More cities become biker friendly | The Triangle

More cities become biker friendly

To feel the breeze in your hair, to watch the trees pass by with the brilliance of spring colors, to look at oncoming traffic in order to avoid certain death — these are the wonderful things to look forward to this Bike to Work Week, and we at The Triangle endorse all of them.

As of August 2014, there were over 600 cities that had access to bike share programs. With the introduction of Indego, Philadelphia has joined that list, and together with the growing number of bike lanes it has become even easier to get from point A to point B by grabbing a bike from the nearest terminal. Biking has a certain appeal; it lacks the slowness of walking, but also the isolation of a car. Biking is a swift, elegant way to take in the spring day with an adventurous sense of imminent doom at at literally every corner.

While you’re deciding whether or not it’s worth it to wear your helmet so you don’t mess up your hair, take the time to appreciate how convenient it is that you live in such a bike-friendly city. There are few cities with such great service to bike lanes. They’re practically a norm in the city’s new designs, at least in most major areas, and it’s created one of the largest bike commuter communities in the country.

However, there are still some things that Indego needs to iron out. Bikeshare.com states in its list that Philadelphia’s program is still in “pre-release,” and considering the poor availability of bicycles in the terminals, it certainly seems that way. Additionally, other cities are adding bike lanes more rapidly and what’s more, those bike lanes often feature a barrier that protects drivers and cyclists from each other. The new mayor will have to keep Philadelphia competitive in bicycle safety.

But until then, wear your helmets, folks.