Bicycle-friendly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Bicycle-friendly" is a descriptive term that describes policies, places and practices which help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other forms of traffic.

Some examples could be:

Engineering
- segregated cycle facilities, including designated bicycle lanes, sidepaths, and rail trails
- improved passing facilities, such as wide outside lanes (to reduce social friction between cyclists and motorists)
- bike racks on transit vehicles (which allow for longer-distance trips)
- bike lockers or other accommodations for secure bicycle storage at airports, public buildings and other important destinations
- measures to reduce ground level ozone, smog and other forms of air pollution which clogs cyclists' and pedestrians' lungs
- opposition to certain forms of traffic calming and intersections, such as choke points and roundabouts (rotaries). These road features may be dangerous to cyclists.
Education
- educate everyone about the rules of the road (including children via bicycle rodeos)
- improve everyone's understanding of the best ways to cooperatively share the road
- help employers understand the benefits of accommodating and encouraging cycling
Enforcement
- equal enforcement of the basic rules of the road when cyclists are involved
- effort to recover and return a stolen vehicle should not be reduced just because the vehicle is human powered
Encouragement
- bike sharing programs such as White Bikes^[1]
- public service announcements and advertising campaigns, including stickers placed in public vehicles such as taxis in Toronto
- active involvement of local parks and recreation departments in cycling events
- development of Bicycle Commuter Mentor Programs

The League of American Bicyclists has formally recognized some USA cities as Bicycle-friendly communities for "providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation."