Late last summer, Doug headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and decided to see if anything bikey was going on. As luck would have it, a kids’ ride organized by local advocates was scheduled for the same weekend he was there. You’ve heard of a pub crawl? This was a playground crawl that took parents, caregivers and kids from one park to another using a combination of city streets and separated trails. In this episode, we hear directly from the tireless volunteers and advocates working to make Milwaukee better for bicycling. Events like this are where the rubber meets the road, literally and figuratively, when it comes to building the kinds of connections and culture that leads to a safer city for people who aren’t in cars.
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
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This episode was produced, recorded and edited by Doug Gordon. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Designs.
The bike bell chorus brought tears to my eyes! What a lovely idea to do a playground ride with young families. ????
Also, have you guys heard of the Tweed Ride in Minneapolis?
Milwaukee is getting better, but as a pedestrian, it’s clear to me the bikers have no idea what they are doing and have no understanding of etiquette or rules of the road. Walkers hardly have a chance here. 2 people run down by cars in my neighborhood (East Side) in a month which is just part of the issue.
Recently on one 40 minute morning walk I was nearly run down by 2 different bikers when I had the right of way. If there are no cars coming it doesn’t mean a bike can go through the red light when there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk. They never let you know they are coming (be considerate and ring a bell or yell on your left), they ride on the sidewalks (very illegal here). I realize it is tough for bikers here, which is why I won’t ride, but just because the cars are forcing you off the road doesn’t mean bikers can crap on people walking. Don’t even get me started with the e-bikers going 15-20 down the sidewalk.
Just like if you drive a car you should know the rules of the road, same thing applies to riding a bike or walking. Be safe, but more importantly be respectful of the other people on the road/sidewalk/trail. I know the response will be that walkers on the trail don’t know what they are doing, and I agree some don’t. They need education too, but somebody walking through a walk signal has the right of way. There is no excuse. If you complain about cars, don’t be the same person doing the same thing on a bike.
It sucks being a biker in Milwaukee, but it’s death defying to be a walker here and forget it if you have any mobility limitations of any sort. You don’t have a chance.