Bikes and Baggage Cargo Ride — Proteus Bikes, College Park

[Riley Casey]

Very glad to see this ride idea from Proteus. The close in suburbs are ideal for utilitarian biking just as much as the urban core is. This is what biking is really all about in much the same way that cars are much more about taking a half dozen kids to soccer practice than they are about the Indy 500.

[Dirt]

Cool idea. I may have to ride across town on the dummy for this.

[Greenbelt]

@Dirt 9271 wrote:

Cool idea. I may have to ride across town on the dummy for this.

That would be fun — anyone who hauls out from DC or Virginia will get first dibs on my specialty anti-bonk oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

This is great. I would love to see a regular Cargo ride out here in the suburbs.

[Joe Chapline]

Great idea. There was a recent press release from Metro that said about 33 percent of all the people going to College Park Metro station drive less than 3 miles to get there. One percent bike. So it seems that some outreach about utilitarian* cycling could do a lot of good in that area. Metro is building a 2400 sq. ft. bike cage at the station to encourage cycling.

*Or, just “utility.” I think “utilitarian” is a combination of “utility” and “Unitarian.” It’s gathering together in fellowship and also getting something done.

[Dirt]

@Greenbelt 9272 wrote:

That would be fun — anyone who hauls out from DC or Virginia will get first dibs on my specialty anti-bonk oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies.

Coolness. I will add that to my calendar.

[bikenurse]

Jill might need some volunteers, so contact her if you’re able and willing. I hope lots of people come check it out. The more the merrier!

[KLizotte]

If one is doing multiple errands by bike, one runs into the problem of what to do with purchases when hopping from store to store (if travelling solo). Taking them on/off the bike is a real pain as is carrying everything around.

I just came across this link showing how Calif has outfitted many public areas with on demand “lock boxes” for bikes; this system allows bikers to store their purchases (and bike of course) for only 5 cents/hour!

I hope something like this scheme gets started in DC. Could potentially solve a lot of problems with theft, convenience, etc.

http://www.bikelink.org/

[Dirt]

It’s big. It’s dumb. It’s back.

[Dirt]

@KLizotte 9304 wrote:

I hope something like this scheme gets started in DC. Could potentially solve a lot of problems with theft, convenience, etc.

It would be cool to have something like that around.

[Joe Chapline]

@KLizotte 9304 wrote:

If one is doing multiple errands by bike, one runs into the problem of what to do with purchases when hopping from store to store (if travelling solo). Taking them on/off the bike is a real pain as is carrying everything around.

That’s a good point, and it also applies to transit. Railroad stations and bus terminals used to offer lockers so you could stow your stuff and leave the station. I’ve often wished that shopping malls had checkrooms so I could shop without carrying a briefcase, luggage, or other packages. Drivers have lockable storage wherever they go.

[OneEighth]

Not to be a downer, but post 9-11, you probably won’t get too much support for lockers in crowded places.

[Dirt]

@OneEighth 9311 wrote:

Not to be a downer, but post 9-11, you probably won’t get too much support for lockers in crowded places.

I thought about that too, but a lot of metro stations have them.

[Joe Chapline]

@OneEighth 9311 wrote:

Not to be a downer, but post 9-11, you probably won’t get too much support for lockers in crowded places.

Maintenance would be a headache, too, but it’s a something to think about for places that want to attract and accommodate cyclists, transit riders, and walkers.

[Arlingtonrider]

A few stores, e.g. Burlington Coat Factory, “require” you to leave your bags in front. That comes in handy sometimes, especially when you accidentally leave them there and have to come back to get them.

[Author]

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