Opinion: Heels on Wheels

Boston wants to provide subsidized bicycles for visitors and commuters in a move to get cars off the streets. One avid cyclist asks whether politics are trumping safety.

By Carmen Madrid

Boston can become a place where... businesswomen bike to work in power suits and high heels with peace of mind. These words are from the vision statement of the Boston Cyclists Union website. Here's the vision the words conjure up for me... Miss Almira Gulch in The Wizard of Oz peddling her way down a Kansas road in the tumult of a tornado in pursuit of Dorothy and her little dog Toto. She's the only woman I can recall ever riding a bicycle in high heels, by choice.

In an effort to make cycling safer and more appealing for everyone, the folks at the BCU appear to be a bit shortsighted in their view of how women ride bikes. And, of how anyone should ride bikes--safely. I don't care how many bike lanes you put in, I doubt any women will be peddling their two-wheelers down Congress Street in heels, peace of mind or not. Especially, if they've ever had to stop quickly to avoid colliding with a basketball suddenly rolling into the street. Any good rider knows that fancy footwork is what's required, not fancy footwear. And who even wants to imagine the scene if a stiletto gets stuck in a spoke.

Still, the pro-bike movement has plenty of grassroots support and local government backing in Beantown and beyond. As an avid cyclist myself, I appreciate anything that might enhance my ride or make it safer. I have long been a fan of this self-propelled mode of transport, but not