Marc HedlundFeb 10, 2023

Cyclists are portrayed in debates about bike lanes as younger, athletic people. Berkeley's Commission on Aging recommended against supporting the city's current bike lane project (#Hopkins), apparently thinking bike lanes were not for older people.

And yet, over the past eleven years, the median age of the six cyclists and pedestrians severely injured or killed on Hopkins is 69. Only one of those people was under 50. The oldest was 78.

The stereotypes are wrong.

#Berkeley #BikeTooter

Show threadTim BrayFeb 10, 2023

@marcprecipice E-bikes are significant in this analysis.

#BikeTooter #berkeley #hopkins

Show threadMarc Hedlund
@timbray How do you mean they are significant? I don't have data on what bikes the people injured and killed were riding, but at least some of the crashes were earlier (the full date range is 2011-2022), so I think it's less likely they were ebikes, especially at the start of the range.
Feb 10, 2023 at 5:22amWeb
Show threadTim BrayFeb 10, 2023

@marcprecipice Oh, speaking as an Old Guy, I predict that E-bikes are going to keep a lot of bikers going further into old age, and actually turn some retired non-bikers into bikers. I'm an example of the former and I know people in the latter basket.

E-bikes are life-changers.

Show threadMarc HedlundFeb 10, 2023
@timbray ohhh, I get what you mean, and yes, I totally agree.