| Popis: |
Since bicycles first became popular in the late 1800s there has been significant debate about the appropriate way to integrate them into the transportation system. During the 1970s cities found renewed interest in building and planning bicycle infrastructure. However, some cyclists felt these facilities diminished their rights and safety. These cyclists refer to themselves as vehicular cyclists and argue that bicycles should have the same rights and responsibilities as any other vehicle (i.e., motor vehicles) on the road. This paper seeks to understand the motivation of cycling advocates in a local context. Four local bicycling advocates from Chapel Hill and two national experts were interviewed to identify major themes in the controversy between advocates for vehicular cycling and advocates for bicycle separation. Two main issues emerged from these interviews: safety and social status. The solutions proposed by vehicular cyclists do not include separate bicycle facilities; however, the overlapping concerns suggests that middle ground that provides well constructed separate infrastructure that meets the needs of bicycles as vehicles would address many of both groups concerns. |
