Ran some errands by bicycle today... surprised how easy it actually is to get to the store here without running into ANY traffic, if you know the back route. A lot more people could bicycle to the store, if there were a culture change (living in car-driven SoCal). #BikeTooter
@meganL Yep. I left my bike unlocked (within view) at the store I was at, because I haven't figured out where the bicycle racks are yet. (not sure there are any...)
@meganL Looks like the "big" stores have bicycle racks, but the smaller stores have no sign of any kind of bike rack nearby. So... need to lock up farther away and walk over. Not ideal, but workable (would prefer to be able to lock up where I can see the bicycle).
@meganL I considered buying coffee there (not that I usually do) to check off "bicycle to the coffee shop", but it's the known hangout of an anti-vaxxer, anti-masker, right wing hate monger... known for "holding court" at the Starbucks. So, I don't go there anymore.
@doskel@meganL Good idea! Funny enough, I tried that a LBS some weeks back, and one clerk said: "go ahead, just put your bike there!" and the owner came by and said: "WHO LEFT THEIR BIKE IN HERE, THAT CAN'T BE IN HERE" LOL. Then I got his story about how no one had ever stolen a bicycle from in front of his shop since he opened the store, and how it was ridiculous to lock up bicycles there, LOL. Oh well.
@doskel@ai6yr I ask about the rack because I want them to install one.
If we get the kind of numbers of people cycling that we need in order to stem climate change, it's not like there's going to be room for everyone to safely bring their cycles inside.
My dentist's office keeps offering to let me bring my bike inside, as they don't have a rack, and the receptionist thinks "it's a rough neighborhood". Bringing it inside seems like a big hassle, so I usually just lock it to a lamp post or tree.
But yes, I try to carry my bike helmet in places to subtly signal that I rode my bike there. And I'd love to see the city or someone offer grants to businesses to install usable racks.
@kc2ihx@doskel@ai6yr Ask them to do that. Some cities have programs like that. I think Pasadena is one of them. Businesses can request racks and the city will install them on public space nearby.
@meganL@kc2ihx@doskel Now that I've started to bicycle places, I find I stand out, LOL... yet, it's really not that hard to do here (now that I've taken the plunge). The "drive to the store" culture is so ingrained...
@ai6yr Everything about stores' infrastructure encourages it. I used to tweet threads about this. If you really "read" the infrastructure of a grocery store or a minimall, you'll see that not only does it not have good cycle infrastructure, it doesn't have good pedestrian infrastructure or wheelchair-accessibility either.
So if you live within a block or two of the store, they're still encouraging you to drive.
@meganL Oh yes, certainly. I made that point in a city study group about the lack of "cut through" access to our shopping centers, where people who could literally walk out of their house and to the store and back in 100 feet instead have to DRIVE to those stores to get out of their neighborhoods. Those were by design -- deliberate separation of commercial vs. residential space, worries about making it too easy to access for "undesirables" (ie someone shoplifting and running into neighborhoods), etc. etc.
@ai6yr I wish I could link my old threads because they had plenty of photo examples. In addition to that worry, they make it hard to walk safely there. The entrance for many is literally walking up the same driveway cars are using. Gee, that feels safe.
There aren't enough ped-priority ways to the store, even if you drove there. The minute you stop driving, you're at risk as a pedestrian or wheelchair user.
@ai6yr@meganL@doskel The city requires bike racks for pretty much all new construction, but I don’t believe there is a requirement for existing businesses to retrofit them. Will ask when we get into reviewing the city’s Active Transportation Plan this year.
@ai6yr@meganL Fun Fact: our local Target has re-aimed their security cameras so they can't see the bike rack. It was too much hassle being asked to look at the tapes every time bikes were stolen (which was a nearly daily event when my son worked there, even though the racks are adjacent to the front doors.)
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