It all started with a bike ride last October. On the final day of a seven-day, three-city journey, I rented a traditional “Dutch Bicycle” and explored the bike-obsessed city of Amsterdam.
For three hours I was Sal Paradise on two wheels. I didn’t follow a map, I followed what looked interesting. I became lost, found, and then lost all over again. I explored the “non-touristy” areas of Amsterdam and blended in with locals in the midst of their daily routine. During the three hours I had the bike, I left it only once—to indulge in a Belgian waffle (an addiction I had developed during the trip). It was a beautiful experience and the absolute perfect way to end an amazing adventure.
When I returned my rented bicycle, I let the store clerk know how much fun I had. We chatted about the differences between biking in his city and mine (NYC), and I told him that, as much as I enjoy riding in NYC, I felt more relaxed in Amsterdam.
His response: “here, bike is king”.
Of course. That is why I was usually surrounded by a flock of other cyclists (which was quite empowering), never felt like I could be crushed at any moment by a hurried cab driver (which was quite refreshing), and could leisurely make my way through the narrow streets with a huge smile on my face (which was quite beautiful).
This experience stuck with me as I returned to my master’s program at the University of Dundee. It just so happens that at the same time, we were starting to nail down our graduate research topics for the summer of 2009. Since I couldn’t stop thinking or bicycles, I decided to make them the focus of my research.
So here we are in the summer of 2009. I am back in NYC to explore the following question: What makes a city bicycle friendly?
The twist here is that I will investigate the issue from the viewpoints of actual NYC residents—regardless if they currently use the bicycle as a form of transportation. My goal is simple: to understand what the actual residents of a city think “bicycle friendly” means.
This means that I need your help (provided that you are a NYC resident). I want to talk to current riders, bike messengers, automobile commuters, cabbies, business owners, people who are petrified at the thought of riding around on a bicycle in NYC, bike shop clerks, and anybody else with an opinion on the matter. This is your chance to make your voice heard.
At the end of the summer, I hope to present an array of design suggestions aimed at creating a more bicycle friendly environment. Additionally, I plan to produce some type of compilation of the bicycle-related stories I’ve heard throughout the process.
So please, send your thoughts, photos, stories, or anything else relevant to cycling in the city to bicycleisbeautiful@gmail.com. I will not reveal your identity (unless you are really adamant about it) or share your information with anybody.
The street revolution is in your hands.
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