Bicycle Backlash Brewing?

Mike Paulus |

Seems like the biking culture(s) around Eau Claire are growing in both size and visibility due to a number of different factors ranging from tree-hugging trendiest to hipster cool to the bad economy (not to mention how awesome biking is). And as many people argue for bike-friendly development (and redevelopment) more and more eyes turn to Madison (the Eau Claire of southern Wisconsin) for examples on how to do things right. But despite Madison’s national identity of a “bikin’ town,” there seems to be a quietly growing backlash. From The Capital Times ... 

  • ... skeptics question whether bicycling will ever prove more than a recreational pastime, except for a handful of hard-core enthusiasts. They note the relatively low percentage of regular bicycle commuters -- less than 3 percent of all workers in Dane County, according to the 2000 census -- not to mention the perceived arrogance of riders who roll through stop signs or dart around rush-hour traffic.
  • "There is this attitude among some bikers that because you are fitter than me you are better than everyone else," says Madison Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele, who last month tried unsuccessfully to block construction of a short bike path connection between the UW Research Park and Segoe Road.

The article quoted above is mostly positive information about the progress bicyclists have made in Madison over the years, but the mention of problems made it into the headline and got me thinking. It seems like Eau Claire – given the general temperament of a large number of its citizens – is a place that could easily see a pretty strong backlash against bikes, especially if riders are not sticking to traffic laws. And, or course, all the spandex. Something to think about as we move forward.