere.

And then there's the lycra warriors on the weekends and holidays. I think they see us riding our bikes and think WE are crazy. And they always ask "how much your bike"- I don't give an exact figure anymore and just say " very expensive" otherwise their eyes bug out of their heads.

[Crankin]

I've spent the past academic year doing an internship in Lowell, MA, a city of immigrants for generations. Lowell has the second most populous Cambodian population in the country and there is a large Latino, mostly Puerto Rican population. Before that, it was French-Canadian, Greek, Irish, and Italian immigrants. Many of the earlier generations don't move away, or stay in a neighboring suburb or two.
I have certainly seen evidence of increased riders in this population. Just like Bleeker St., in all weather, no special clothing. But, they are always riding against the traffic, in situations where it scares me to drive... I haven't commuted here, because of the traffic for the last mile of my drive. There's so much the city could do to make riding safer for these riders, as well as the burgeoning arts community/college students who live around here.
Interesting.

[Grog]

If I remember correctly, it's the norm in Latin America to ride against the traffic. Although I agree it's unsafe in theory, at pedestrian pace it's not too much of a problem. It does scare me as a cyclist though!!

[katherine]

it wasn't so much about race or immigration status as it was about having information about where the demand for safe bicycle facilities might be.
I think it's a common problem to get communities at the lower end of the economic spectrum involved in government/community projects for a variety of reasons, though clearly these are the communities that could benefit the most from initiatives such as better cycling infrastructure. It would help if towns, cities, and local agencies rethought how they "do" democracy. As the article mentioned most of the information this initiative had gathered had been online, and of course access then becomes an issue. And who has time to attend town hall meetings when you work two jobs and don't have a sitter? Though I can't imagine that the climate in AZ right now is helpful in getting immigrant communities involved in public planning projects, it seems to send the opposite message. Sorry to bring politics back in, but it's so infuriating to live here right now, I will blow off steam by going for a nice long ride!

[shootingstar]

It would help if towns, cities, and local agencies rethought how they "do" democracy. As the article mentioned most of the information this initiative had gathered had been online, and of course access then becomes an issue. And who has time to attend town hall meetings when you work two jobs and don't have a sitter?

Marketing is important also..who will you will photograph on the cycling public outreach information: both online, posters, your reports to council, etc.

Sometimes use of more than 1 language is important for marketing purposes, but more important is cycling infrastructure where people feel safe to cycle more often. Yes, there might be cultural factors, attitudes towards cycling as lower status, but the reality is there's a huge hunk of American and Canadian-born people (regardless of colour) who just won't cycle because they feel unsafe and lack info. on proper bike fit, encouragement, etc. But these are also the same people who genuinely do want to become healthier, more fit.

There are several marked bike routes, a blend of bike lanes and paved off-road paths that run through a blend of both higher/middle class income and lower income neighbourhoods in the city of Vancouver, so the city has not been negligent of disregarding cycling infrastructure planning by running routes and creating a network to serve a mix of residents from a wide socio-economic spectrum. City of Vancouver has very wealthy, in-between and very poor groups of all backgrounds, including immigrants.

Areas of improved cycling infrastructure is needed in the suburban communities outside of the City of Vancouver....Surrey, Richmond, etc. where people find housing somewhat cheaper (keeping in mind, that Metro Vancovuer is eye-popping expensive to most of Canada).

[NbyNW]

I think it's a common problem to get communities at the lower end of the economic spectrum involved in government/community projects for a variety of reasons, though clearly these are the communities that could benefit the most from initiatives such as better cycling infrastructure. It would help if towns, cities, and local agencies rethought how they "do" democracy. As the article mentioned most of the information this initiative had gathered had been online, and of course access then becomes an issue. And who has time to attend town hall meetings when you work two jobs and don't have a sitter? Though I can't imagine that the climate in AZ right now is helpful in getting immigrant communities involved in public planning projects, it seems to send the opposite message. Sorry to bring politics back in, but it's so infuriating to live here right now, I will blow off steam by going for a nice long ride!

Katherine, I think you're onto something here.

I think it can be a challenge even for legal immigrants to get involved in the public/political process. There are probably lots of reasons for this, but it seems like there could be ways to facilitate their participation.

Heck, I'm a legal immigrant in Canada and I'm finding it difficult to get involved here. And I don't even have a language barrier!

[shootingstar]

What is the cycling community in Edmonton seem to be like there?

Up to now, the local cycling advocacy in Vancouver does not yet have specialized targetting of projects/programs for specific non-English speaking groups or socio-economic groups for increased cycling participation.

One thing that's good as an example or "organic" development of cycling infrastructure is in the historic, old Chinatown in Vancouver (There are several Chinatowns in Metro Vancouver..it makes Seattle and Portland VERY pale in terms of diversity, etc. No pun, intended. :) Anyway, look beyond the Chinatowns. Infiltration is all over the city and suburbs.) :

There are several signed bike routes that run through and by the historic Chinatown. From several different directions, there are a blend of marked bike lanes and off-road paved sections. Not just 1 token bike lane. I think the oldest bike lane must be at least 10 years old. Since then, there are been more bike route sections and routes created. This is the best possible scenario of how cycling infrastructure can develop to serve a neighbourhood: organic, natural development to serve people, regardless of social class, language, etc.

I know the local cycling advocacy group in their local media press releases, they sometimes do include the non-English language press in their emails, etc....which at this time is in English only...which in turn the bilingual reporters would have to synthesize and translate for their audience(s). Not totally efficient, but not totally wrong /inappropriate.

Just as an interesting point: Last fall, we had different Bike to Work Week commuter information tables set up near major bike routes and near commuter rail stations. I did hang out at some stations to helps out. One of our locations was situated during an late afternoon-evening right at the edge of Chinatown. All the regular cycling adocates were there and we all had a good happy time, chatting about while giving out info., coffee and energy bars to passing cyclists. Someone even cycled in with their audio music boombox.

Though I didn't actively look at every stopping cycling commuter....I can safely say, that there were not many Asian-looking faces among cyclists that dropped by to say hi. But those that did, were regular cyclists. We had hardly any walk-up pedestrians...I think alot of pedestrians, regardless of colour tend to be shy when they sense a "group" thing that suggests a code of behaviour, in-language that reflects the passion of a group.

Methinks people that we expect to frequent an area for cycling, might well be cycling elsewhere, not interested or outreach efforts still needs improvement.

Some other thoughts: I am aware that the local cycling group member did have some preliminary contact with one of the First Nations (native Indian) local groups..where they just went ahead and formed their own cycling group. (Musqueam group) Which is great.

NByNW: By the way, alot of Canadians don't express/dwell on the illegal vs. legal immigrant issue. It's not a common part of everyday vocabulary here.

[NbyNW]

Don't really know much about the cycling community here. The season is so short! But lately I've been visiting various LBS in wishful anticipation of cycling season, and so far all good experiences.

We got 2" of snow today. I decided Christmas had come early, so I went to buy a trainer. Guy in the LBS asked me if I had purchased a bike from them in the past, and I told him it was my first time in the store since I was new in town. He apologized for the weather.

I signed up for a club ride but it is cancelled this week.

I do see some signed bike routes around town, both on-street and separated multi-use. Haven't been able to explore them much, but that will change too.

There are some very sturdy people who seem to cycle year-round here. I really have no way of knowing anything about whether that can be correlated to class or immigration status.

[shootingstar]

I really have no way of knowing anything about whether that can be correlated to class or immigration status.

Neither can I. I just notice the colour of Vancouver :D...no point in me pretending that I don't...especially when I visit Seattle or Portland (several times). It's strikingly obvious to me.

It may well be also, some people are more keen to go jogging. Lots around our area...people of all sorts of backgrounds jogging around since we live near several major bike and pedestrian paths.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think of immigrant and Latino utilitarian cyclists as being on the leading edge of big and beneficial changes for America. They are reminding us that bicycles are a viable mode of transportation in our everyday lives. In our luxurious cycling recreation/sport mindset, many of us have forgotten just how practical, cheap, healthy, and good for the planet riding a plain old bike to the store or to work can be as opposed to automatically jumping in our car.

Speaking for myself, whenever I see a Latino riding their bike somewhere, I think to myself "Now why aren't I on my bike right now doing this errand, instead of in my car using up gas?". Granted, there are times when I really need to use the car, but these 'bicyclists of the People' really put me to shame sometimes and inspire me to grab my bike instead of my car keys to go to the bank, etc.

In the current trend of higher gas prices, the recession, and rising health problems due to lack of exercise, what all this will eventually mean is that we will need to make changes and invest in some safety features for REGULAR bicyclists in normal traffic routes, not just keep traveling along the current mindset of investing in and creating more recreational bike paths and rail-to-trails with the goal of getting bikes out of traffic.
How about starting with street signs with pictures illustrating how bikes should be traveling with traffic instead of against it? There are so many things that could be done to make riding in traffic safer and to encourage more people to use their bikes for everyday transportation. Look to Europe for lots of inspiration and ideas.