The transportation toolkit
In the trades, one learns to use the right tool for the right job.Nobody who does any kind of work would have only one tool, especially if that one tool was a sledgehammer! Can you imagine trying to put a nail in the wall using a sledgehammer, or trying to put in a screw with a sledgehammer, yet that is what many Americans do with a "one size fits all" approach to transportation, in which all they own is an SUV, Van or truck, when most of their usuage could easily be done in a small car, or even a bicycle, and occasionally rent a larger vehicle for a camping trip or moving furniture. Since most of these large vehicles average 15mpg, and gas is getting expensive, many people will be using this approach.
Three Modes of Transportation, but only two places available
1) Fast- motor vehicles
2) Slow-Pedestrians
3) Medium-Bicycles, skateboards, segways, roller blades, etc.
These don't belong in traffic with cars; there are already far too many stories of bicyclists being hit. On the other hand, they don't belong on sidewalks. Many more people would ride a bicycle to work or for errrands, IF IT WAS SAFE. A painted white line on a street means nothing. But where would this extra lane come from. Would more trees and gardens get cut down and paved over? Many car drivers have a sense of entitlement and would vigorously resist giving up one car lane to be turned into an elevated bicycle lane, in the way sidewalks are elevated. However, rising gas prices are about to negate those objections and turn them into a demand for safe bicycle lanes.
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