The first reliable bicycle was the German draisine which dates back to 1817. (It was constructed almost entirely of wood and weighed 48 pounds!) However, it took nearly 150 years for cities to realize the importance of being a reliable place to bike.<br><br>In 1974 a French city initiated a free bike program with yellow bicycles that were free to take and use. The first community bicycle project in America began in Portland, Oregon in 1994.<br><br>But do a few random community programs address the safety concerns of cycling in an urban environment? Here are some question cyclists should ask to determine if a city is truly bike friendly, or just trying to jump on the "green transportation" band wagon.<br><br>Does the city use sharrows?<br><br>A "sharrow" is a shared-lane marking system for roadways. The green lanes are usually installed within travel lanes that are shared by bicyclists and other vehicles.<br><br>The purpose of the sharrows are to help cyclists maintain their positioning on roads so that they won't accidentally hit parked cars or get hit by moving cars. In addition to marking the space where bicyclist should ride, these lanes help to alert motorists that there is a cyclist on the road. Sharrows can also reduce the chances of wrong-way bicycling by providing easy signage that even new cyclists can understand.<br><br>Are there bike boxes at major intersections?<br><br>A bike box is a relatively new intersection safety design that is being used to prevent collisions in some cities. A bike box is a green box that is painted on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside. It will usually include green markings to show the bicycle lanes leading to and from from the box as well. Bike boxes are useful in preventing accidents that occur when motorist don't see the cyclists such as when a driver is turning right and a bicyclist is going straight.<br><br>Are the streets wide? Do they have clearly marked bike lanes?<br><br>Studies have shown that motorists are less likely to drive in areas where the bike lanes are clearly marked or where there is a defined sidewalk. The same studies have also shown that cyclists using bike lanes or wide streets are more likely to stay closer to the edge of the sidewalk instead of drifting into traffic where they could be hit by passing cars.<br><br>Though wide city streets are good for the cyclists, bike lanes are actually far better, they help define road space, promote a more orderly flow of traffic, help cyclists know which direction to travel in, and give them a clear place to ride as opposed to using the sidewalks.<br><br>Regardless of how wide the streets are, only people riding bicycles are allowed to use the bike lanes and motorists caught using them as roadways are usually fined.<br><br>Are there bike racks for parking?<br><br>Bicycle parking should be visible, accessible, easy to use, convenient, and plentiful. Racks need to cradle the entire bike and allow the user to lock the frame and wheels of the bike. The area should be well lit, and in plain sight without being in the way. The rack should also be sturdy and not interfere with doorway traffic, or vehicle traffic.<br><br>What about bike racks on public transport?<br><br>In a bike friendly city, the Department of Public Transportation usually works with cyclists to meet their needs. This includes making it easy for travelers to combine biking with public transportation.<br><br>City buses can carry two bikes in the front or back, and the drivers will sometimes allow the cyclist to bring their bike inside. Rail vehicles can often carry 4 bikes per car. Rail drivers will also allow bikes to be carried on board if the car isn't too crowded.<br><br>Overall, a bike-friendly city will have a solid bicycle culture and a well-developed infrastructure that favors cyclists. It will have clearly divided bike lanes and considerable accommodations that cater to the booming bicycle culture that is rising in many urban surroundings. In the end, it is up to the cyclist to decide which city is more bike friendly and most suited to their needs. For many cyclists it's not just about the accommodations, it's also about the weather which explains why California has so many cities that are considered bike-friendly.