What percent commute by vanpool? By motorcycle? A totally unscientific study, of my office of 16 people, two come by vanpool and two by motorcycle. Are there any more meaningful numbers wrt. the big picture?
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Without looking up the figures, if 2% of Madison's working population > commutes by bicycle, 1% commutes by bus and another 1 percent walks to > work, that means 96% commute by car or SUV, with 1 or 6 or so commuting > by themselves. That stinks! -- Almost as bad as Madison's air does, > now. > > BTW, how long has BTWW been Running in Madison? Appears a new tactic is > needed. > -- duh. > ----------------------------- Forward Article > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > --------------------- > > Copenhagen Enjoys A Two-wheel Traffic Fix > > The Capital Times :: BUSINESS :: 8D > > Tuesday, August 19, 2003 > Mike Ivey > COPENHAGEN, DENMARK > > The first thing you notice about this city, aside from the > butter-smooth > electric train that brought us in from the airport, are the thousands > of > bicycles. > > Bikes are everywhere, piled literally on top of each other in the > double-decker racks outside the central station across from Tivoli > Gardens. Bikes of all shapes and sizes; one-speed beaters, multi-speed > mountain bikes, older racing models outfitted with fenders for > all-weather > riding. > > Denmark was a perfect way to wind down our recent European trip. We > escaped Paris just as the blistering heat arrived there, flying north > into > glorious Scandinavian summer weather. > > Copenhagen is a grand old northern city of winding canals, narrow > cobblestone streets and sweeping public spaces. Like Amsterdam to the > south in the Netherlands, Copenhagen rightly enjoys a reputation for > its > nightclubs and hash bars. > > > The Danish also have a tradition of cutting edge design and culture. > Denmark's taxes are high but its social programs are unparalleled. > > And while its status may have been lost somewhat amid a developing > world economy, Denmark remains out front when it comes to > "multi-modal" transportation. The metro Copenhagen area has about 1.7 > million of the nation's 5.4 million residents and they have many > choices > how to get around. > > A great thing about Europe's transportation system is the way it > combines airlines, buses, trains and automobiles. The wide use of > passenger rail especially relieves the pressure, keeping airports from > turning into the cattle markets they resemble in this country. > > At the same time, driving is on the upswing across Europe and Denmark. > But Copenhagen has seen the number of bicycle commuters increase to > an amazing 34 percent of its work force, up from 28 percent in 1996 > when the city initiated a program to increase bicycle use. Compare that > to a top U.S. bicycling city like Madison, where the percentage of > regular > commuters hovers around 2 percent, according to the latest census > estimates. > > Bicycling is woven into the fabric of Copenhagen and is certainly a > major > reason that the downtown has avoided the automobile congestion that > plagues so many big cities. Its bike commuters come in all forms: men > in > suits, women in skirts, bicycle couriers in Lycra and street people > with > beer cans. > > Copenhagen has invested in its bike facilities in a big way. Restricted > bicycle-only lanes are built right into the major streets, insulated by > a > curb low enough to ride over while providing clear separation from auto > lanes. Small traffic lights for bike traffic are timed to coordinate > bikes and > cars. > > One popular option for many bike commuters is leaving their bike locked > overnight at the train station. You ride the train into town in the > morning, > then pick up the bike to finish the ride to school or work, avoiding > the > traffic and parking hassles. > > Copenhagen also claims to have several thousand bikes available for > public use. Riders can plop a 20 kroner coin into a lock, ride the > bike, and > get their money back when they finish. > > Frankly, I found no "red bikes" available in the racks around town, at > least > any in usable condition. The free bikes seem to get adopted quickly and > kept rather than used and returned. > > The Danes don't go in for a lot of fancy bicycle equipment, at least on > their city bikes. In fact, the bike is treated more as a tool for > getting > around town rather than as a recreational play toy to pull out a couple > times a summer. > > And except for the Tuborg brewery-sponsored couriers flying around, I > saw few riders wearing bicycle helmets in Copenhagen. Instead of > flopping a plastic helmet on their head, they learn at an early age how > to > handle their bikes in traffic and maneuver safely. > > "We don't feel like we need them," said a 30-something bicycle commuter > on his way to the office. "The cars respect here, they respect you." > > Compare that to the U.S., where so many people are afraid to ride their > bicycles on public streets they actually drive to where they feel safe. > They take time getting the bike on and off the rack, bolting on the > front > wheel, changing shoes, attaching the child carrier and making sure the > keys aren't locked in the minivan. > > Somehow, I can't see the Danes strapping their children into a Burley > trailer on a hot day and pulling them around on a dusty gravel trail. > They'd more likely have their kids riding up on the handlebars, smiling > as > the sea breeze blows across their happy faces. > > Mike Ivey is a business reporter at The Capital Times. He can be > reached > at 252-6431 or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ________________________________________________________________ > The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! > Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! > Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies --------------------- Paul T. O'Leary Desktop Insurgent Madison WI USA _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
