“Scanning the leader list of this country’s bike commuting meccas — Portland, Ore., Minneapolis and San Francisco — made me wonder if there was a corollary between the percentage of commuters who pedal to work and the degree to which the mass transit and commuter rail systems in those cities welcome bicycles. Ideally, bike commuting should not be restricted to those living relatively close to the workplace, but should include those who need an assist from mass transit.”-By FELICITY BARRINGER

I whole-heartedly agree with FELICITY BARRINGER on this one.  As I have chronicled here on CarFreeBrad.com, I have struggled with the Mass Transit bike mix.  In fact, I will most likely have to spend at least a few hours today so that I can pick up my bike I had to abandon in order to get home on the train.  As much as I want to say, forget it and ride to Worcester, that 40 miles to Worcester from Boston is just too much for me(unless they let me ride the mass pike).

I have said it before and Ms.Barringer has put it into quantifiable terms, that living CarFree is only truly possible with a convenient mix of transportation options.  The bike is the most convenient option around but without the ability to work with Mass Transit, the bike becomes void.  Bike Sharing programs may help in the city itself but in order to allow a truly substantial segment of the population to go CarFree(myself included), bikes must be a totally acceptable part of the equation.

Please read the full story: HERE!