My fairy tale?
1. Dedicated bicycle pathways throughout the country - interconnected citywide, regionally, and nationally. City "beltlines" for bikes/peds. Also, federally mandated on-road wide bike lanes for a minimal % of local roads - meeting requirements not just for spacing, markings, and signs, but also for logistics/efficiency (expected distance to ride/walk between two points).
2. Education campaigns on TV, Web, etc that inform motorists of safely SHARING the road with cyclists. That, and enforcement of existing laws (what a concept!) and a media blitz showing enforcement of the laws. Mandatory "biker's education" as part of "driver's education" *before* getting a driving license, including hands-on and written tests.
3. Actual infrastructure to lock up bikes. Not just bike racks, but bike lockers, racks with built-in locks, and surveillance cameras to deter theives - where cyclists don't have to worry about seeing their bike again, and they don't have to load their bike with locks/etc. You can even charge a nominal daily/monthly fee to support the new system.
How to pay for all this? Huge taxes on gasoline to support/encourage all of the above, and discourage traffic, pollution, etc.
Last edited by lineinthewater; 10-12-09 at 06:41 AM.