Bike Racks + Bollards

I have never been a fan of bollards. Bollards are those annoying things that are designed to prevent cars from impeding on pedestrian walkways or areas. When I did my collegiate study abroad in Spain, I nailed a bollard just below my knee cap. (I still have the scar to prove it.) Where I grew up, the local Kent Trails system had them installed at many road-crossing intersections. They were handle-bar height and made me nervous to pass through. I often envisioned myself missing the mark and taking a nasty spill. At Clemson University, they have them all over campus, and, I feel that they are ugly nasty things that look like some sort of homage to saying “thou shall not pass.” I find them to be a kind of negative energy on the circulation and connecting landscape.

Close up of bollards + bike racks

When we were in Savannah, I found the neatest, friendliest retrofit of bollards:  making them into a bike rack parking area. They may be hard to see in the photo, but the bollards are widely spaced. They were placed there to prevent cars turning into the pedestrian mall along the restored Central Market. In between the bollards, inverted U-bike racks are specifically placed for folks to park their bike before they enter the Central Market. As you can see in the photo, they were packed in on a warm March Saturday night.

Wide shot of bollards + bike racks.

They create a great space to not only park a bike, but encourage the bikers to drop off their bike before entering a pedestrian area. This encourages folks to make the “bicycle to pedestrian” or “pedal to foot” transition. The bollard-bike rack retro fit is a great design answer to the common behavioral problem that’s hard to get people to want to follow. I also see it as a way to kind of cover up the big “NO ENTRY!” vibe that the bollards give off on their own.

Pizza delivery bike.

Also, it should be noted, that a great pizza place, Vinnie Van Go Go's, delivers pizza by bike and keeps their delivery bike parked right there! I was so geeked that they took advantage of a great location, simple design solution and inspiring business message, that I had to take a photo.

May 2012 - National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month. It's all over the biking world, internet and Upstate. Spartanburg, Aiken, Greenville, Anderson, Rock Hill and others are hosting all kinds of biking-related events. Races, family-friendly events, breakfasts, Yoga w/ your bike. You name it, someone is doing it!

Bike Month is all about promoting biking as a way to have fun, get around and be a part of your life. May is a great time across the country - the weather isn't too hot or cold in most places, schools are still in session so students can participate and everyone isn't all amped up about vacations and summer events, so participation at the local level is typically pretty good.

In SC, the PCC is in the midst of their Safe Streets Save Lives campaign. It's an effort specifically to promote safer biking across the State. Follow the state bicycle-advocacy group to see how they are working to implement safer streets for all users.

Across the country, the League of American Bicyclist is promoting a National Bike Challenge this month. Participate by signing up and logging your miles. Join as a team, and see and support other riders across South Carolina - and the country.

Consider participating. Make a goal to ride once a week, whether it be for recreation or to get around. Think about revisiting the New Year's Resolution to "get fit," and log your miles to track the calories burned by joining the National Bike Challenge. Spend time with your friends, family or kids by getting on a bike. This month, whatever you do, consider doing it on a bike!