Last year I remember reading the June edition of Bicycling giving a list of bike friendly cities and chuckling that I wouldn't see Dallas/Fort Worth listed. I laughed even harder when I saw it listed... as the number one WORST city for cycling. D/FW followed up with it's response of the hundreds of miles available throughout the area for cyclists to enjoy. For anyone familiar with the area and have seen the pegasus on wheels sign indicating a bike friendly area, have you tried that "bike friendly" Preston Road? Six lanes of all rush hour all the time and don't tell me to bike on the sidewalk. Ugh. I commute to work twice a week. I'd like to do more, but it takes a bit of determination mixed with ignorance is bliss to bike on roads in Dallas/Fort Worth. In order to take a less hazardous (not safer) route, I still have to drive to a location THEN get on my bike. To fully commute would require two hours each way, fine if you wanna go for a ride. Not fine with a workday between it. Even bicycle poser (yes, poser) Texas governor Rick Perry vetoed a milestone of giving cyclists, pedestrians, runners, even motorcycles three feet of room when a car passes. He said there are similar laws already in the books. Then do something in conjunction with it, giving the bill a veto only gave cyclists a bigger target! Talk to me when you have trash thrown at you. Not everyone gets to ride with men in black, Gov. Perry. How did your buddy Lance Armstrong feel about that?
The biggest misconception the D/FW area (and probably anywhere else) has us hop on our bike for a spin around the block. The cyclist rides to save gas, escape a little bit of the daily confines and prevent a big, jiggly hiney! Wow- I help save the planet, my mental health and physical well being. Where's my credit for helping keep down health care costs? Oh yeah, on Preston Road.
