As I reported to the New York Cycle Club, just about the most important news to come out of the 10th National Bike Summit in Washington, DC this week was.the Google unveiling of its turn-by-turn directions for cyclists on Google Maps. Even those who don't love the first routes they find on Google Bicycling Maps would agree that having biking right up there as an alternative to driving and walking is a major accomplishment for the bike community.
The whole atmosphere of the Summit was terrific in that it made clear that cycling is now mainstream in a big,big way. There were 700 attendees at the Summit -- everyone from Gary Fisher (the legend himself) to bike club officers like me, tireless biking advocates from 48 of the 50 states, bike shop owners, industry people and government officials. On Thursday, many attendees trooped to Capitol Hill to lobby their states' congress and senate members to pass bike-friendly legislatio.
The NYC Department of Transportation should be pleased to hear that many people, upon seeing my badge identifying me as being from the NY Cycle Club, commented about what great things they had heard vis a vis recent improvements for cyclists in the Big Apple, such as loads more bike lanes and the "pedestrianization" of Times Square.
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