Cyclists visiting Memphis should find plenty of options and reasons to ride with few, if any, worries

Cyclists visiting Memphis should find plenty of options and reasons to ride with few, if any, worries
By:  Michael Lander

Cyclists are able to navigate on many of the streets throughout
Memphis, but with the exception of Memphis City Police and security
guards, they are not permitted to ride at a few locations like on parts
of Beale Street that is limited to pedestrian traffic.

It can be really hard to keep anything that is great a secret and the same could be said of Memphis. 

The city is an extremely popular destination stop and finding reasons to come here is actually pretty easy. 

There are plenty of things to see and do throughout the year and, if you’re a cyclist, it is definitely a place that is well worth the visit.

The biggest challenge for cyclists really isn’t deciding whether or not to come to our city, but it should be deciding between which places that you’ll have time to ride to while you are here.

Once here, cyclists will find no shortage of places to ride with lots of bike lanes and trails and more being added all the time. 

Here are a couple of websites that will help you get your start in searching the best bicycle routes in and around the city:  http://memphiscyclist.com/html/placestoride.html and http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#11/-89.97079/35.12930/blue/bike.

For those wanting to know the best and most popular destination locations in Memphis, here is a link that might be especially helpful in planning your visit:  http://mymemphismatters.blogspot.com/2013/03/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html.  Many of these places may already be along some of the existing bike routes throughout the city or they could be modified with a slight deviation to include them.

Another thing that visiting cyclists might want to know about is how safe it is to ride in and around Memphis.  Those who do come should, for the most part, find it to be as safe as any city its size.

Safety, understandably, is, and should be, a concern for all cyclists and despite Memphis having a reputation for having bad drivers, in reality, they are probably no worse here than anywhere else.

Yes, there are bad and distracted drivers in our city, but this isn’t something that is necessarily unique to us.

And, while it may have taken a little time, Memphis has slowly been able to make its way to becoming a much more cyclist-friendly city. 

Memphis City Police Officers frequently patrol the downtown area
around Main Street.  Many cyclists have found this and other streets
to be a quick and easy way to get around town.

Initially, we may have had drivers who were not accustomed to having cyclists on the roads, and some who may not have cared for having to share the roads with them, but we have not seemed to have had any problems or experienced any growing pains as we have made the transition over to a city that is becoming known more for its cycling. 

To further that point, to date, there have not been any reported incidents of aggressive behavior by drivers or any acts of road rage directed against any cyclists.

Aside from safety concerns for cyclists on the roadways, crime may be another big concern for them as it is for many who live in most large metropolitan areas.  This is something that very few, if any, large communities are immune from and Memphis is no exception.

With that being said, this is not something that anyone living anywhere should ignore or try to minimize. 

Crime, like in any big city, is a reality of life for us in Memphis, but as real as any threat might appear, it can sometimes also be over-exaggerated and can seem to be much greater than what the statistics actually show.

To properly put this into perspective, there may be several hundred cyclists riding in and around Memphis on any given day and yet crimes against them are virtually, if not completely, non-existent.  

Like in other big cities around the country, crimes are often clustered in certain areas and neighborhoods where there is poverty and blight.  Here is a link that will show you where some of the crimes that have recently happened in Memphis:  http://spotcrime.com/tn/memphis and http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tn/memphis/crime/.

Crimes can happen anywhere, but if it is possible, it is usually best to avoid those areas that show a higher potential and risk for crime.

Statistically, Memphis has a comparable crime rate as other cities its size and population.  Here is a link for those who are interested in viewing a breakdown of the various types of crime in Memphis:  http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Memphis-Tennessee.html and  http://city-crime-statistics.findthedata.com/.

With bike lanes on parts of several roads, like Southern Ave., cyclists are increasingly
hitting the streets and becoming a more familiar sight to motorists in and around
Memphis.

To help minimize the risks of becoming a victim yourself, here are some simple tips:

-         Be aware of your surroundings and those around you.

-         Travel with others whenever you can.

-         Try to ride during the day when more people are out.
Take precautions.  Theft is a problem almost anywhere you go and Memphis is no exception.  Lock up your bike frame and wheels.

-         Also, have a cell phone with you and bring anything else that you might ordinarily carry with you for your personal protection.

Should you want to know more on this topic, here are some links where you can read about how to avoid becoming a victim and protecting yourself: “How to Prevent Becoming a Victim of Crime” on WikiHow, “How to Protect Yourself Against Crime,” at WebMD, and “Protect Yourself from Violent Crime,” by the National Crime Prevention Council.

As much as it makes sense to have some legitimate concerns about riding in a place that you might be unfamiliar with, those who come to Memphis are much more likely to find a place that is very accommodating and receptive to cyclists and its only getting better by the day.

For anyone who wants to see more about cycling in Memphis, here are a couple of additional links worth checking out:  http://memphiscyclist.com/ and http://memphiscyclist.blogspot.com/.

With an ever-increasing and ever-expanding network of bike lanes and trails, and plenty of places to see and visit along the way, there is no better time for cyclists to come and visit Memphis and to experience what local area cyclists get the chance to enjoy every day.

Memphis area is being transformed by a vision in transportation and enhancement to bike lanes and more

Memphis area is being transformed by a vision in transportation and enhancements to bike lanes and more
By:  Michael Lander

Delineators, like these for pedestrians on Riverside Drive, have been recently
begun being installed on Danny Thomas Blvd.  More are expected to be put
down as Memphis and other nearby cities add more bike lanes in the area.

In case you haven’t already noticed it, Memphis is experiencing a major transformation and it is something that you may not have even been paying close attention to, unless of course, you are a cyclist.

Over the last decade, the city of Memphis and its surrounding communities have begun to change and to transform how we think of transportation. 

Working together, the local municipalities have begun to deliver on an ambitious plan that will ultimately benefit everyone.

Until now, we really have not had many options in how we move and get around, but we are slowly beginning to see the genesis and coalescing of a transportation network that will provide us with a greater number of options than what we have long been accustomed to.

Some of the beginning stages of a greater transportation network for area residents have been to make the roads more accommodating to pedestrians and cyclists. 

For cyclists this has meant the creation of bike lanes that has, for the most part, only required the restriping of existing road surfaces or finding a new purpose for shoulders.

Along with some of the changes to the roadways, there has also been a development and expansion of bike trails and, when combined with what has been done on the roads, it provides more of an opportunity for people to be able to commute by bicycle instead of by automobile.

Riverside Drive was one of the first roads to have temporary delineators installed
in Memphis.  A stretch of this scenic road has also become a protected bike lane,
which may be extended even further in the future.

Recently, the city of Memphis has installed some flexible stakes or posts, known as delineators, to about 2.5 miles on Danny Thomas Blvd from E.H. Crump on the south to Alabama Ave. to the north. 

These delineators are like bollards or traffic cones/pylons that stand about three feet tall and, along with the street striping, help to further accentuate and distinguish the 6-foot wide bike lane from the road for motorists.

These delineators help to provide a more noticeable, visual (horizontal) barrier than just having a line painted on to the road, which motorists might not see and could easily cross over.

For cyclists, the obvious upside to these is that they are better than just having road markings and they provide a horizontal delineation for motorists of where the road ends and where the bike lanes begin.

Everything that is being done is part of a more comprehensive plan that will ultimately tie bike lanes and trails to one another into a larger network that will allow cyclists to ride in a loop around the downtown area and from one part of the city to the other and beyond the metropolitan Memphis area, itself.

The work that is currently being done on Danny Thomas is particularly important since it will be a crucial part of the northern route leading to the Mississippi River bike and pedestrian crossing over the Harahan Bridge.

The bike trails, like the Shelby Farms Greenline, offer an opportunity
for cyclists to ride and to enjoy the scenery.  It is also a great option
for those who are not comfortable with riding on busy city streets.

The delineators being installed in places like Danny Thomas are flexible and can bend at the base of it.  If a driver of a vehicle were to run over them, they would simply be pushed toward the ground, but the base would remain were it is attached to the road.  It would then pop right back up afterward.

For some, the downside to these devices is that they can give a false sense of security to cyclists.  As happy as cyclists might be to see them on some of the city’s roads, they are only in place to differentiate between the road and the bike lanes and they offer no real protection for a cyclist against a 3,000 or more pound vehicle who might run over a delineator. 

At best, the delineators are a visual reminder for motorists who may not observe or know of the minimum 3-foot distance that they are required by law to maintain between them the cyclist.

Ideally, the best solution for most cyclists would be protected bike lanes and wider shoulders on most, if not all, roads.

Protected bike lanes have often been described as being like sidewalks for bicycles.  They provide an actual physical separation and a buffer for cyclists, that keeps them safe from being hit by motor vehicles and they offer the best protection for cyclists.

Instead of having devices like delineators, which vehicles can simply run over, protected bike lanes have solid, immovable stationary objects, like planters, jersey barriers, and curbs that can physically separate automobiles from cyclists.

Families usually find Shelby Farms and its greenline, along with others, as a
much safer and slower alternative for them to ride together.

Because of the dangers that cyclists often face, any investment that is made, and anything that is done, (whether it is protected bike lanes or something that is as simple as delineators), is always well worth it to them.

As more is done to make cycling an even more attractive alternative to getting around, everything should be done to avoid collisions and any potential loss of life.

When it comes to the lives of cyclists, we really can’t be safe enough and since cyclists can’t reasonably be expected to wrap themselves up in bubble wrap whenever they ride, the rest of us should do what we can to help ensure their safety.

Cycling may have its dangers, like almost everything else in life, but there is always a measured and calculated risk in anything that we do, and cycling is no exception.

Cyclists are especially vulnerable, though, when they, or when motorists, fail to do or not do what they should.

If Memphis and the surrounding communities continue to do what it can to provide a safe way for cyclists to ride, and if cyclists and motorists do what they should on the roads that they share with one another, we can begin to see a transportation network that’ll be the envy of others.

We stand on the precipice today and what we do now will determine whether or not we continue to live in the past, and do what we’ve always done, or we can take a bold step into the future and begin to realize all the limitless possibilities. 

In this case, here’s hoping that we do the right thing.

Memphis Grizzlies host their Seventh Annual Tour de Grizz on April 4th

Memphis Grizzlies host their Seventh Annual Tour de Grizz on April 4th
By:  Michael Lander

The Grizzlies mascot accompanies the riders who participate in the Tour de
Griz that will be held this year on April 4.  (Photo: Courtesy of Memphis Grizzlies)

The Memphis Grizzlies are a wildly popular team that has an enormous following, with many loyal and devoted fans, and are best known for their grit and grind and their prowess on the basketball court. 

Once a year, each spring, the Grizzlies organization has also found a way to combine what their team does best, which is playing a great and exciting game of basketball with another activity that Memphians are becoming increasingly passionate about and that is cycling.

This year, on Saturday, April 4, the Memphis Grizzlies will be hosting their Seventh Annual Tour de Grizz, which brings together the excitement of basketball with a 5-mile bike ride from the Memphis Zoo to the game at FedEx Forum and back.

Participants in this event receive general admission tickets to the Memphis Zoo, (good for the entire day), where they can see some four-legged grizzlies before hopping on to their bikes to see the Grizzlies basketball team take the court against the Washington Wizards.

Jason Potter, who is the director of promotion and event presentations for the Grizzlies, came up with the idea for this event, and it has quickly become one of the team’s signature events for the spring.

“I hoped it would be popular,” Potter said. 

At about the time that he came up with the concept for this, it happened to coincide with the beginning development of bike lanes and trails in and around the city of Memphis.

The popularity of this event has grown as the cycling amenities in the city have expanded.

This is a view of some of the participants in the 2014 Tour de Griz as they
rode to the FedEx Forum for last year's game.  (Photo:  Courtesy of the
Memphis Grizzlies)

“We were lucky when we began…. to see an increased interest in cycling through the installation of bike lanes on the Shelby Farms Greenline and the Wolf River Greenway,” Potter said.

“The event has grown from 30 to 400 riders as of last year,” Jonathan Jones said.  Jones is the Account Executive for Group Sales for the Grizzlies.  “We could potentially see more than 400 participants this year,” he added.

“In what started…. as a mostly cycling crowd in the first year is now an all-ages family gathering,” Potter said.

Registration for this event runs from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Memphis Zoo.  The cyclists will depart at 5:00 p.m. with police escort.   The cyclists will then ride 5 miles and will park on 4th Street.  They will have complimentary bike valet parking at both the zoo and at the game.

The tip-off for the game will be at 7:00 p.m. and, assuming that the game does not go into overtime, it should end around 9:35 p.m.  Participants can expect to wait about 30 minutes until the traffic clears out and the police escorts give the go-ahead to begin the ride back to the zoo.

Tickets for the game can be found by visiting the Grizzlies purchase page at http://tinyurl.com/Grizzlies-Tour-de-Grizz-2015.  The deadline for purchasing game tickets is Friday, March 27.

Participants in the Tour de Grizz will need to type “MEMPHIS” into the Special Offer Code box and click verify.  If you already have an account, you can use your email address and password.  If not, you need to go to “Create an Account.”

The Grizzlies organization has not only hosted the Tour de Griz for the past
six years, but they have also had volunteers working in other cycling
events like a benefit for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in October 2010.

Ticket package options include the Terrace Level at a cost of $35 per ticket or $75 for the First TN Club ticket.  All ticket sales are final and there are no refunds if the bike ride is cancelled because of weather.

Participants in this event should email Jonathan Jones at jjones@grizzlies.com in order to get either a small, medium, large, or extra-large t-shirt.

Because it is 5-miles each way from the Memphis Zoo to the FedEx Forum and back, it is recommended that only those who are 10 years of age and up try to participate in this ride.

Those who do ride must wear helmets and they must have lights on their bikes.  Anyone who doesn't have both of these things will not be permitted to participate in the ride.

Anyone who's already purchased a ticket for the April 4 game can also join in on the ride by either calling (901) 205-1436 or by going to grizzlies.com.

The Tour de Grizz is a perfect opportunity for Grizzlies fans, who also happen to be cyclists, to enjoy an evening of seeing their team play and getting in a bike ride as well. 

This year’s team is looking strong under the team’s majority owner, Robert Pera, General Manager, Chris Wallace, and Head Coach, Dave Joerger. 

The Grizzlies have made it to the conference semi-finals in 2010-2011 and to the conference finals in 2012-2013, but lost that season to the San Antonio Spurs. 

Many of the team’s die-hard fans are hoping that this will be the year that they advance to the NBA playoffs, and this year’s Tour de Grizz event may be a way to see the team that makes it, bringing the first NBA championship to our river city.

A ride in the rain is something that cyclists should always be prepared for

A ride in the rain is something that cyclists should always be prepared for
By:  Michael Lander

It isn't always possible to avoid getting caught out in the rain while riding, but
always being prepared and taking some precautions can help to greatly
minimize the risks.

Dolly Parton once said that the way that she saw it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

Most of us might tend to agree with her about that, and we may even find a nugget of wisdom in what she said.  Rainbows or not, though, riding a bike in the rain isn’t exactly an enjoyable thing that most cyclists really care to do.

Granted, after riding in a typical hot and humid summer day in Memphis, and being completely drenched in sweat, a brief summer shower might actually feel like a welcomed respite from the heat.  For some, this might be a quick and satisfying way to cool down.

As great it might feel at first, however, riding in the rain isn’t exactly something that most of us try to set out to do, and for good reason.

As any experienced and well-seasoned cyclist knows, riding in the rain can be an extremely treacherous and dangerous endeavor.  In a really heavy and torrential downpour, it can be hard to see and to be seen, especially if you’re not dressed appropriately.

On top of that, there is also the added risk of not only possibly being hit by a car, but being hit by lightning or running over what looks like a puddle that turns out to be a pothole. 

If this were not enough, there is also the added problem of your brakes not working quite as well and your tires losing some traction on the road.  You can also experience problems with grit and grime coming up off the road, which can cause problems for your bicycle chain and other components on your bike.

When considering all of the risks that are involved, it is usually best to avoid riding in the rain, but when you must do it, (like those who must commute by bicycle, for example), you can take some precautions that might help keep you relatively safe and as dry as you can be under the circumstances.

Cyclists have many issues to be concerned with when riding in rainy weather.
Decreased visibility is one that they should always be cognizant and aware of
so that others on the road will be able to see and avoid them.

The first step you should always do is to check the weather forecast before you leave out so that you don’t ever get caught off guard.

After that, you should make sure that you dress in some bright and reflective clothing with a light rain-resistant jacket, if necessary.  Your bike should also be equipped with lights on the front and back of it and it should have reflectors as well.
 
If you have any idea that there is a potential for rain, you can slightly under-inflate your bicycle tires so that they will have better traction on the surface of the road.

If you have pouches for carrying things, and they aren’t already waterproof, you can spray Scotchgard on them to help prevent things from getting soaking wet.  It is also a good idea to always have some Ziploc plastic bags with you for added protection of those things that you don’t want to see get wet. 

As with any ride, you should always carry a phone to call someone if you need for someone to help you or to come pick you up.  If you’re out riding and you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a thunderstorm, you should immediately take cover.  There is no place that you have to go that is ever worth possibly getting struck by lightning for.

If you have ever had trouble with your hands being wet or you’ve had moisture on your cell phone screen, you know that it can affect your phone from responding properly to your touch.  To remedy this, you can cut the tips off of some dishwashing gloves and, by using one of these, you should be able to get the screen on your phone to respond to your touch or to any swiping motion that you make.

Since getting caught in the rain can sometimes be unavoidable, it is better to be safe than sorry.  Preparing for the worst is always better than actually having to experience the worst.     

With just a little preparation, and by taking a few preventive measures before you ride, you can avoid a lot of aggravation and help minimize some of the unnecessary risks in being out in bad weather.

Two cyclists die in accidents in less than a two week period in Memphis

Two cyclists die in accidents in less than a two week period in Memphis
By:  Michael Lander

The most recent cycling-related fatality in Memphis was at Sam Cooper and Tillman,
which is about 1.2 miles east of the Overton Park bicycle arch.  Because of the dangers
that intersections like this present to cyclists, the Memphis Metropolitan Planning
Organization recommended bike lanes at this intersection, among others.  The work
on this particular bike lane is expected to be completed within about six months.

In less than two weeks, two cyclists have been killed on our city streets.

The deaths have left friends and families with not only a terrible sense of loss, but with questions of how and why it happened.

The most recent fatality occurred on Monday evening, March 9, at around 8 p.m.  Zachary Walls, 40, of Memphis was identified as the latest victim.

This recent deadly incident occurred in the Binghamton neighborhood at the intersection of Sam Cooper and Tillman.  This cyclist was hit by a pick-up truck and he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The driver of that pick-up, who hit Walls, 50-year-old Solomon Johnson of Memphis, remained at the scene of this accident as Memphis Police investigated and gathered details. Johnson was subsequently arrested and charged with driving on a suspended, revoked, or cancelled license and a violation of the financial and state registration law.

Only a week and six days before, Eric Dyrell Taylor, 34, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver around 10:35 p.m., as he was riding on the 3300 block of New Getwell Road near Winchester.  He was riding from his residence in Whitehaven and was on his way to work at Swift Truck Company when he was killed. 

Because the driver fled the scene, Memphis Police Department's traffic investigators are asking that anyone who may have seen anything, or who might have some information regarding the accident that resulted in the death of Taylor, should call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.

These two cycling-related deaths are the fourth and fifth that the Memphis area has seen since 2010.  The one prior to these recent deaths occurred last July at U.S. Hwy 61 and Star Landing Rd in Desoto County in Mississippi.

While the circumstances and details surrounding these cycling fatalities may have been different, they did share at least one thing in common with one another.  Both of these cyclists were riding at night when poor visibility may have been a contributing factor, especially for the latest victim who was also riding while it was raining.

These two deadly accidents are a sad and tragic reminder of some of the dangers that cyclists can face any time that they ride and it furthers emphasizes the need for cyclists to remain vigilant, especially when riding in less than ideal conditions.

Even though accidents cannot always be avoided, cyclists can take some precautions to help minimize some of the risks that are involved, most notably, having bikes that are equipped with lights on the front and back, with reflectors, and by wearing bright and reflective clothing. 

Here is a link with some safety tips that cyclists might find especially helpful:  http://memphiscyclist.com/html/safetytips.html.

As the friends and families of these two Memphis area cyclists mourn the loss of their loved ones, the Memphis community should do what it can to help prevent this from happening to any other cyclists who ride and commute on our city streets.

Many Europeans make cycling a part of their lives while providing an example for the rest of the world to follow

Many Europeans make cycling a part of their lives while providing an example for the rest of the world to follow
By:  Michael Lander

Data from surveys indicate that more Europeans ride a bike, like these in
Freiburg, Germany, than Americans ride and they do so more frequently.

Europe has had a very long history with the bicycle.  It was first introduced to the world almost 200 years ago (around 1817), in 19^th Century Europe, and, soon, it will be celebrating its bicentennial birthday.

The first archetype of the bicycle, (that provided a means of human-powered transport on two wheels, with one in front of the other), was the German draisine  and the word “bicycle,” itself was conceived by the French in the 1860’s.

Today, the bicycle is a common sight along the urban and rural landscape throughout Europe. 

For many Europeans, the bicycle is simply a part of their everyday life.  They can be seen on city or village streets or on country roads and they are very much an accepted presence in a part of the world where they got their start.

As popular as it may be in many places around the world, Europeans have seemed to embrace cycling and Europe has become a cycling culture like no other.

Cyclists can be found in many scenic cities throughout Europe and the
British Isles like this one in Edinburgh, Scotland.

 
From commuting to just riding for fun, the bicycle has earned a spot of affection in the psyche of Europeans and, for more than century now, they have been a dominant force in competitive cycling.  Collectively, they have won more Tour de Frances than anyone else. 

Many countries throughout Europe also currently lead the world in being some of the most bike-friendly places to ride a bike.  Here is a current list of the 20 most bike-friendly cities in the world and it really should come as no surprise that most of these are located in Europe.

For now, the United States is not quite where Europe is when it comes to cycling, but there are some signs that things are clearly heading in the right direction.  Over the last couple of decades, many U.S. cities like Memphis have begun to promote cycling and have strived to make it a much safer activity and a more viable means of commuting. 

When it comes to cycling, the U.S. Department of Transportation has even begun to see the light as evidenced by their description of bicycles and pedestrians as “equals” to trains, planes and automobiles.  In recent years, they have begun to encourage further development of a cycling infrastructure at the state and federal level.

Amsterdam, Holland is one of many cities across Europe that is known for
having a long history and tradition of cycling and for being cyclist-friendly.

Even with all of the progress that has been made across the U.S., America still has a way to go to be where Europe is today.  The first step to getting there, though, will begin with not only more Americans riding bicycles, but being more receptive to others who do.

According to conservative estimates in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, as of 2008, Europeans rode about 5 times more than Americans did each year.  Europeans, on average, rode about 116 miles (or 188.68 km) per year while those in the United States only rode about 25 miles (or 40.234 km) each year.

Americans, it would seem, not only ride less than those in Europe, but they also ride less than those who have recently immigrated to the U.S.  In an article by Michael Smart, entitled US immigrants and biking: Two-wheeled in Autopia, Smart compares Americans with those who immigrate to the U.S. and he found that new immigrants to the U.S. are much more likely to travel by bicycle than native-born Americans.

In an article entitled, “On Biking, Why Can’t the U.S. Learn Lessons from Europe?” Elizabeth Rosenthal addresses America’s need to emulate Europeans and not to focus as much on bike trails and other such amenities, but instead, she said that we should be look at cycling as a serious form of mass urban transportation.

Europeans are accustomed to seeing cyclists on the roads, even in large
metropolitan cities like London in the United Kingdom.

More than anything, Rosenthal sees America as needing to adopt a new attitude regarding cycling.  She believes Americans still view bicycling as a form of exercise or recreation, but in Europe, cycling is more than just that.

In many parts of Europe, she says, people now view cycling as a way to commute and that, she contends, is the main lesson that Americans can learn from Europeans.

For nearly a century, Americans have had a deep and abiding love affair with the automobile.  Over time, as automobiles grew in immense popularity, cycling seems to have simultaneously experienced a precipitous decline, and cyclists subsequently became more of an obstacle or an annoyance for motorists.

The automobile further established its dominance in a post WWII America when the economy exploded and the country prospered and many Americans moved to many newly created suburbs.  None of this could have happened without the automobile and it quickly became the primary means of transportation for most Americans.

Since distances between home and work, in many cases, increased significantly, it made traveling and commuting by bicycle extremely impractical, if not impossible, for most people.

In contrast to the diminished role that bicycles have held in a car-centric America, they have remained steadily popular in Europe and they have continued to serve a utilitarian purpose across much of the continent.

Commuting by bicycle, such as this cyclist at Fairford RAF in the
United Kingdom, is a much more common phenomenon in
European countries.

Today, Europe stands as a role model as to what America can and should do, when it comes to cycling.

America not only needs to invest the money and resources to develop an adequate cycling infrastructure across the country, like what can be found in various locations throughout Europe, but it also needs to have a shift in how Americans view cycling and those who do ride.

Much of what is needed will not happen overnight, but it can happen through a concerted effort of local municipalities, states, and the federal government working together.  

More importantly, it can all come about if Americans can see the true value and benefits of riding a bicycle that is integrated into a comprehensive network of alternative modes of mass transit. 

Europeans have enjoyed a long history and a deep appreciation for the bicycle that we in America could and should have ourselves. 

For a nation that has long prided itself in its many accomplishments, this is something that we, as Americans, should not allow ourselves to fail at.

We should be able to succeed at this if we would simply follow the lead of our European friends and adopt the same mindset as they have.  If we were to do this, we should be able to reap the same benefits as they have and we'd all certainly be better off for it if we did.