Bike Friendly McKinney is a non-profit group comprised of members of many local cycle enthusiast groups as well as community and business leaders.
If you would like to JOIN Bike Friendly McKinney, just send us an email at
BikeFriendlyMckinney@gmail.com
There’s no cost, no fees, just a desire to get on a bicycle and help make it safe and Friendly!
What TV and film sometimes characterize as the ideal future, or an alternate universe, invariably includes concepts like cleaner air, generally improved health and fitness, and a higher level of education. One might see a sunny day in a busy, clean city, with electric cars, pedestrians, and bicycles.
In one episode of “Sliders”, a 90′s sci-fi TV series where the four main characters are “sliding” among a seemingly infinite number of parallel earths, the team encounter a version of our world where gasoline is $400 per gallon! The prohibitive expense of fuel inspires that world’s citizens to find alternative methods of transportation, and no one seems to be inconvenienced.
In the real world, gas is cheap, especially in the US. We pay significantly lower prices at the pump than Europeans do. The reason people complain about the high cost here in the States is that we all depend on our cars for everything. And our cities are literally built for cars. Nothing is within walking distance in modern cities. Zoning – a relatively new concept – has pushed residential and commercial properties farther away from one-another, That makes for quieter communities, until everyone has to start their cars just to go shopping.
Lots of cars equals lots of pollution and traffic, obviously, but also, we tend to get more sedentary and move around less. And now we have very high levels of obesity.
That being said, I’d like to propose the institution of “car-free” days in McKinney. Naturally, not everyone can ride a bicycle. And many people may not own one. What I suggest is that for one day, once per month – perhaps more frequently – every person who is able might leave their car parked at home and set out on foot or pedal.
Car-free McKinney might see hundreds of people out on a Spring day, enjoying the breeze, light car traffic, people walking and riding. Of course, not everyone would be able to get where they wish to go without driving. That’s understandable. But many of us are physically able to walk or ride to the store, or to church or wherever. Not many destinations have places to lock bikes up. So, there are some hurdles.
Imagine a day where no one drives their car. How will that look or sound? What would happen to the demand for fuel? The price?
Realistically, one day per month may not make much difference. But it’s a start. What about the weather, you ask? They make rain gear. Hot Texas Summer? What did our grandparents do before air-conditioning?
I look forward to seeing more cyclists on the roads very soon. Be safe, everyone.
That’s a neat idea – having one day a month (or something in that vein) where McKinney promotes a “car-free” day. That’s something to push for! Great idea Plastic!
Thanks. I’ve been tossing this around for a while, wondering if people would try it. I think it’s fine if only a hand-full of residents give it a shot. People might catch on through word of mouth. And I could write up something to serve as a guide for how someone might leave the car at home. Who knows? It might be a big hit.
Lots of examples of cities already doing this. Just checkout Portland’s “Sunday Parkways”…
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=46103
http://bikeportland.org/2009/06/22/sunday-parkways-success-thousands-enjoy-gift-of-carfree-streets-20153
BikePortland.org is a great resource for inspiration to transform McKinney into a more bike-friendly city.
Having lived in North Texas (Plano, Richardson, Dallas, etc) for over 10 years, I finally moved to Seattle last year and absolutely love the bike culture up here and public transit options. But that took a long time to create. I see North Texas cities trying to change, so hopefully you guys keep on the right track. I’ll always have ties to North Texas, so hopefully sharing my experiences outside of the area will be helpful.
I saw a presentation from Mia Birk at the Seattle Bike Expo and wonder why she never helped her home town (Richardson) become more bike friendly. She was the driving force behind Portland’s current biking infrastructure (http://www.miabirk.com).
Good luck to you guys, and be safe out there!