Whoomp There It Is

It might have been when gas prices blew past $4 a gallon and just kept climbing, or maybe it was a bit earlier, and I just didn't notice.

But suddenly, and I do mean suddenly, people are riding bikes places. Maybe we are becoming like Europe, or maybe people are just ticked off enough that they realize, they can leave the car in the driveway, and get places without it.*

Not too many years ago, say 2004 or 2005, I'd maybe see one other person riding their bike, either to/from the store, or to/from "work," every six months or so. Maybe. "Bike to Work Week" 2005, I think it was, I didn't see anyone. (And this is on a bike commuter route that's very popular.)

But today, and yesterday, and the day before it, I'm seeing probably five people each day, either appearing to be riding to/from work, or clearly riding to/from the store. Some bikes have baskets even! If I look outside the window at work, in downtown Kansas City, and watch just one nearby intersection, I'm seeing a handful each hour. People riding bikes with baskets, people riding bikes with bags. People not driving their cars.

This is Kansas City, USA, July 08, and things are sure starting to look different.

*I think there's a difference here. Europe is Europe, with different distances/scales/expectations and histories than the US. We know most of it wasn't built in the 'sprawl' pattern many US communities followed after WWII, and getting around without a car is FAR easier there than here. All the more impressive that in Kansas City, anyway, today, people have begun to do what they CAN in light of skyrocketing gas prices, and it didn't take the government or "big business" to provoke them.

We've rediscovered our bootstraps.

People are riding bikes; I'm floored.