Making Bicycling Safe & Attractive In A Car Centric Society
by Larry Lagarde

The following video documentary explains some of the difficulties of attracting the mainstream to bicycling as a transportation alternative. Though shot in the UK city of Darlington, the same principals apply to making bicycling a widely accepted transportation option in the USA.



As the video demonstrates, people must feel safe when cycling and view cycling as an image enhancing activity. Anything less and the mainstream will not accept cycling as a realistic transportation option.

Can New York streets be full of bikes like downtown London? Can bikes rule Chicago like they do Amsterdam? Can commuting or running errands by bike in D.C. be as safe and fun as it is in Copenhagen? If the critical elements come together in the form of public and political will, any city, town or village can have the necessary network of bike facilities and transportation laws/policies that make cycling safe and practical. There are many challenges; however, they can be overcome.

For the sake of our children and future generations, they must be overcome.