Americans leery of bicycles despite gas price jump
By Jon Hurdle
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - It's U.S. National Bike to Work Day on Friday and Americans are facing record high gasoline prices, but most commuters will stick to their cars.
...
Similarly, the number of people who ride bikes at least six times a year fell to 35.6 million in 2006, the lowest since the survey began in 1984, from 56.3 million in 1995.
Thomas Doyle, vice president of information and research at the association, said the decline was probably due to the aging population, reluctance by parents to allow children to ride bikes and more children using wheeled toys such as scooters and skateboards.
...
In Philadelphia, the jump in gas prices has become the "tipping point" for getting more people on their bikes, said Alex Doty, director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
He said bike use in the city rose 25 percent in 2007 and is up 6 percent this year, but only 1.4 percent of personal trips in Philadelphia are made by bike, compared with 30 percent in Amsterdam.
...
Edgar Gil bikes seven miles to work in Washington from his home in Arlington, Virginia, every day. He will be making the trip -- about 60 percent of which is on traffic-free bike paths -- on Bike to Work Day to show seven coworkers how he does it.
Gil, 35, said biking saves about $100 a month in bus fares, and, despite the traffic and pollution, he simply likes to ride.
"You enjoy it more, you get to work relaxed," he said. "You have a better day."
...
"This is the U.S. and people will kill you out there riding your bike," she said. "I would not take my life in my hands and ride a bike."
<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1556311320080515?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0">http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1556311320080515?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0</a>;