Pedal Power: The Quiet Rise of the Bicycle in American Public Life

In an era of steep gas prices, snarled traffic, catastrophic climate change, and a yearning for a higher quality of life, interest in bike-friendly public policies is surging nationwide. A surprising array of political organizations, visionary politicians, and colorful individuals powers this movement and a growing number of bike enthusiasts are taking to the streets. From the night rides of Critical Mass to the dumpster-diving Rat Patrol, this book shows the eccentric side of the bicycling universe even as it illustrates the mainstream efforts of politicians like U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar and plain folks like "Biker Mama" Jane Healy. Dedicated to the idea that biking is an ongoing act of nondestructive living, Pedal Power shows why the dominance of the automobile is yesterday's idea and edges us closer to a more democratic, multimodal transportation system so essential in the age of global warming. The bike, regarded as irrelevant to the 20th century, is making a comeback in the 21st. Pedal Power takes us there and suggests that the most compelling thing about riding is that it changes the way people experience the world and, therefore, the way they think. Covers the growing interest in biking nationwide; Includes interviews with key political figures, including U.S Representative Oberstar, who have promoted bike-friendly policies; Features some of the bike eccentrics who have sprung up nationwide such as Critical Mass and the Rat Patrol; Includes more than 20 photos showing pedal power in action locally, nationally, and globally. - Publisher. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Contrasting Visions: The Bike Saddle Versus the Car Seat and Why It Matters Politically Chapter 2 Biking in Amsterdam: The Politics of the Possible Chapter 3 Culture Storm Chapter 4 Biking Eccentrics: Who Are These Folks, Anyway? Chapter 5 Building the Case: The Political Advocates Chapter 6 Pushing the Envelope: Populist Politics Chapter 7 Politicians Who Matter Chapter 8 Metapolitics, Minibikes Chapter 9 Conclusion: There’s Something About a Bike Notes Index About the Author Acknowledgments