Pedal power has been thriving as a mode of transportation in many cities, but in Portland and New York, city officials are having trouble keeping up with the influx of cyclists. Balancing the safety needs of a growing number of cyclists who reduce overall traffic and emissions with the rights of drivers has proven a daunting task.
In Portland, expansion of bicycle lanes in some areas during the last decade has led to a nearly 300 percent increase in cyclists who ride on the city's 10 bridges every day, and now the cyclists say they need more bike friendly routes, according to the Oregonian. Nearly 4 percent of people in Portland, which has been voted the best city for cyclists, commute solely by bike.
It's easy to have a biased perspective on this issue. If you bike, you want protection from cars, and if you are driving, you want cyclists out of your way, but don't want to increase taxes or restrict traffic for the small number of people who bike. But bikes take cars off the road and reduce traffic, and since most people believe that fewer cars is a good thing, additional measures must be taken.
In New York, the City Council has passed a law regulating and limitingthe numbers of pedicabs. I agree that all forms of "for hire" transportation should require licensing, but limiting the number of bikes because their are too many people being chauffeured sans gasoline is the wrong move. Isn't it better to have a pedicab traffic jam than one caused by cars and cab s? The licensing requirement would eliminate some of the pedicabs, but let the market decide what the right number is.
New York also wants to enforce safety rulesfor bicycle delivery persons. Employers should provide helmets and ensure that cyclists are aware of safety regulations. This will make everyone safer.
