Has NYC’s Love Affair with Bikes Ended?
- c/o blisstree.com
Nothing is sadder then when love dies. Or, even worse than sudden heartbreak, is when love plateaus. At least death is dramatic and final and sort of glorious. When love plateaus, like in some stagnant relationship that you wish you had never entered to begin with, the feeling is more one of quiet despair and resignation. And so, bikes. Has New York City’s love affair with bikes become like a couple who can barely look each other in the eye anymore? Maybe.
Gothamist reports that, according to data released by the DOT, the number of warm-weather cyclists actually went down in 2012. This is so surprising, isn’t it? I mean, think of all the bike paths that have been laid down. Think about all the trend pieces written by blogs, including this one, about people who commute in groups, like so many schools of cycling fish. Think about that whole city bike share program that might even one day be operational. Was it all a façade? Is nothing sacred? It’s like NYC and bikes are one of those couples you know, who have been together forever and you think everything is just awesome and then it turns out they never have sex or something. So sad.
So what does this mean for the future of bikes and New Yorkers? Probably nothing. As Gothamist mentions, “Streetsblog argues that the DOT’s method ‘remains a geographically-limited tool and doesn’t measure the full citywide cycling trend.'” So maybe all of this talk of love dying is just scurrilous gossip and there’s nothing to worry about. True love will always prevail. I’m pretty sure that’s the takeaway. Bikes+Brooklyn 4 EVA.
Follow Kristin Iversen on twitter @kmiversen