Grad school cities? How cycle friendly are they?

[WindingRoad]

I am very likely going to be moving in the next year for school. I'm scoping out several schools but the first contestant is going to be Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As if right now nothing is set in stone but was wondering if any of you were from there or currently lived there? I am curious how the commuting is in the city? If there were useful greenways? I'm looking to be commuting to NOVA Southeastern's campus. I have a car but I don't drive much would much prefer to bike in to where I need to go. Maybe there are some communities that are more bike friendly than others? Would love to get some feedback.

[shootingstar]

Heard Davis, California is good..based on my partner who specifically cycled in the area to look at their cycling infrastructure.

Maybe if you named your study discipline it might help some of us recommend cycling-friendly places that aren't too off from your original intention: a good place for graduate studies that's relevant for you. Presumably you are looking only within the U.S.?

[emily_in_nc]

No personal experience, but in general Florida (esp. east coast side) has a reputation of being one of the very most cyclist UNfriendly states. Tons of people and their cars, elderly folks, and tourists who are unfamiliar with the roads. Driving to/from from a sailing class in Miami, we experienced a lot of "crazy drivers", extreme speeding, weaving, etc. There are probably decent places to ride in Florida, but I wouldn't count on Ft. Lauderdale being one of them.

You should check out the "Bicycle Friendly Community" lists here:

http://www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/profiles.htm

Davis, California is consistently in the top few. I'd love to live there!

[azfiddle]

I live in Tucson, Arizona, (University of Arizona) and noticed it is in the top 15 or so cities on the list. What is your field of study?
Sharon

[Owlie]

I live in Tucson, Arizona, (University of Arizona) and noticed it is in the top 15 or so cities on the list. What is your field of study?
Sharon

That's good to know. I've been looking at one of their programs, and actually got into a conversation about bikes with one of the professors!

[ehirsch83]

I live in Ft.Lauderdale, about 15 miles from nova. I have friends that live 3 miles from there. If you live close you can bike to campus, grocery,etc. Not the most commuter friendly area, but very doable. Their are great group rides by nova!
depending on what you want check out
http://www.southbrowardwheelers.com/

or

www.westonflyers.com

[Grog]

My parents winterize in Fort Lauderdale and I've visited a couple of times. My cycling experience there is limited but my mom cycles all the time and so far so good. They're on the seaside though. I would err on the side of being quite cautious and taking for granted that car drivers will not respect any right I may have.

One good thing though: IT'S FLAT. (But can be windy.)

[WindingRoad]

Emily - I'm not sure if I want to live super close to campus. I may need to keep my costs down that way and I guess it is probably cheaper to live a little further out? Maybe I'm wrong on that, l don't know the area at all. I am very happy to see there are a couple of good clubs close by . I will be attending the Optometry school if that makes a difference. If you have any more tid bits please throw it out there. Thanks so much!

Ft. Lauderdale is one option: another option is Elins Park, Pennsylvania, another is San Antonio, Texas. These are the three I'm hoping will pull through for me anyways... as before if anyone knows some inside information I'd love to hear it. I would ideally like to leave the car parked. I'm used to riding in traffic I don't like it when it's really heavy traffic and drivers get too pushy so that's why I'm factoring decent bike routes into my decision. Maybe it sounds goofy but cycling has become a pretty big part of my life and I'd like to keep it that way. I think most of you know what I mean

[WindingRoad]

OK I'd have to put Chicago on my list of 'hopefuls' now too. I just watched that video and that is awesome! Looks like that's downtown too because I recognize some of those roads! The school I'm interested in it right next to Buckinham Fountain! Any Chicagolanders?!?!?!? Gimme the scoop on commuting there, help help!

[WindingRoad]

Owlie: I noticed you are in Ohio that's another location I'm considering. Ohio State to be specific, good commuter city? I'm a midwesterner so I know the winters suck but other than do you think it is do-able?

Totally understand why you are looking at Arizona, ROFL! I'd REALLY like to get somewhere warmer too!

[Geonz]

Check out our fearless U of Illinois down here in Champaign-Urbana. It's got a teeny fraction of Chicago's traffic and lots of folks on bikes and the weather is a tad better, tho' compared to florida I'm not sure you'd notice. Now, our U is having some issues and scandals with admissions (that special "I" list if you knew somebody who knew somebody so your actual qualifications didn't quite matter as much) and the prez just quit - to become faculty at 300K ... but when I looked at grad schools I went "to the library" on the Internet to see which professors wrote stuff I liked in the journals and landed in South Carolina.
Commuting here is easy if you pick where you live -- there are a couple of areas where it's only trafficky roads to get to the U, but anywhere else there are nice residential options. We're also putting together a pretty good plan for the future - seems the powers that be are slowly grokking that it really, honestly is cheaper to humor that eccentric bunch of cyclists since fewer cars on campus has gawdzillions of advantages.

[Owlie]

Owlie: I noticed you are in Ohio that's another location I'm considering. Ohio State to be specific, good commuter city? I'm a midwesterner so I know the winters suck but other than do you think it is do-able?

Totally understand why you are looking at Arizona, ROFL! I'd REALLY like to get somewhere warmer too!

Arizona also has a toxicology program.

I've lived in the other two major cities, but not Columbus (I'm assuming you're looking at OSU's main campus). I'd imagine that people in the areas around campus are at least used to seeing cyclists because of the large university population. They're also probably used to seeing cyclists doing stupid things (students trying to get across campus), so if you do smart things, you're good. I don't know much about it, though.
(Since I'm also looking at OSU, I think I'll be finding this out eventually.)

[WindingRoad]

Well I think I've whittled it down to Philadelphia (Elkins Park). I was curious if anyone was from PA and could give me some suggestions on good places to ride? suggestions about apartments? Brand newbie to east coast so this should be a lot of fun!

[ginny]

um... Fort Collins, CO is a pretty bike friendly place - good school (CSU), and if we don't have a toxicology program, we have people in the MIP dept who do do toxicology (not, do-do *wink*)

[artifactos]

Ohio State isn't too bad, at least the campus area isn't. There are a lot of people on bikes, though most of them don't follow traffic laws very well - and nicer bikes can get stolen if locked up on campus inadequately, though the campus police offer(ed?) a registration program for student bikes.

Off-campus, Columbus is not at all cycle friendly unless you live in a neighborhood like Clintonville. There are a lot of big, multi-lane roads with fast/aggressive drivers on them. The smaller roads don't often have much of a shoulder to avoid traffic, either.

Basically, the bicycle commuter options for Columbus really vary in relation to where you will be living/shopping and what your comfort level with traffic is. Ohio traffic laws do not actually deny cyclists the sidewalk (as far as I understood from my last reading of them), so that IS an option if things get hairy.