Without commenting on the percentage that motorcycle or vanpool (which I don't think is that great--certainly not 25% as in Paul's office--this isn't a comment BTW), I would say that the percentage of people in Madison who commute by bus, bicycle, or foot greatly exceeds 4%.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul T. O'Leary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 7:08 PM Subject: Re: [Bikies] Two Percent of Commuters in Madison Bike to Work > 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 _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
