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Welcome to the Bike Bulletin. Touring the week’s best stories.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you’re enjoying the holiday as much as I’m enjoying writing this.
As always, reply directly to this email with your thoughts. I read every reply.
This is a weekly newsletter about bike trips, commutes, and a love for two-wheeled transit. I share new episodes every Thursday, gearing you up for the week ahead.
Here’s what we have today.
The Katy Trail
Which city has the nicest drivers?
Revolutions: A short documentary about bike waste
Quick Hits
RIDE ON MY RADAR
The Katy Trail
Source: Missouri Division of Tourism
Here’s what you’d be getting yourself into.
239 miles (386 km)
Mostly flat, crushed limestone, no cars
Bikepacking luxury - small railroad towns for resupply, dispersed campsites (not free fyi) or biker/hiker lodging in towns
Shuttles to wineries
Trail-themed establishments
The Missouri River Runner Amtrak line to shuttle you back to the start
Official website - bikekatytrail.com
Video by Denise Looking Out - youtube.com
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Which City has the Nicest Drivers?
Every city has some mean drivers, but which city has the nicest? Let’s find out.
We need to define “mean”, “nice”, “aggressive”, etc. If I hop on my bike, an aggressive driver will make me feel unsafe. Just feeling unsafe won’t be reported by municipalities. Instead, we can look at accidents and fatalities. Fewer accidents and fatalities mean it should be safer to ride my bike.
The cities with the fewest fatalities per 100,000 residents are:
Charlotte, NC - 0.00
Austin, TX - 0.10
San Diego, CA - 0.14
Boston, MA - 0.15
The cities with the most fatalities per 100,000 residents are:
Tucson, AZ - 1.65
Sacramento, CA - 1.33
Phoenix, AZ - 1.16
Detroit, MI - 1.13
These are 2022 numbers reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). [link to data]
What we don’t know is how many people bike and how many people drive. Having biked in both Charlotte and Boston, I can tell you that bike commuting in Boston is more popular than in Charlotte. Even though Charlotte has a better fatality number, that could be because cyclists stay off the roads.
This requires a deeper dive. Maybe a future YouTube video where I collect ridership and vehicle miles data?
WHAT I’M WATCHING
Revolutions: A short documentary about bike waste
What happens to our bikes when they’re no longer rideable? This documentary covers bike waste, the challenges of repair, and actions we can take to reduce our environmental impact further. Cycling is still leagues ahead of driving, but regardless of what you buy, it’s good to know how your items affect the world around you.
Watch on YouTube
Quick Hits
157 million. The number of trips taken on shared bikes and scooters in the U.S. and Canada in 2023. (Better Bike Share)
100,000. The number of cyclists in China’s Henan province who participated in a self-organized 50km overnight ride. (The Guardian)
100,000 yen ($650). The newly increased fine in Japan for mobile phone use while cycling. (Momentum Mag)
62 miles. The distance of proposed low-stress bikeways to be built in Los Angeles before they host the 2028 Olympics. (People For Bikes)
450. The number of meals delivered by Austin Bicycle Meals each month. They are a grassroots collective fighting food insecurity on bikes. (Velo, Instagram)
A Note From Sam
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