More Distracted Musing, But Bike-Related

As gas prices climbed and climbed over the summer, we bike- and alternative-transportation-advocates crowed merrily that these times they were a-changin'; that finally the moment had arrived for a real sea change in Americans' driving habits. Well, now gas prices are in sharp decline ($2.40 today at the Cumberland Farms on Park Rd. in W. Hartford) and I heard on the news the other day that just as people cling to guns and religion in times of crisis, so too are they returning to their old friend, the horseless carriage, in times of relative petro-abundance.

Another, perhaps less-noticed change that came with high gas prices was an increase in posting on New Haven's bike advocacy listserv. It's true, as the good folks at Design New Haven noted back in June: when Americans started to feel the pinch at the pump, they seemed to find solace not only in drink, but in posting on the Elm City Cycling yahoo group. Luckily, however, while the drop in prices has heralded a return to four wheels, it as not kept us from the interwebs! (Like Charlton Heston says, the only way they'll take my internet away is when they pry it from my cold, dead hands!) ECC posting volume continues it's periodically erratic but overall steady growth, with 342 posts in the month of October. And BeatBikeBlog readership is up 16.29% over the last week, with crucial increases in Australia, Japan, the Philipines, Taiwan, South Korea, and Pakistan!

What is the point of all this? I'm not really sure. It's good news, sort of (bicycles + internets = awesome!), and it is another distraction from the incessant, nerve-racking, pre-election news marathon. It distracted me to write it, anyway, and me being distracted is half the battle.