As previously noted, Nathan has a general aversion to bikes and bike infrastructure. But where does his “bike skepticism” come from, and why do many other Americans feel the same way? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation Joseph gets to the root of Nathan’s bias (the temperament of cyclists, tacky bike lane infrastructure, and the “aesthetics of control”) and makes the case for bike-oriented cities. Amongst other things they discuss how most Americans approach biking from a sports angle, the way streets were shared by multiple transit modes in the early 20th century, how biking becomes less viable in the Winter,  and how Los Angeles has the potential to become America’s foremost biking city. 

Links:

The new Silent Generation Patreon!

San Francisco streetcar footage from a hundred years ago

Years and Years by Russell T Davies

On Adam Levine's tattoos

Why Many Cities Suck (and Los Angeles Doesn't Have to)

Strong Town’s idea of “complex vs. complicated”

Artwork: 

AI generated

Recorded on 5/12/2024