Increased bicycle traffic helps both with easing traffic congestion and increased spending in the Victoria area.  In turn increased cycling related services popup which returns again financially to the local economy.

“…as cycling’s presence is increasingly felt in the region, it follows that entrepreneurs will tap into this market segment to build a value-added, cycling-based economy…”

In a community somewhat dependant on tourism it seems an increased in cycling infrastructure is a no-brainer as well, “cycling is making its way into Greater Victoria’s $1-billion annual tourism industry.”

The more cyclist who visit the islands also helps in other areas including environmental and health benefits,

It’s a perfect storm when a number of factors come together in Greater Victoria’s cycling-friendly climate:
n the public’s desire for a greener planet and less reliance on fossil fuels;
n reluctance to ride the ups and downs of gasoline prices;
n grass-roots pressure for government policies and practices to support cyclists;
n bicycle designs to make riding easier for various riders;
n employers offering bike storage and showers; and
n an awareness of the health benefits of exercise.

So why is the San Juans not focusing on a bicycle infrastructure when we are a bicycle tourist destination?  We know they want to come here.  So are we taking it for granted that cyclist will always want to come to the island or do we see ourselves as a destination and a place to spend money?  Or do we still see ourselves as a rural farming community only and it just so happens that some tourist like to come here.

This isn’t just about tourist either.  More and more year around locals are enjoying the benifits of cycling as well and many of us shake our heads at the fact that the roads are very bicycle unfriendly.  A couple of weeks ago one of my customers came in after spending a couple of hours on one of our rental bikes.  He had ridden out to North Beach and on his way back, a motorist pulled up next to him and yeald at him to “get on the bike path….” The bike path?  What bike path?  Did he think the almost non-existant shoulder was a bike path?  It shows that cyclist have to stake their claim in the road and as more and more cyclist ride the roads here, there are going to be more and more confrontations. So it is in our best interest to work on a bicycle infrastructure in the San Juans but especially here on Orcas Island.  It would be good for the local economy, good for our health, good for the local environment, good tourist and locals, and good for traffic.  It’s a no-brainer

What would a bike trail system be like on Orcas Island?

City of Roseville Bikeways>

Would this work in Washington State?  There are a lot more physics involved when an cyclist stops and starts from a stop that doesn’t apply to motorists but would motorist feel slighted that they don’t get the same treatment or would they understand that this might help traffic flow more easily and maybe change the way they feel about cyclists (for the better)?

“…in the state of Western Australia where bicycle helmets have been mandatory for all ages since July 1992, the annual cyclist death toll from 1987 to 1991 (pre-law) averaged 7.6 fatalities per year.  From 1993 to 1997 (post-law) it was 6.4 fatalities per year, representing a 16% reduction.  However, Government cycling surveys show cycling declined in Western Australia by approximately 30% during the 1990s following mandatory helmet law enforcement.  Thus, relative to cycle use, fatalities went up, not down.“

Brought to you buy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Lane splitting is riding a bicycle or motorcycle between lanes in the same direction as traffic. It is also sometimes called lane sharing, whitelining, filtering, or stripe-riding.  Lane splitting usually refers to moving at a greater speed than traffic, in response to a traffic slowdown, a form of filtering forward.“

In Portland, where he is a political writer with The Oregonian, Mapes’ bike commutes were made safer when the city shut down one entrance ramp to the Hawthorne Bridge that was causing bike-car conflicts.

“A movement has grown slowly, under the radar screen, which people are hardly aware is going on,” Mapes told a Tuesday night forum sponsored by the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Seattle is a big blip on bicyclists’ radar screen. The city’s big street repair package, approved by voters a couple years back, provided $27 million for bicycle projects.

Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop from Spencer Boomhower on Vimeo.

Story credit to EcoVelo

“In their essay ‘Why Bicyclists Hate Stop Signs,’ University of California physics professor Joel Fajans and Access transportation journal editor Melanie Curry write that requiring cyclists to follow the same complete-stop rules as motorists defies science.

‘While car drivers simply sigh at the delay’ of a stop sign, they write, ‘bicyclists have a whole lot more at stake when they reach a stop sign.‘”

Working to support the city’s growing number of bicyclists, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will create on-street bicycle parking in neighborhoods around Seattle. With a goal of having one to two per neighborhood, the department will install these unique bike facilities at three locations starting next week.

Taking the place of one to two motor vehicle parking spaces, on-street bike parking will be filled with bicycle racks and surrounded by a raised curb. Bicyclists can enter the parking area from the sidewalk and each car-sized space will accommodate up to eight bikes.

This new program addresses the expanding need for bicycle parking and is part of the ongoing implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, which seeks to triple the number of people bicycling in Seattle over ten years.

The San Juans needs a master plan which includes bicycles. A bit more rural than Seattle but the need is still there.

Credit: EcoVelo