Not-Cyclists
There has been a move to build more infrastructure for cyclists here. However, with limited space on the road, this comes at a cost… which has local businesses concerned.
But there is the issue. How can you tell how you tell a driving customer from a walking customer from a biking customer? Especially when a cyclist is not a “cyclist”…
…just like a driver is not a “driver.”
They are both customers. But drivers tend to pass through towns, and those on bike or on foot will spend time at local businesses. And the goal of business is to get more customers, and bike infrastructure will bring more of these not-cyclists down their particular street- with things to do, money to spend, time to stop.
Ultimately it’s not about biking, but creating a neighborhood where people will stop biking… and stay a while.
The issue brought up by Bikeyface’s cartoon merchant, replacing car parking with cycle tracks, was also part of the merchant survey.
The merchants were asked what they thought the effect upon their business would be if 50% of the on-street car parking were removed and replaced with cycle lanes and a widened sidewalk.
Result: Over half (54%) of the merchants surveyed believed that their business would increase or remain unchanged. Most of them get it!
But almost half of them do no. The reality being that since only 21% of their customers are car drivers, with 79% walking, cycling or taking public transit, improving the street by getting rid of car parking will inevitably increase their business by making the whole district a much more pleasant place to shop.
Although I accept that a very large number of people in Boston do their transportation by car you have to keep in mind that is not based on just the people who live in Boston. That is based on people who come to visit it for reasons ranging from working in the city or going for a shopping trip in the city and living as far as New Hampshire.
It is estimated that 80% of people who live in the city do their transportation around the city by bicycle or MBTA and only use their car (if they have one) for trips that require them going places out of the city.
It is wonderful that the city is working hard to accomodate people who get around by bike but businesses and drivers need to learn to accept this.
This is what I’ve been harping on lately. We need to take a page from the MADD playbook and change the image that goes with “cyclist” to a mom with kids on her bike or in tow. The image that comes to mind now is someone that doesn’t need safe infrastructure, is a scofflaw, etc. We need to use an image that makes people viscerally equate “cyclist” with “vulnerable road user” so that politicians and businesses don’t want to be perceived as being against people on bikes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think of myself as weak, but I think the pendulum of perception needs to swing that way to get roads that are more useable for all. It’s like curb cuts being “for” people in wheelchairs, but they certainly benefit many others.
I would think business owners in that part of town would be thrilled – I ride into the city often from JP, and I am more likely to visit Beacon Hill shops on my bike, because it’s virtually impossible to find parking there in my car and I’m not about to spend 30 dollars just to park nearby — either for a garage or for the inevitable ticket. It’s very simple, really. In fact, the beauty of biking is exactly that: Simplicity. Hungry? Stop your bike. See a cool outfit in a window? (something you can’t see from a car) Stop your bike and stop in. Biking promotes the kind of positive-cash-flow spontaneity that just isn’t possible if you’re driving around for a half hour looking for parking.
So true! And a related thing I’m amazed isn’t mentioned more often: Bicyclists are really only constrained by their own schedule. Drivers in urban areas must be constantly vigilant that their meter hasn’t run out or that they haven’t exceeded the two hour parking limit. If the goal is to bring in people who will spend more time in your store, attracting bicyclists (or “non-cyclists,” heh) would seem to be the way to go.
I have observed on visits to Portland, OR that on some streets they have converted one parking space to bike parking the cool thing is you can get about 20 bikes in the space one car takes and I noticed that the converted parking spaces were usually full of bikes. Works especially well in those areas with restaurants, bars, cafes etc example here http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyseven/6109880111/
And what about the residents? Just curious. This seems to be focused on the merchants/businesses. This road is up against Cambridge, so those that live in Somerville will have their resident parking cut in half, with no options to park in Cambridge due to resident parking permits.
Just curious…
FYI, I’m not a resident of Beacon Street