To commute to work, the subway is not enough
People come into Boston's Back Bay Station by subways, commuter trains, Amtrak trains, foot, and, apparently, bicycle. The humble bicycle is a popular mode of transportation in the city, despite the kamikaze attitudes of both the cyclists and the auto drivers. There are Hubway (rent-a-bike) stands all over the place, their two dozen slots full or empty depending on the time of day. Most major roads have bike lanes these days, which are used more often than not. (See other chapters in this series for cautionary tales relating to bikers.)
One expects to see bike racks on the street with lots of bikes locked to them. And one does. In some parts of the city, every parking meter has a special attachment for securing bicycles. One does not expect to see bike racks indoors. But in the main part of this train/subway station, just outside the subway turnstiles, there are bike racks packed solid with bikes locked to them. And not just your normal curbside type prison bars or upside-down-Us or loop-on-a-post racks, either. On the one side, there are multi-story apartment buildings for bikes. On the other side, ordinary (but not pedestrian) loop-on-post storage.
The "last mile" commute to work consists, for many, a nice bike ride through insane Boston traffic at rush hour. I really wonder that I don't hear about more accidents.
2015-01-24
