Growing up I rode my bicycle around whichever neighborhood I lived in, a lot. Whether is was in Texas, Connecticut (roads I'd never let me 10 year-old bike on but hey, it was the 80's) or Iowa. I biked a ton. I loved it.
My children ask me, can we bike? Can we bike to the school or the grocery store. I hate telling them no.
Between 2008 and 2010 the rate of pedestrian fatalities increased in six states by more than 50%, including in Oklahoma, one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians, where the rate more than doubled.
Read more: The Most Dangerous States for Pedestrians - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2012/08/13/the-most-dangerous-states-for-pedestrians/#ixzz2r9i1CBqn Follow us: @247wallst on Twitter | 247wallst on Facebook
We live in a neighborhood that doesn't even have sidewalks. Our streets are wide and un-cogested and it leads towards people going around 40MPH.
We live in the most amazing weather here in Los Angeles and my kids can't even bike. It really bothers me.
I can drive them somewhere. We go over to a local school and bike in circles on the concrete playground. I could drive them to a bike bath, that's about 20 minutes away but it's not the same.
Our lives have to been built to accommodate pedestrians, bikers, kids. I keep saying that Michelle Obama needs to focus on this and then obesity can stand a fighting chance. Promote a healthy place to exercise, strengthen your community ties, help bring people together and lift feelings of isolation.
A factor that many experts do agree on involves the consequences of urban sprawl and inadequate public transportation. In Florida, for example, McPherson said, “we have large urban areas surrounded by huge rural areas that are very often difficult to network between with alternative transportation resources” (24WallSt)
I feel awful not letting my kids bike.
I want them too.
I can only hope things change when they are older.
Alright, I'm off to go collect signatures to install sidewalks on my street.