Bike to Work Week Hypocrisy

Take a deep breath.

Does the air seem cleaner today?

Does everything seem greener?

Yes?

No wonder. It's Bike to Work Week!

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Mayor Tom Barrett looked quite comfortable this morning on his Milwaukee Bicycle loaner ride, which he pedaled from the Washington Park neighborhood to the Zeidler Municipal building, for the opening of Bike to Work Week.

The mayor and the 60 cyclists who joined him enjoyed the rare luxury of a police escort calming the traffic on W. Highland Blvd., and every one, including the mayor, managed to maneuver safely through the potholes that are growing into craters.

I don't have a problem with encouraging people to bike to work if they can, but let's be realistic. Most people can't make the trek to work by bike.

And let's not pretend that biking with a police escort is anything like biking through normal traffic.

...Barrett, decked out in slacks and light jacket, pedaled a quieter version of the more famous Milwaukee-built bikes. The custom single-speed was put together by the Milwaukee Bicycle Co., a newer venture of Ben's Cycle and Fitness.

...Barrett himself isn't known as a dedicated rider, but he appeared enthused by his jaunt into a cool east wind.

Translation: It was a photo-op, a staged event. Fake. Fake. Fake.

Taking the podium at the finish line (audio), he listed some reasons for biking to work:

"Number one, it's good for your health, both for your physical health and your mental health. There's nothing nicer than getting a little exercise in the morning and in the afternoon to get the pressures off both your body and your mind."

In terms of the weather, how many days out of the year in Wisconsin is it actually good for one's physical and mental health to bike to work?

Too few.

"Number two, let's take a look at those gas prices. With gas getting close to $4 a gallon, this is a pretty nice way to get yourself to work and a pretty cheap way to park, as well. It makes sense for your pocket book.

Sounds good, but how many people live close enough to work that biking is an option?

"Number three, unfortunately, with the deteriorating county bus service there are people who can probably get to work faster by riding their bike than by riding the county bus service. That's a sad state of reality, but it's one we have to recognize, as well. So for your physical health, your mental health, your pocket book and to get to work faster this is a great way to come.

That's a cheap (and lame) political shot. Not funny.

"And it's a great way to meet people, a great way to get some sunshine, when the sun is shining, and it's good for the city."

Yeah, it's nice to be biking and have motorists cut you off and give you the finger.

Nothing breaks the ice like that does.

...More than 2,000 bike racks have been installed outside local businesses and 45 miles of roadway now have painted bicycle lanes. That mileage should grow to 145 in the next few years.

Those improvements have earned Milwaukee a bronze level designation from the League of American Cyclists, which rates cities for their bicycle friendliness. Madison recently received another gold-level designation from the League.

If Barrett thinks biking is such a great thing to do, why doesn't he do it more than once a year?

It's a "do as I say, not as I do" thing.

Would Barrett have pedaled his way to work this morning if there had been a driving rain?

Would Barrett have pedaled his way to work if there weren't cameras around and a police escort?