SF: Now America's Top Big City for Biking!!



"Roger Zoul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ken wrote:
> :: "Cycle America" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> :: news:[email protected]...
> :::
> ::: In case you missed it:
> :::
> ::: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/05/25/gree.DTL
> :::
> :: The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly
> :: commute by bicycle in San Francisco
> ::
> :: This is not a lot for a city the size of SF. Hardly even a drop in
> :: the bucket really.
>
> Doesn't need to be a 'lot' to be the 'top' big city for cycling...
>
>

True, but 40,000 hardly even seems worth talking and or writting about.

Ken
 
On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly commute
>by bicycle in San Francisco


Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
county?

You're right, that is pathetic!

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly commute
>>by bicycle in San Francisco

>
>Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
>Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
>county?
>
>You're right, that is pathetic!


When I lived in Beijing, there were around 12-14 million people there
(the Chinese weren't too good at census taking). There were 7 million
bikes, and it appeared that most of 'em were on the road at "rush
hour". You can't even imagine what it's like riding in a situation
like that until you do it - we have a long, long way to go.

Unfortunately, China is moving the way of the western world,
eliminating bikes and replacing them with cars.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame
 
Ken wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" <[email protected]> wrote in message
:: news:[email protected]...
::: Ken wrote:
::::: "Cycle America" <[email protected]> wrote in message
::::: news:[email protected]...
::::::
:::::: In case you missed it:
::::::
::::::
:::::: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/05/25/gree.DTL
::::::
::::: The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly
::::: commute by bicycle in San Francisco
:::::
::::: This is not a lot for a city the size of SF. Hardly even a drop in
::::: the bucket really.
:::
::: Doesn't need to be a 'lot' to be the 'top' big city for cycling...
:::
:::
:: True, but 40,000 hardly even seems worth talking and or writting
:: about.

Perhaps articles such as that one will encourage more people to ride. You
have to start somewhere....
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly commute
>>by bicycle in San Francisco

>
> Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
> Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
> county?
>
> You're right, that is pathetic!
>
> Guy
> --

Well I just checked population and the number I got for SF was just over
750,000 so 40,000 thats a joke barely 5% or something like that.

Ken
 
Just zis Guy, you know? said the following on 26/5/2005 20:30:
> Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
> Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
> county?


London has about ten times the populkation you cited:

population info from: http://www.citypopulation.de/
(commuter info from this thread)

City Population Bike commuters %
SF 750,000 40,000 5.33
London 7,120,000 100,000 0.14
 
"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly

commute
> >>by bicycle in San Francisco

> >
> > Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
> > Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
> > county?
> >
> > You're right, that is pathetic!
> >
> > Guy
> > --

> Well I just checked population and the number I got for SF was just over
> 750,000 so 40,000 thats a joke barely 5% or something like that.
>
> Ken
>


Compared to what? Did you sleep through statistics class?

GG
 
On Thu, 26 May 2005 23:43:16 +0800, Mathias Koerber
<[email protected]> wrote:

>London has about ten times the populkation you cited:


Transposition error, sorry.

So, comparable population (greater London v. LA County)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
 
"GaryG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
>> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >>The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly

> commute
>> >>by bicycle in San Francisco
>> >
>> > Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
>> > Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
>> > county?
>> >
>> > You're right, that is pathetic!
>> >
>> > Guy
>> > --

>> Well I just checked population and the number I got for SF was just over
>> 750,000 so 40,000 thats a joke barely 5% or something like that.
>>
>> Ken
>>

>
> Compared to what? Did you sleep through statistics class?
>
> GG
>

Well I never looked up the population of London.

Ken

>
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 26 May 2005 23:43:16 +0800, Mathias Koerber
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>London has about ten times the populkation you cited:

>
> Transposition error, sorry.
>
> So, comparable population (greater London v. LA County)
>
> Guy

Well SF is NOT is LA county.

Ken
 
On Thu, 26 May 2005 12:47:14 -0400, "Ken"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>SF is NOT is LA county.


SF county. Bad Windows day, too much distraction :)

Greater London is about 15% of the entire UK population - it's huge
and sprawling.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 26 May 2005 12:47:14 -0400, "Ken"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>SF is NOT is LA county.

>
> SF county. Bad Windows day, too much distraction :)
>
> Greater London is about 15% of the entire UK population - it's huge
> and sprawling.
>
> Guy


But I am willing to bet that if you were to look up the % of people in
London that use methods of transport other than thier own motor vehicle, it
would be much higher than the % of either SF or LA. They have a great public
transit system over there, from what I have heard and read. I have never
been there.

Ken
 
Ken wrote:
> "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> Well I just checked population and the number I got for SF was just over
> 750,000 so 40,000 thats a joke barely 5% or something like that.
>

I have to disagree. Here in San Diego, where people can't use the
weather as an excuse for not commuting by bike, I'm the only bike
commuter that I know. I'm the only one in my company (~100 people) and
at my previous employer (~500 people).

My route to work is 25 miles which passes through two industrial areas
(Kearney Mesa and Mira Mesa) and one university (San Diego State). On
a typical morning I might see one or two cyclists and maybe 1000 cars.
Nothing close to 5%.

I agree that it is all pathetic. But 5% is a whopping step up from
where I live.

Tom
 
On Thu, 26 May 2005 13:00:40 -0400, "Ken"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I am willing to bet that if you were to look up the % of people in
>London that use methods of transport other than thier own motor vehicle, it
>would be much higher than the % of either SF or LA. They have a great public
>transit system over there, from what I have heard and read. I have never
>been there.


Large numbers of Londoners live car-free, and public transport is
commonly used by large numbers of people especially travelling to and
from the centre.

I *have* been there - in fact I live about 40 miles away :)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
 
Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

> On Thu, 26 May 2005 06:59:01 -0400, "Ken"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The Bicycle Coalition estimates that up to 40,000 people regularly
>> commute by bicycle in San Francisco

>
> Compare with London: 650,000 regular cyclists, 100,000 bike commuters.
> Population about 750,000. LA population is, what? ten million for the
> county?


Who said anything about LA? SF is 400 miles away. :)

Also, I believe greater London is at least the same size as greater LA. In a
practical sense London is a bigger city. LA has patches of high density,
interspersed with low-mid density. Over the same area, London has relatively
high density throughout.

In central London, motorized traffic moves slowly enough that cycling is almost
always faster. Even with heavy traffic, this is not often true in LA. Not to
mention faster traffic is intimidating to most cyclists. Also, London is as
flat as a billiard table, which facilitates cycling for everyone -- not just the
young and fit. LA is a lot hillier than most people think.

> You're right, that is pathetic!


That I agree with!

If it's any consolation, I've noticed a huge increase in the number of bike
commuters in Orange County, CA. What was once a trickle of cyclist commuters on
major throughfares has become a steady stream. I think this is due to a
combination of things -- a rapid increase in driving commute times; a
time-pressed, but health conscious population that wants to get their exercise
in; and a sudden, tremendous increase in the cost of living and driving, w/o
increases in pay -- especially for the working poor.

To an even greater degree, the latter is probably a factor in SF cycling too.
When people can hardly afford their rent anymore, they can no longer afford to
keep a car on the road.

Matt O.
 

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