An estimated 120,000 people showed up the the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend, most of them arriving in automobiles.
Events like the Tucson Festival of Books are great reminders that riding bikes for transportation is awesome. Unlike the thousands of people who hunted for open parking spaces and had to walk as much as a mile to the event, cyclists were able to park a few yards away from the venue and didn’t have to spend time looking for an open spot.
Of course big events mean more drivers on the road, which requires cyclists to pay extra attention, but the convenience of cycling is certainly magnified at events like Tucson Festival of Books.
The folks at Cyclovia Tucson seemed to agree:
Post by Cyclovia Tucson.
I love going to UA football & basketball games and parking within 100 feet or less from the entrance and no parking fees. I never understand why more people don’t ride to these events.
I agree. I had to work at the Festival of Books (giving tours of a science building), and there was no better way than a bike to cross the city, bypass the congestion on the UA mall, and park for free within yards of my building.
I don’t even think about it- this is my default way to get around Tucson.
AzZenCyclist because parking in the United States is heavily subsidised as are roadways and all of the other externalities associated with automobiles. Not having to pay your way encourages usage of a particular mode. Negtive externalities are never figured into the equation.
But yeah why would you drive a car to the bok fest is you could avoid it? I biked on through yesterday and it was effortless.
AzZenCyclist I’m with you, Az. Especially in this perfect-weather climate! I guess the nuisances of traffic, hunting for parking and traversing the last distance to the destination aren’t enough to overcome the pleasure of driving. Either that or it’s just habit.
Every mode has its balance of nuisances and benefits. Cycling is justified with health and fitness, reasonable use of resources and various pleasurable aspects. Driving is rationalized by speed, ease, necessity and some sort of pleasure, although when I was caught up in long-distance commuting by car, I never felt good about it. Do we really know what percentage of drivers don’t feel good about doing it?
Habit trumps most everything.
I drove here on Sunday because:It’s a 17 mile trip each wayBringing 3 kids (elementary school age and younger) and the dompar who has never ridden that far.It’s an hour+ ride solo. This group… No.Would have been great to bike, but surprise, it is not always the most practical means. Call it rationalizing all you like, but I’m not going to torture my family just to keep from driving. Besides, the lots on Helen near the Highland underpass have always proved stressless for this event. No hunting and a quarter mile walk if that. Not bad.