Welcome to the Comment of the Week, where we highlight good comments in order to inspire more of them. You can help us choose our next one by replying with “comment of the week” to any comment you think deserves recognition. Please note: These selections are not endorsements.
Maybe it was because the sun was out for a few hours, but we sure got a lot of nice comments on Friday about how wonderful bike riding is. I don’t think it works the other way around though. Selecting an upbeat comment ain’t gonna make the sun shine.
The BikePortland comment section can sometimes be an intimidating place. A lot of knowledgeable people comment, and some of them have sharp elbows. But you don’t need to be an expert to write a comment which will resonate with others.
This comment by Blumdrew stood out for its expression of joy. I can’t promise the sun, but perhaps these cheerful words will brighten your day:
Something I think we underrate in all of this is the role of culture and socializing. The reason I love biking is in no small part the social aspect of it. Riding with a friend, or having little interactions with pedestrians or other cyclists – it makes a commute properly enjoyable instead of a slog. This is something Portland has a history of doing well, and I think still does pretty well (despite the talks of a bike doomsday).
I’m from Madison, WI a great bike city on it’s own merits which honestly has better infrastructure in general than Portland. It helps that the city is smaller, but there are a handful of incredibly useful off-street paths which actually take you to most of the places you want to go. They are safe and convenient, and often the fastest way to get around the city (especially during rush hour).
But I’d still rate Portland as a better place to be a cyclist. I see lots of people out riding, and there are lots of high profile cycling events. People care about cycling a lot here, I mean I spend at least 25% of my workday perusing the comments section (which… I guess isn’t really a big bragging point but whatever). And I think it’s worth remembering that it’s not all about paths, pavement, and infrastructure. It’s about enjoying your time in the world, and riding a bike to get around makes my life a lot better!
Thank you for reminding us about what is important, Blumdrew! You can find Blumdrew’s comment and what many other commenters had to say about Taylor’s European tour, under the original post.