If they can have handicap parking, wheelchair ramps, and other accessibility features (rightfully so!), what’s the problem with helping businesses to make their stores accessible by bike?
Everyone wants to support “buy local”, and there’s no better way to do it than by bike!
Seems like installing a simple bike rack would be a win-win-win all around. What exactly is the difficulty?
I don’t believe for a second that it’s a “they don’t know unless you tell them” problem, because I’ve contacted many, MANY stores and plaza management to let them know that they are losing business. Nothing changes.
And it’s not like they can’t see people locking their bikes to signs, trees, fences, or cluttering up the walkways because they have no other options when visiting their business.
Backstory: Over the last two years, I’ve been adding cycling infrastructure to OpenStreetMap. Stuff like bike lanes, bike parking, repair stands, etc. I’ve spent dozens of hours checking plazas in a 30 km radius, local storefronts, malls, etc., to see what options they offer. It’s SHOCKING to see how many have absolutely no bike parking. Large stores, post offices, coffee shops, or even gyms. I try to contact as many as I can, but almost never receive replies or acknowledgement. Contacting local representatives is even more futile, as they have no control over what these businesses do. This means I’m either going far out of my way to visit stores that have bike parking, or I take a car, which seems like madness either way.
km for km, more cyclists die on the sidewalk than on the road.
Honestly did not know that. I guess this makes sense with cars pulling up to turn onto roadways whereas on the roads you’re already visible.
Would love to use bike lanes more, but also hope they’re at least consistent and have enough of a space buffer from vehicle traffic to feel safe.
Yup, it’s true.
HOWEVER, that only applies to sidewalks that lead across intersections or have cars entering/exiting driveways/parking lots.
If you have to choose between a road with no shoulder and traffic going 80km/h or a sidewalk with no pedestrians and zero chance of cars crossing it, take the damn sidewalk!