The Many Reasons to Bike in South Jersey

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been bike commuting to my job in Camden for the past two months. In that time, cycling has metamorphosed from something I did out of obligation to cut carbon emissions to something I truly enjoy. But there are many more reasons to bike in South Jersey than simply forging a new hobby. I've listed a few below, but the list is not inclusive by any means. Feel free to add your own in the comments below!


1) Unadulterated Happiness Chemicals
Biking has accomplished something a car never did: it has made me enjoy my trip to work. It has even made me enjoy my work more, in general. Like most people, I have trouble building exercise into my normal routine, and bike commuting has been an ideal solution. Exercise can help to reduce cortisol levels (that chemical that causes stress in your body) and can release endorphins, contributing to happiness overall. Those are some good drugs, but part of my happiness comes just from getting out of the climate controlled shell of the car and hearing the birds chirp.


2) Realize the Little Things
In Jan Gehl's Cities for People, Gehl frequently employs the idea of the city at eye-level. Human observation is most acute with regard to the things ahead of you, at about eye level, as you walk 2.5 - 3 mph. As mph increases, the accuracy of observations decreases. Gehl finds that the upper range of pedestrian-level awareness of surroundings is about 12 mph (bike commuters average 10 - 12 mph). After that, the town begins to look sort of like a giant blur. In the more observant state, you begin to notice things about the built environment you never would have before. You certainly notice how neglected the roads are, as every pothole threatens to destroy your rims. The enormous leap in quality of life between depressed and wealthy areas is starkly apparent, especially when the difference is punctuated by the bumps you feel as you cross a set of railroad tracks. At 12 or so mph, you're going fast enough to outrun anyone who might cause you trouble, but not so fast that someone can't offer you drugs or other questionable services as you ride by. It's hard to ignore the distress of others when there isn't a big hunk of metal between you and them. I believe if more people were to bike, if people had to confront our cities difficulties first hand, at a human pace, things would begin to change. Quickly.



3) Discover Your Home
Because riding on something the likes of Route 70 or Route 130 is simply terrifying, cyclists often ride on county roads and older state routes that have seen declining usage since 50+ mph roads became the premiere way to travel. I've biked from Camden to Atlantic City on the Black Horse Pike, where you can see history occurring in different segments on a road designed in the late 1700's. County Road 551 (better known as Broadway in Camden, Gloucester City, and further south), is a  time travel device, through which one can see Camden before and after disinvestment (the similarity between Gloucester City today and pictures of Camden fifty years ago is eerie).

Riding on these roads every day makes you curious about their history. Who is Delsea Drive named after? Turns out it's not who, but what route. While it was under construction, a Woodbury Times reporter nicknamed Route 47 "Delsea," because it began at the DELaware River and ended at the SEA shore. What about the White Horse Pike (Route 30)? I try to ride an entire route whenever I can, from beginning to end, to see where it goes. But I can't seem to find the end of Route 30. I know it goes across the Ben Franklin Bridge, but what then? Turns out I could ride straight from Atlantic City to see all of my friends in Portland, Oregon because US Route 30 extends all the way from the Jersey Shore to Astoria, Oregon. Cycling invites you into the strange world of random coincidences and bizarre local history – and what a wonderful world it is!


4) Gain Perspective on Time
Riding on the local roads also puts you alongside cars that have to move slower. You often find them rushing ahead of you only to catch up at the next red light... and the next... and the next. In the end, they make it home 5, at max 10, minutes earlier than you do. In exchange for those 5 minutes, drivers experience additional stress and aggression. I know this, because I get the same way when I drive 40 mph only to see the lowly biker catch up to me again and again. Does 5 minutes really justify carbon emissions, raised stress levels, a missed opportunity to exercise, and an inability to fully perceive the world? I don't feel it does.


5) Accepting Your Mortality
Okay, this is actually a terrible part about cycling in South Jersey. People frequently zoom by at at least 40 mph, passing within only a few inches of my unprotected frame. Never, for the love of Jane Jacobs, ride on Haddonfield-Berlin road. One of the most terrifying experiences of my life.

On the upside, I now empathize with every other cyclist and pedestrian who has been given a raw deal in our region and in our country. I actively demand bike lanes while before I offered only passive support. Our economy is supposedly built upon freedom of choice and opportunity, and yet the choice to walk or ride a bike is scarcely a choice at all here. When you experience first hand how dangerous riding is in South Jersey, you'll become a fierce advocate too.