Thursday, April 7, 2011

Most bicycle commuters low income, middle class, study says

From Oregon Live online

Most bicycle commuters low income, middle class, study says

By Joseph Rose, The Oregonian

A new study provides this morning's commuting reality check:

Contrary to popular convention, the biggest share of bicyclists isn't yuppies, it's low income people. In fact, the lowest-earning quarter of Americans make nearly one-third of all bike trips. Among that group, I would expect to find at least some fraction of working poor, students, the unemployed, and retired people of modest means. No doubt there are almost as many reasons to bike as there are cyclists, but it's clear that bikes are a favored choice among those on a budget.

So much for the criticism from many critics of bike lanes in urban areas that bicycle infrastructure is the playground of the affluent elite.

Still, bike riders remain overwhelming white, although there are emerging signs of racial parity.

Read on here.

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