Awesome!!

[Jaclyn]

There's an interesting article on the helmet issue in today's WSJ

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...le_Lifestyle_5

[Tri Girl]

I've seen that video before, but never the snow and ice one. THAT was interesting. I can't imagine cycling in the snow and ice. They are hard-core. Although, if that's the way your society is, you do it no matter what. I would love to live there (for that and other reasons).

That's an interesting article in the WSJ. I guess when it's a part of the culture like it is, changing that at the base level would be difficult.

[malkin]

There's an interesting article on the helmet issue in today's WSJ

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...le_Lifestyle_5

Interesting. Pretty weak arguments against helmet use, especially when taken together:
1. Helmets are dorky.
2. Wearing helmets makes cycling look dangerous.

We are dangerously dorky.

[bikegurl]

If some of the cities in America became more bike-friendly, it would help our neighborhoods (more people being in contact with each other, instead of consumed with their little world inside their car) and I think it would have a lot of other good effects, too. Where I live, many people are extremely poor. Often their car is an ego thing. If somehow, the need to have a car was changed, it seems that it might help America's poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Having a more bike-friendly system would probably also help the obesity problem!

[Charlotte Berry]

Here, people see riding a bike from a store with some groceries in the front basket means only one thing. It supposed to mean you are too poor to own a car, and what usually happens is people flip you off or they shout out the window to either get a car, or get a job! It used to happen to me, so I stopped running errands with the bike. Funny thing too cause I had three cars at my disposal. Just riding a racing, Cross or MB for exercise is barely accepted. It just means they accept the fact you are likely not poor and actually are doing it for exercise, but I heard other ridicules come forth, like you actually have time to ride a bike? What don't you get a life instead?

Lot of prejudice and ignorance built into the old culture. I can't wait for Gas to hit five dollars a quart, bring it on!

[Owlie]

That stereotype--riding a bike means you're too poor to afford a car--is often true here in the eastern half of the Cleveland, especially as the public transport fares keep increasing and they keep cutting back service(another rant entirely). Either that, or you're a college/grad student who doesn't want to walk the half mile to campus and grocery store.

[emily_in_nc]

It's just sad how the car is king in the US and anyone doing anything different (riding a bike or walking) is suspect. This morning it was chilly with a light rain, so instead of our usual ride to the farmer's market and food co-op, DH and I layered up, grabbed our backpacks, and walked to the bus stop, took the free bus into town, walked some quite a ways more to the market, then turned around and came back the same way. Ended up with about 5-6 miles of walking in addition to the bus trip. The only other walkers we saw were downtown, and everyone on the bus besides us looked a bit down on their luck. Cars were everywhere, and I'm sure at least a few of the drivers wondered what in the world we were doing walking in the rain with backpacks. The only cyclists we saw were a few college students on campus.

Oh to live in a place like the Netherlands, where biking (for adults) is just considered normal.

[Charlotte Berry]

Another thing is here kids throw rocks at cyclists, and even adults throw beer cans at cyclists. I even heard cow patties were thrown at cyclists and a friend once told me he was out riding and a group of cowboys dumped a bucket of you know what on him. We cyclists get the beat down in every which way. Another thing too is if you are riding a beat up bike, cops think you are a drug dealer.

Can't win, only persevere.