Bike rentals sound odd in a city where few walk
Lewis DiuguidGood luck making the bike rentals go in downtown Kansas City.
This is a barbecue, beer and fries town with high obesity rates, where few people walk, let alone ride bicycles. It’s ambitious to think that with the addition of bike rentals and the city adding bike lanes that people will actually ride between the River Market and Crown Center. Let’s also not forget whether motorists downtown will be willing to share the road with two-wheelers.
Right now the only people riding bikes downtown are folks with no cars, exercise enthusiasts or nuts like me who for more than 30 years have made a habit of biking around downtown because it’s faster and there are no parking headaches.
Seeing whether people park their longstanding habit of driving everywhere and take bicycles downtown instead will cause the state motto of Missouri to kick in big time: Show Me.
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Chris Bembynista
3 weeks, 5 days agoThank god someone has delivered us from thinking too optimistically about the city, after all that is a huge problem around here! (said with immense sarcasm). Once again we see the reasoning that our situation in Kansas City is so extraordinary, so unique (but never in a good way) that we are so much worse off than other cities and whatever is being done here just won’t work. Further, I really get a kick out of how the cynics in this city (newspaper reporters, bloggers, etc.) will whine and moan about, as in this case, bicycle facilities in this city, but then when someone actually takes charge and changes it, then you turn around and say that it will never work. By the way, did you know that Nashville, a city very similar to us, has bike sharing? Did you know that Austin has a lower walk to work rate than Kansas City? But then again our situation is so extraordinary, so unique (but never in a good way) I am sure that the cynics will find some excuse for why we are different and, therefore, it will never work. After all, we can’t get too big an ego in KC. I cannot tell you with certainty whether bike sharing will catch on here or not, on the other hand I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how all of this pessimism is helping the community in any way.
Laurie Chipman
3 weeks, 5 days agoLouis, I thought you would appreciate some positive change. I thought you wrote in favor of cycling and healthy habits. Am I mistaken? Are you in a bad mood today?
I’ll be happy to buy you a ride on one of these bikes in an attempt to change your negative attitude about our city. If we don’t try something new we’ll just be repeating the same things. You can see where that’s gotten us.
Kay Fox
Kansas City
3 weeks, 5 days agoGet a scooter, there are too many hills for the coach potatoes and scooters get 80 to 100 MPG generally.
Why aren’t we the #1 city for scooters in the U.S.? You would think the greenie wienies would be out in force to make it one…but maybe it’s the green $ made from green that is their real interest.
Trevor Harris
3 weeks, 1 day agoMr, Diuguid,
For those who are on limited incomes bicycle rentals in downtown Kansas City makes sense.
For visitors and residents who care about the Earth or who want to get some exercise and fresh air access to a bicycle for the afternoon can leave a favorable impression of your city.
For me personally, I would love to be able to easily rent a bicycle in downtown Kansas City the next time I find myself there for business or pleasure or leisure.
See you in the streets.