Poor Miserable Unhealthy Mobile

No network of bike routes in Mobile

The closer a resident is to a bicycle friendly road or bike trail, the more likely they are to get out and bicycle regularly (exercise). Many will commute by bicycle if there are nearby roads or trails they can ride on safely to get to work and back.

Thanks to Google Earth's commitment to put bicycle lanes and trails on their maps, we get to see which Cities promote bicycle use. The dark green lines on the attached maps show bicycle lanes and bike trails.

Studies have shown that Cities in the Netherland like Groningen which have a high percentage of bicycle commuters (near 50%) also are the happiest and healthiest of people. They also have the highest taxes. Huh? High taxes pay for the things the community wants. Hard to believe those with the highest taxes are the happiest of people. But all you have to do is look the bicycle route network in the Netherlands and you can see they choose to live a healthy lifestyle which yields a happier population.

Poor Mobile with almost 200,000 people has no network of bicycle trails. No wonder why Mobile has topped the list as being the "Most Miserable City to Live In." Almost no one in Mobile lives near a bicycle friendly trail. No wonder why Alabama ranks near the top of having the most obese and unhealthiest people in America.

Good ol Alabama, one of the most conservative states in America meaning it is the most resistant to change, even if the change is for the better...

Even bankrupt Detroit has more bicycle routes than Mobile.

Hard to believe San Francisco, also a port city and so very hilly, has so many bicycle routes.

Most of the Netherlands is connected with bicycle routes.

Wow, look at all the bicycle routes in the land of cold and snow.

Denver is a health conscious city.

Chicago area is certainly committed to expanding their bicycle route network.