Bridging Boston’s Bicycle Divide

Imagine you’re driving a car in Boston.  You want to get somewhere quick so you decide to take Storrow Drive, the limited access highway along the Charles River.  But as you approach Storrow Drive you see a sign informing you “PLEASE WALK CARS ON ACCESS AND EXIT RAMPS.” Now, you’ve been driving your car on city streets and will be driving your car on Storrow Drive, that’s what an automobile is designed to do, so you’d expect you’d also be able to drive between the two.  But the sign says you must put the car in neutral and get out and push the vehicle, no matter how inconvenient and possibly dangerous that is.

Imagine now that you are a pedestrian walking the sidewalks of Boston.  You decide to take a stroll along the Charles River along the scenic Esplanade.  But when you get to the bridge crossing Storrow Drive, you a sign sign instruction pedestrians to “PLEASE BRACHIATE ACROSS THE BRIDGE.” Again, you might expect as a pedestrian that your means of locomotion should remain as walking for your entire journey, but for this part of your journey you must get in touch with your inner primate and swing by your arms across the bridge.

Sounds absurd? Insulting? Inefficient?  Possibly injurious?

And yet, a bicyclist in the city of Boston hoping to connect to and from the Paul Dudley White Bike Path along the Charles River will see these signs on every bridge across Storrow Drive:

The Paul Dudley White Bike Path is in every the bicycle equivalent of Storrow Drive, a bicycle highway connecting Boston neighborhoods and the city to the suburbs. In a city where Mayor Marty “Car Guy” Walsh informs bicyclists that they are responsible for their own deaths “because cars are going to hit you,” the Paul Dudley White Bike Path is one of the few places in Boston where bicyclists of all ages and ability can feel confident and relaxed to bike without the risk of vehicular violence from automobiles.  And yet, to merely get on or off this bicycle oasis, one must face the inconvenience and indignity of not being able to use a bike for what it was built to do. Speaking for myself, walking my bike for extended distances – especially up inclines – causes a soreness in my hips that I never get from riding a bike.

As Bostonians we must ask why certain forms of transportation are given the space to allow large numbers of vehicles to move at high speeds unobstructed (cars) while other forms of transportation must share limited spaces (pedestrians and bicyclists)?  Why is the solution to conflicts of use to single out one form of transportation to be completely restricted from use on connecting routes?  These questions must be resolved by improving facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians, reducing motor vehicle capacity where necessary, throughout the city.  Until that time, riding one’s bike across the Storrow Drive bridges (yielding to pedestrians where necessary) remains and act of civil disobedience.

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2018 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon #BAT2018

On Sunday, June 10th, my daughter Kay (a.k.a. “The Toothless Wonder”) and I rode in the Bikes Not Bombs 31st Annual Bike-A-Thon.  The ride helps raise funds for Bikes Not Bombs’ social justice programs in Boston and abroad.

We met our goal for fundraising (including for my son Peter who was not able to participate), but Bikes Not Bombs is still accepting donations if you wish to contribute.

It was a beautiful day to ride, and except for the steep uphills right at the beginning, it was a terrific ride.

Read about our previous Bike-A-Thons in 2011, 201320152016, and 2017.

Posted in Advocacy, Bicycling, Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon, Boston, Brookline, Events, Jamaica Plain | Comments Off on 2018 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon #BAT2018

Sponsor Us for the 2018 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon #BAT2018

It’s once again time to get back in the saddle for one of my favorite events of the year, the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon.

Bikes Not Bombs is a social justice organization based in Jamaica Plain, MA not far from where I live. Their goal is to use the bicycle as a vehicle for social change.  The accomplish this mission by:

  • collecting and renovating bicycles to ship to developing communities in Central America, the Caribbean and Africa. These bicycles help people meet crucial transportation needs with an easily maintained and environmentally friendly vehicle.
  • help Boston youth develop confidence and leadership skills through programs focusing on urban bicycle riding and bicycle repair.

I routinely get my bike repaired and by bicycle supplies at the Bikes Not Bombs shop in Jamaica Plain, and I’m always impressed by the positive impact they have in the community.  Especially when I see young people out on their Boston By Foot group rides.

Here’s how you can help:

This is our sixth time participating.  Read about our previous Bike-A-Thons in 2011, 201320152016, and 2017.

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#30DaysofBiking Day 7

This is better! A sunny, somewhat cool spring day. Me on my bike, my daughter on a trail-a-bike, and my son on his bike. We rode down the Southwest Corridor, stopped at Ula Cafe for lunch, rode over by Jamaica Pond and back to center JP, with a stop at the library.

5.26 miles, 1:12.

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#30DaysofBiking Days 3,4,5, and 6

It’s been cold, rainy, windy, and I’m not sleeping well. These days of biking are short rides on Hubway to get from here to there, head down, and shivering. This is not the joyous Days of Biking I signed up for.

Oh well, 24 more days to find my bliss.

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#30DaysofBiking Day 2

Easter Monday.  The first work day of April.  Today is the day I’m going to start riding my bike to work again!

Or not.  Because it’s snowing.  And I’m tired and lazy.

But every bit of biking counts no matter how small.  So I ride a Hubway from the T stop to work, and back, even with snow on the handlebars.

1.30 miles, 14 minutes.

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#30DaysofBiking Day 1

I didn’t think I was going to go for a bike ride on Easter Sunday.  As tends to be my habit, I ride less and less in the winter time and then find it hard to get back into the habit in the spring.  On Saturday, my son and I biked to Daisy Field for the local youth baseball league registration and skills assessment.  It was nice to be on a bike again.  But still, it was an exhausting Easter weekend and late Sunday afternoon I would just as soon be ready to go to bed early.

But then my son said he really needed to get out of the house (and away from his little sister) and go for a bike ride before the sun set.  So we rode through the tangled morass of construction at Forest Hills and down the Southwest Corridor bike path to Stony Brook and back.  It was colder than I’d realized and I should have worn a jacket over my sweatshirt.  It also started getting dark swifter than I expected, and we may have rode even more if my son had his way.

April 1st, and I rode a bike.  Day 1 of 30.

3.3 miles, 32 minutes.

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Sponsor Us for the 2017 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon

On Sunday, June 4,  I will be riding with my kids Kay and Peter in the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon!   The Bike-A-Thon is always a fun event and it raise money for a terrific cause. This will be our fifth time participating.

Based in Boston not far from where we live, Bikes Not Bombs serves two great purposes. First they collect and renovate bicycles to ship to developing communities in Central America, the Carribean and Africa. These bicycles help people meet crucial transportation needs with an easily maintained and environmentally friendly vehicle. Secondly, they help youth right here in Boston learn skills such as urban bike riding and bicycle repair that contributes to building their confidence and leadership skills. Please help us in our efforts by making a generous donation!

Here’s how you can help:

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Michelle Wu’s Editorial on Biking in Boston

The Boston Globe recently published Boston City Council President Michelle Wu’s thoughts on improving bicyclist safety and promoting bike commuting in Boston by way of protected bike lanes.  It’s been passed around quite a bit in Boston cycling circles, but if you haven’t read it yet, check it out: https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/07/11/the-road-fear-free-biking-boston/UBnj30slkPwBIzggL70uwJ/story.html

 

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2016 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon

On Sunday, my son Peter & I rode the ten mile route in the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon, raising $463 in donations for all the great work done by Bikes Not Bombs!  Even though the ride is over, you can still sponsor us (I think the donor page is active until December!).

Rain delayed this year’s ride from June 5th to June 19th, so I got to spend a gorgeous Father’s Day with my son biking around Boston and Brookline.  Last year’s ride was marred a bit by Peter’s bike being too small, so we got him a new bike last summer and it proved to be up to the task.  This year’s ride almost seemed to go by too fast, but it was worth it when we were coasting down the hill by the Arboretum and Peter exclaimed “This is so much fun!”  Next year, Peter wants to do the thirty mile ride and I think he will be up to it!

Thanks to everyone who sponsored us and the companies who supported today’s event and all the volunteers who made it a perfect day!

Ready to ride!

Pre ride selfie

Cruising down a tree-lined street

Celebrating with a youth rider’s medal

Previous Bike-A-Thon’s: 2011, 2013, and 2015.

Posted in Advocacy, Bicycling, Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon, Boston, Brookline, Events, Jamaica Plain | Comments Off on 2016 Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon