Cycling Catch-22

I am spending the week in Washington DC at the National Bike Summit. I am learning a lot about advocating for safe cycling and spending some time with people who love to ride bikes. In a few days, when the Summit is over, Danielle will join me and we'll do some tourist-y stuff.

As I often do when I travel (which isn't often at all), I've brought a book to read. Books are often the best travel companions. On this trip, I am reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. It reads like a collection of humorous war stories; a lot like the tv series MASH. The main character, Yossarian is a bombardier on a WWII B-2 bomber close to completing the number of required bombing runs to earn his military discharge. The only way to earn his trip home is to complete the mission, yet Yossarian is convinced he will be killed during these final missions.

A catch-22 is a systemic dilemma featuring mutually-conflicting yet mutually-dependent conditions which create a degenerative pattern. These conditions seemingly cooperate for each other's success while simultaneously undermining each other. This kind of system is built on tension. Relieve the tension and the foundation falters. Increase the tension and the system snaps. If you find yourself in a catch-22, there is no escape without completely destroying the system.

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

I read these words on the plane the other day. Today, a colleague at the Bike Summit described a catch-22 dilemma for safe-cycling advocacy.

We're using the same data to convince lawmakers to make cycling safer that we're using to convince people to start cycling.

I can't tell you how many conversations I've had in the last few months that include the words, "I just don't feel safe riding my bike on the road." Ridership is falling because people don't feel safe. The traditional argument to convince decision-makers to spend resources on the creation of infrastructure that would relieve these safety concerns relies heavily on making the case that cyclists and other vulnerable users are dying while walking or riding to the places they live, work, and play. (By the way, there are better and more convincing arguments for the creation of safe-cycling infrastructure in communities: environmental, community building, and leveling socio-economic opportunities that are traditionally race-based.) The catch-22 response to the "riders are dying" argument is often, "there simply aren't enough cyclists on the roads to spend resources on keeping them safe."

Heller re-written for a cyclist:

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Cyclists are crazy to ride on the streets and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to get back on his bike. A cyclist would be crazy to get back on his bike and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to ride. If he rode he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. I am moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

A community's response to "concern for one's safety in the face of dangers" has to change. Communities cannot wait for more cyclists and other vulnerable users to die, be injured, or experience near misses before making the changes that will protect them, grow the number of riders in communities, and result in more connected and cleaner communities.

When we all get a piece of the road there will be peace on the road.

As cyclists we need to keep riding.... Yes, its crazy. But do not ground yourself. Ride. Ride better. Ride safer. Ride with a friend or a group. When it gets crazy... "let out a respectful whistle" to let that driver know you are there.

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What are the obstacles that keep you from riding your bike more often?