Outside magazine hates on Houston

[crunchtastic]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6563392.html

As usual, the chron comments make the story. All I've got to add is this: Outside magazine must hire a bunch of puppies. Any real outdoorsman would tough it up and kayak the ship channel, or cycle our city streets. Unlike the soft hippies at Outside who doubtless prefer a nice shady trail in Portland to ride to the winery or the farmers market. Babies. They ought to man up and spend some time outdoors down here with Niche!

[musicman]

article

not sure there's not any defense necessary esp when a statement like "80% of the people have library cards" is the basis for the story. wait isn't this OUTSIDE magazine?

Edited August 7, 2009 by musicman

[TheNiche]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6563392.html

As usual, the chron comments make the story. All I've got to add is this: Outside magazine must hire a bunch of puppies. Any real outdoorsman would tough it up and kayak the ship channel, or cycle our city streets. Unlike the soft hippies at Outside who doubtless prefer a nice shady trail in Portland to ride to the winery or the farmers market. Babies. They ought to man up and spend some time outdoors down here with Niche!

One of the really nice things about Houston is that it's easy to day trip to all kinds of different places. Whether you like the forests, the hill country, salt water or fresh water, it's easy to get to. Meanwhile, "our suburbs eat prairie and poop restaurants," sayeth the great Memebag.

[kylejack]

Houston's bicycle infrastructure really is terrible, though.

[Fringe]

Well, it is Outside Magazine and even the Chron writer seems to allude to the fact that we do pretty much everything indoors here so I don't see a problem with the article. 

[crunchtastic]

I was being a tad toungue in cheek on the first post, but the whole thing is just so dumb. What's next?

This just in: RVing magazine rates Manhattan poorly!

[CDeb]

Oh noes! We're being hated on by pretentious douchebags!

Can you guess how concernedly concerned I am?

[KimberlySayWhat]

I've never heard of that magazine.

Same old complaints every single time. It's so laughable. So what about the heat! Boo hoo! Screw four season climates. I don't want that.

[SecondTour]

I was being a tad toungue in cheek on the first post, but the whole thing is just so dumb. What's next?

This just in: RVing magazine rates Manhattan poorly!

Edited August 7, 2009 by SecondTour

[august948]

Houston's bicycle infrastructure really is terrible, though.

I wouldn't go so far as to say our bicycle infrastructure is really terrible. We do have a lot of hike and bike trails along most of the bayous around town as well as marked lanes crisscrossing the city. Plus, metro has installed bike racks on all the buses. The main problems I've encountered biking around the city are distracted drivers and few bike racks. Can it improve? Sure. Is it bottom-of-the-barrel? No.

[kylejack]

I wouldn't go so far as to say our bicycle infrastructure is really terrible. We do have a lot of hike and bike trails along most of the bayous around town as well as marked lanes crisscrossing the city. Plus, metro has installed bike racks on all the buses. The main problems I've encountered biking around the city are distracted drivers and few bike racks. Can it improve? Sure. Is it bottom-of-the-barrel? No.

Comparatively speaking, Houston has fewer miles of bike lanes and bike paths. Austin and even Dallas and San Antonio are far better. Among, say, the top 10 most populous American cities I would say Houston probably has the worst bicycle infrastructure. I've ridden in NY, LA, Chicago, Phoenix (which is GREAT for bikes btw), Dallas, all are better. Detroit might be worse than Houston, I dunno.

[august948]

Comparatively speaking, Houston has fewer miles of bike lanes and bike paths. Austin and even Dallas and San Antonio are far better. Among, say, the top 10 most populous American cities I would say Houston probably has the worst bicycle infrastructure. I've ridden in NY, LA, Chicago, Phoenix (which is GREAT for bikes btw), Dallas, all are better. Detroit might be worse than Houston, I dunno.

You might be right, but can you quantify it? A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall. Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles. I haven't checked San Antonio.

The biggest block to riding in a city is dealing with traffic. Do the cities you cited have better traffic separation for bicycles, allowing a rider to get to places with minimal interference from automobile traffic?

[RedScare]

You might be right, but can you quantify it? A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall. Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles. I haven't checked San Antonio.

Man, the truth is perception's worst enemy, isn't it? Thanks for actual numbers, August. You probably have more stats in this single post than that magazine's entire article.

[Gary]

I was thinking the same thing. Kylejack, we'll be waiting on your response.

[barracuda]

I've never heard of that magazine.

Same old complaints every single time. It's so laughable. So what about the heat! Boo hoo! Screw four season climates. I don't want that.

These "best city" rankings are opinion pieces, nothing more. Plenty of people prefer the heat and abundant sunshine in Houston to a half a year of cold and drizzle in Seattle or the miserable winter cold of Minneapolis. One could easily argue that most cities on their "best" list have worse weather than Houston.

Of course, they conveniently disregard the hot weather in Austin and Atlanta. It's only a problem when describing Houston because it fits within the tired old tradition of hating Houston without actually understanding the city.

[Fringe]

You might be right, but can you quantify it?  A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall.  Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles.  I haven't checked San Antonio.

The biggest block to riding in a city is dealing with traffic.  Do the cities you cited have better traffic separation for bicycles, allowing a rider to get to places with minimal interference from automobile traffic?

Are you sure Houston's not just counting every paved street as a "bike lane"?  I really find that number hard to believe. 

[kylejack]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

[musicman]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

[kylejack]

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

Many parts of the "345-mile interconnected bikeway network" are in fact nothing at all. Download the map PDF and you'll see some areas are marked as bike lanes, some areas are marked as signed routes (which just means that there is a sign saying that bikes travel the road, no bike lane) and some areas are nothing at all. No sign, no lane, but it is specified by the city as a "bikeway" and part of the "345-mile interconnected bikeway network".

Edited August 7, 2009 by kylejack

[Gary]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

How is it "deffinately not accurate"? You have yet to provide one source for your claims and two posters have cited your inaccuracy with verifiable facts.

[kylejack]

How is it "deffinately not accurate"? You have yet to provide one source for your claims and two posters have cited your inaccuracy with verifiable facts.

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

Edited August 7, 2009 by kylejack

[august948]

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

Thank you. I stand corrected. That gives us one positive comparison, since the Austin figure of 50 miles is of hike and bike trails from the city of Austin Parks and Rec division. And, I would venture to say that the 277 mile figure Dallas gives as their near term goal probably also includes signed roadways with no true bike lane so that gives us possibly two reasonable comparisons.

I'd still like to know, though, from anybody who has biked in other large cities, what the major differences are. Is it really easier to traverse LA, Chicago and NYC by bike than it is here? If so, I'm curious how they overcome the infrastructure problems common to all large American cities. I lived in Atlanta for 10 years before moving to Houston and I can tell you that while the city is beautiful, it's not as easy to get around there by bike as it is in Houston (same thing goes for driving around Atlanta as well).

[RedScare]

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

If you want us to give any credit whatsoever to your claim, some kind of concrete response would help. As it stands, your claim is being beaten like a rented mule.

[Gary]

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

Yes, I want you to provide a link which is commonplace here. You'll get shot down everytime without one, especially when your asking us to take your words as fact.

[N Judah]

Houston's bike lanes, trails, etc. really do pale in comparison to other cities/towns. I say that as a person who *likes* Houston, but not for anything bike-related. Who cares what the stats say? The "miles of bike lane" stat can be easily pumped in ways already mentioned. Why put in effort when you can fudge the numbers? The point is that Houston is not a very bike-friendly city, and I know this because of Proof By Inspection.

At least Metro finally put bike racks on the buses. I'm glad we're only decades, not centuries, behind other cities in terms of bike friendliness.

Edited August 8, 2009 by N Judah

[august948]

Houston's bike lanes, trails, etc. really do pale in comparison to other cities/towns. I say that as a person who *likes* Houston, but not for anything bike-related. Who cares what the stats say? The "miles of bike lane" stat can be easily pumped in ways already mentioned. Why put in effort when you can fudge the numbers? The point is that Houston is not a very bike-friendly city, and I know this because of Proof By Inspection.

I'm glad Metro finally put bike racks on the buses. I'm glad we're only decades, not centuries, behind other cities in terms of bike friendliness.

OK...I'll bite. What is it that Houston lacks and/or needs to do to not pale in comparison to other cities/towns? Specifics please. And examples from similar sized cities. I'd love to know what to petition our local officials about. I say this not only as a person who loves Houston for non-bike related things but also as an avid biker who bikes around west Houston for errands and amusement.

Edited August 8, 2009 by august948

[N Judah]

I think they should use stimulus money to do that Buffalo Bayou plan, in its entirety, according to that picture that was posted in another thread.

[august948]

I think they should use stimulus money to do that Buffalo Bayou plan, in its entirety, according to that picture that was posted in another thread.

Ok...that's a start, but I'm really curious on specifically how we are decades behind other large cities in bike-friendliness. What, for instance does LA, Chicago, NYC, Dallas or even Austin do that is way, way ahead of what's available in Houston?

[livincinco]

Ok...that's a start, but I'm really curious on specifically how we are decades behind other large cities in bike-friendliness. What, for instance does LA, Chicago, NYC, Dallas or even Austin do that is way, way ahead of what's available in Houston?

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

[Fringe]

If you want us to give any credit whatsoever to your claim, some kind of concrete response would help.  As it stands, your claim is being beaten like a rented mule.

Perhaps you could start by asking the city of Houston exactly what they consider a "bike way", because I have to agree, H town is not a very bike friendly place despite their over-blown numbers.