Democracy on Two Wheels: Reimagining Streets for Kids, One Bike Bus at a Time

• In Event: Democratic Renewal through Innovations in Civic Learning

Abstract

Over the past 50 years, the number of children walking or biking to school in the US has plummeted - from a high of nearly 50% in 1969 to a low of approximately 10% in 2017. There are many explanations for this alarming trend, ranging from sprawling land use to dangerous roads, drivers, and vehicles. However, what is clear is that car dependence has both caused preventable tragedy (with more than 40,000 people dying in car crashes annually) and worse public health outcomes; getting in a car rather than setting out for a stroll or roll means we have fewer opportunities for physical activity, an especially acute concern for children who often do not meet the CDC’s recommendations for daily activity.

The implications extend beyond the health of our bodies to the health of our democracy. On the one hand, our increasing reliance on automobiles means that one of our most vital civic spaces - public rights of way - are largely inaccessible to those outside of a car; indeed, private cars sever our social fabric by removing their occupants from the public realm. On the other hand, a nascent movement spearheaded by educators, guardians, and civic-minded neighbors to organize “bike buses” (in this case, a group of kids - guided by adults - biking to school together following an established route) suggests a compelling take on democracy. By challenging the dominance of cars through such civic engagement, for and with children, these grassroots efforts invite us to reconsider prevailing narratives and cultural norms about who our streets are made for and to reimagine how our government can better address social inequalities by serving the needs of those not protected by a large metal box.

In this paper, I investigate these dynamics using participant observation carried out during ride-alongs with bike buses and interviews with bike bus organizers and participants in cities across the US. By exploring how the bike bus events are framed to participants, how participants interact, and how non-participants react to the bike bus, I trace how conceptions of democracy, public goods, and community building are playing out on our streets. Moreover, participant reflections on how their bike bus involvement challenged ingrained notions about who has the right to public rights of way, changed their views on the role of government, and inspired a desire to engage in safe streets advocacy efforts enables a novel analysis of how urban Americans are pursuing collective action in the face of government inaction.

Author

• Ashton R. Rohmer, George Mason University