The question “Are the these city streets safe for cycling?” may be more useful than that posed on the front page of the Dec. 30 Sunday Monitor. Cycling requires safe infrastructure for people to consider it a transportation option. People can be classified as one of four types of “cyclists”: A) Strong and fearless, B) Enthusiastic and confident, C) Interested but concerned, D) Will never ride. The “interested but concerned” classification represents 40 to 60 percent, the latent demand for cycling infrastructure.
As an everyday transportation cyclist in the strong and fearless category, 2018 has been a troubling year. Preferring to ride a bicycle for errands, my car is parked unused whenever possible. In January 2018, I suffered a frightful ride up Gully Hill on Loudon Road when two close pickup trucks passed me at an extremely fast clip. In the next week shingles developed, triggered perhaps by the frightful ride. Patrick Bettens’s death on Route 3 was a tragic event punctuating the year.
On June 5, I wrote to the Monitor about two girls at the library who were concerned about riding bicycles after being yelled at to “get off the sidewalk.” Instead of yelling, should we be asking of the council, “What are you going to do so cycling is a safe choice?” Never mind what the categories A and B require. What changes would allow the group C, “interested but concerned,” feel that the streets are safe for cycling.
As the city continues to pat its back on “Complete Streets” of Main Street, ask if the street feels safe enough for you to ride a bicycle there. If you’re in category A, B or D, ask others you know. If they’re in category C their perspective is essential to answering the question.
As a member of the TPAC-BikePed subcommittee, my confidence in the difference made is less than hoped. Will Concord be a place where people need to own and operate a car to participate? Or can cycling be a safe transportation choice for all?
(Robert T. Baker lives in Concord.)