August 18, 2001
Bicycles? In New Haven?

The essential philosophy which has guided New Haven development for more than two generations is that there is no urban problem which cannot be solved by building more highways and constructing more parking lots. This is, of course, irrational, but it is not my fault. It is not surprising then, that as a paradigmatic victim of what Daniel Lazare calls "Fordism" New Haven is what it is: a city completely oriented toward the automobile in all of its transportation infrastructure. Nor is it surprising that it should be one of the most bicycle unfriendly cities in the United States. But that so many people, and I am one of them, still use bicycles as their primary form of transportation is an indication of the extent to which New Haven is a complete natural for getting around by bike. There are few hills, and most distances are within one or two miles. Few errands or destinations can be achieved more quickly by car then by bike-once one adds into the equation the inevitable five minutes of circling around for a parking space and then the walk from the vehicle to the destination. Biking is also good for one's health. At the beginning of June, I made the decision to stop driving my car in New Haven and within a few weeks, and without even noticing it, lost the ten pounds which my physician was recommending that I shed. And biking is also one of the most pleasant forms of recreation available to area residents: an afternoon on the Farmington Canal trail should be number one on the list for anyone wanting to make a case for the region's quality of life to an out of towner. Lastly, something which is rarely recognized bicycles are often the primary form of transportation for middle and lower income residents of New Haven few of whom can afford insuring and maintaining a car in this most expensive of states.

Bicycling in New Haven has one clear and present downside obvious to anyone who engages in it--one puts one's life in one's hands every times one ventures on to the city's street with a bicycle. The city's narrow streets are clogged with bloated SUVs -one of the most offensive of which belongs to the city's chief executive-driven with such recklessness that it seems that the driver would no more notice his three ton behemoth dispatching a bicyclist to his eternal reward than he would a small speck of lint falling from his Ralph Lauren jacket. The crazy quilt of downtown streets-and their seemingly arbitrary one way patterns make as the crow flies distances of a few yards frequently a half a mile and often force cyclists onto the sidewalks where they should not be. There are also very few arrangements made for parking bicycles around the city. Typical is City Hall itself which has a useless rack good for no more than two bikes at a time, hidden by its rear exit. On my first day on the job, bringing my bike into the building drew the attention of a security guard who attempted to eject me, until he found out that I belonged there-according to the voters at least.

Addressing these and other facts of New Haven bicycling life will be one of my priorities in office. At our meeting last week, Henry Fernandez stated that he will take seriously recommendations from bicyclists if I can show him that these derive from a significant and broad based constituency. I am therefore in the process of forming an as yet unnamed advocacy organization which will be charged with drawing up a detailed plan for promoting bicycle transportation in New Haven. The group will take the input of established advocacy organizations, most notably the Connecticut Bicycling Coalition, Critical Mass and others. But most of all I need the ideas and the experiences of those of you who use bikes as a form of transportation. I am asking that you contact me at 785-9258, tell me your stories and get ready to act in your interest. That's what grassroots politics is all about.

Who is John Halle ?

John Halle is an assistant professor in the Department of Music at Yale University, a pianist, a composer, and an author of articles on music and politics. He has lived with his wife, Marka, a professional violinist, at their home on Eld St. since 1997.

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