Every blog post deserves a photo, but sometimes it's hard to find something appropriate (and a picture of a Metro-North train or of the governor would have been too predictable). So here's a picture I took one time of a yellow car called "Fury I," which is surely sort of fitting for a post about mass transit, right?
Governor M. Jodi Rell (or "M.," as her friends call her), announced the addition of more Metro-North trains in Connecticut yesterday, effective October 1. As a frequent Metro-North patron, I was happy to hear this, especially the following (from the Ridgefield Press): According to M., ridership on the New Haven line through August is up 5% compared to last year and intrastate ridership (i.e., trips that begin and end, like all of mine, in the Nutmeg State) is up 16% for the same period!
Could it be that car-loving Connecticut is finally getting wise to the glories of mass transit? (Maybe.) Is there an ever-growing army of folding-bike-toting, multi-modal commuters plying the railways? (Almost certainly not, but when there is, I will lead that army into battle.) This might just be what they call a teaching moment, and smart manufacturers of bicycles would be well advised to devise clever advertising and promotions that sell suburbanites on the glories of functional (rather than strictly recreational) two-wheeled travel (folding bike companies, I'm especially looking at you. Xootr, as we know, is staffed by clever geniuses who understand the real deal, but Dahon? Hello? This is the moment for you to hit the big time).
The only problem with metro-north right now is that they still don't allow bikes on trains during rush hour.
ReplyDeleteDuring the short stint that I was commuting from Danbury to Sono this summer I found that most of the conductors let people slide but they always said that it was up to the head conductor, who was at the head of the train, and never came back.
Still, "M" needs to take the next step and open the commuter trains to bikes.
If you only knew the game we were playing at Kenny's (RR) last night (thanks to Joel), you would understand how hilarious this post's picture is to me right now.
ReplyDeleteMore relevant, I went into the REI in WH this weekend. The first display you see, smacking you in the face when you enter the store, was a Dahon folding bike. First time I've seen one in any store. I know how controlling of everything marketing types are, so the fact that a national retailer has brought in and is promoting a Dahon (at the beginning of the fall/winter recreational seasons) is probably a sign that they know things are turning that way.
Too true, Mark, too true. But you can always take a folding bike on Matro North, which is why I think folding bike manufacturers should be on this like white on rice, marketing-wise.
ReplyDeleteConnecticut is updating its statewide bicycle and pedestrian plan. Public input will be solicited at meetings this October.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ctbikepedplan.org/html-pub-involve/meetings.html
You might want to consider posting the information at the above link to help get the word out. The more people show up, the better!
Oh, I love the bike map for the state. Says the roads that I ride to work are bike ways but some of them barely have any shoulder.
ReplyDeletefolding bikes rock!
ReplyDelete