Merging Into Life: Exploring Micromobility

SEASON 2: EPISODE 8
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How to stay safe on two wheels.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Biking isn’t just a weekend hobby anymore. Whether you’re commuting car-free on an e-bike, taking a scooter to the store or just exploring new ways to move through your city, micromobility is transforming urban travel. But with this shift comes important questions like how do you stay safe? And where should a beginner even start?

In this episode of Merging Into Life, host Zack Klapman of The Smoking Tire podcast gets practical advice from Tangier Barnes Wright, deputy director of shared micromobility at PeopleForBikes. They dive into everything from navigating city streets to choosing your first e-bike, exploring how micromobility can be fun, safe and accessible — no special gear required.

Listen in to feel more confident, informed and ready to ride, whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just testing the waters.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The use of bikes, e-bikes and scooters is much more than a trend; it’s a rapidly growing, practical alternative to car travel, especially for short, local trips.
The lack of protected bike lanes, the presence of high-speed roads and dangerous intersections are often what keep new riders hesitant. Supporting safer street design helps everyone, including drivers, by improving traffic flow and clarity.
While bright gear, lights and reflectors are key, being predictable is just as important. Always use clear hand signals and avoid sudden, unexpected movements.
Micromobility doesn’t need to replace every trip. Start small with a ride to the park, a local cafe or commuting to work once a week, and build your confidence from there.
E-bikes reduce barriers significantly. If you worry about long distances or arriving sweaty, the electric assist makes commuting much more realistic and enjoyable, especially when paired with panniers (saddlebags) for your gear.
Sharing the road respectfully, supporting policies that lead to safer bike infrastructure and being highly aware of cyclists helps make streets safer for everyone, whether they’re on two wheels or four.

TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:01] Zack: In high school, in 9th and 10th grade, I rode a bicycle to school pretty much every day, sometimes even in the rain. I was really into mountain biking at the time. And of course, I wanted to show my independence and defy my parents. So, I would just put on rain pants and stuff, and I would arrive to school. Wasn’t the most hygienic way to travel during the rainstorm, but I did it. And I enjoyed it. And then more recently, I own an e-bike, my wife owns an e-bike. We find it a great way to just zip around to run local errands in our area. And more than that, I really enjoy riding around. It sounds cliche, but wind in your face, sun on your face — I think it taps back into that that childhood joy of riding around, feeling very independent and actually seeing the world around you.

Hey everyone, welcome back to Merging Into Life. I’m your host, Zack Klapman. Today we’re diving into a topic that you’ve probably seen around your city, but you didn’t know has a specific name. It’s called micromobility. If you see people riding bikes or e-scooters or e-bikes, those all fall into this category. Two-wheel travel is on the rise. People are zooming and scooting their way around their town. But you probably have some questions. Is it safe? What do I need to know before buying one of these products and hitting the road? And is this actually how people are going to get around in the future? Are they going to take my car away? What is happening? To help us answer all of this, we are joined by Tangier Barnes Wright. Tangier is the deputy director of shared micromobility at PeopleForBikes. With a background in equitable urban planning and policy, she’s worked across sectors to make streets safer, more accessible and more inclusive. A cyclist herself, she’s a passionate advocate for infrastructure that supports all types of riders. Tangier, before we dive in, can you tell us a bit more about what led you to work in micromobility and urban planning and what drives your passion for this space?

[00:02:10] Tangier: I got into micromobility because I have always ridden a bike. I don’t remember not riding a bike. So, I’ve been riding a bike. Through work, I started to discover, as I was commuting to work regularly, that, like the disparities in our urban environment that prevented people from accessing safe trails and safe places to ride, there were issues with the way our roads are designed, and how our streets look, and how people who aren’t as comfortable riding a bike aren’t going to get out here, and just ride anywhere. So, I started working with neighborhoods specifically on transportation and mobility issues. I wanted to help break down the discriminatory and bad planning and policy that had led us to some of the situations we’re still in, which is where there are no safe places to walk or bike.

[00:03:03] Zack: Yeah, I mean, I’m a car person, but I am a huge advocate for rideable, walkable stuff, because everybody benefits. So, let’s break down the term micromobility. And why is it becoming such a big part of the transportation conversation across the United States?

[00:03:20] Tangier: So, micromobility refers to transport options that are lightweight vehicles like bikes and scooters. The bicycle has been around since what, like the 18-teens. I think then the first one was basically an adult strider. It was like two wheels, a seat, handlebars, no pedals. And that was in the 18-teens. And then later in the 1800s, the model that we more recognize now with the pedals came to be. That was like in the late 1800s. So, humans have been choosing micromobility for over 150 years. When we design for people who aren’t in cars, it makes our roads and networks better, safer, more accessible to everybody, even those who are driving. Bikes and scooters help build community around freedom and fun and physical activity. And they make getting around pleasant. It’s not to say that it’s like without any stress, but gosh, it feels so nice to hop off your bike right where you need to be and not have circled the block five times looking for parking.

[00:04:28] Zack: Yeah, I think there’s reduction of stress in some cases. I mean, part of it is exercise itself helps do that. I mean you’re out having this very enjoyable experience, doing what some people would elect to do on a weekend once for fun, but you’re commuting that way. So I think it’s really nice.

[00:04:42] Tangier: That’s a fantastic point, right? It becomes this way to connect and engage with our parks and other open spaces. And we start thinking about different ways and routes to take. And again, because it’s slower, you hear the sounds and smell the smells and see the sights. And there’s a connection to community as a result of that.

[00:05:02] Zack: My office is quite close to where I live. So sometimes I have to drive there because I have an errand afterwards that’s further away. But when I don’t, and if I can bicycle there or walk or ride an electric scooter or something, there’s just this almost subconscious knowledge that I’m not spending money on gas, that I’m not turning this engine on, which is very inefficient thing, just to drive half a mile. Our culture is very much like you deserve a car, and it’s your space, and you get to listen to music, and it is like your private little apartment. But there’s plenty of times where that actually adds more stress to your life. And I think if people tried alternate ways to go short distances, of course, if you don’t have to carry a ton of cargo, they probably find it’s really enjoyable weather permitting. So let’s talk urban planning, because you can have a bike, but if there’s nowhere to ride it, then it’s really just an ornament. So what are some of the biggest infrastructure gaps that you still see when it comes to supporting e-bike or scooter riders?

[00:05:59] Tangier: A lack of protected bike lanes is a barrier to people riding, especially those who are nervous but interested. When there’s no separation between biking or scooting and motor vehicles, that can be scary. High speed limits is a problem. Having to travel over highways, under highways, across giant multilane roads and not having safe, a safe way to do that.

[00:06:26] Zack: Around here, there’s some six-lane roads I bike across sometimes. And there’s crosswalks and stuff, and it’s well marked, but there’s just something in my brain that knows the volume of cars that are interacting at this intersection, and the number of things I need to pay attention to, instead of me having to watch if there’s one lane each way, but now I have to watch six lanes or more, and make sure no one misses their red light. One of the biggest problems I’ve seen with the discussion of let’s call it pedestrian transportation versus car transportation. Whenever we talk about city planning and pedestrian transportation, you’ll get pushback from car people that it’s like, I don’t want you to take my car. They might say, I have three kids, I have to take them to all these errands, da-da-da-da-da. And those reasons are totally valid. But what we’re not advocating for taking your car. What I’d like to do is provide another option. And if that works better for folks that need that option, they choose it. That takes cars off the road. And now the people that need their car for any number of reasons will probably have a better time driving their car also. So, we’re going to start talking about safety a bit. So what are some common misconceptions people have about e-bikes?

[00:07:36] Tangier: Common misconceptions are that, especially talking about e-bikes, that oh, they’re too fast, right? Most e-bikes travel at bike-like speeds. A Class 1 e-bike maxes out; the e-assist will not let you go faster than 20 mph. And the class system helps distinguish, kind of, which of those e-bikes are allowed in which types of spaces. A Class 1 is your typical what you’re seeing people commute on for the most part. Riding an e-bike is like riding a regular bike. And if you want to break the law, you don’t need an e-bike to do that. There’s also a misconception that they’re like too heavy or they’re super heavy. Certainly, e-bikes can weigh more than a regular pedal bike, but this isn’t, it doesn’t have to be a barrier. There are lots of options and variety of e-bikes out there. And so, it requires going to different places and shopping around and seeing. And also, depending on where you have where you store it, you don’t have to haul it anywhere and you can just roll it into a garage and plug it in, and that, then, the weight isn’t as much of a barrier. You don’t have to store them in your apartment or at your house or at your townhome. You get to dock it if it’s a docked system or just park it wherever you are, and somebody else takes care of it and maintains it, and you don’t have to worry about carrying it anywhere.

[00:08:55] Zack: Yeah. So, if someone’s new to a city, they’re looking to start biking as their main form of transportation, how should they get started?

[00:09:02] Tangier: Well, if you’re already there, that’s one thing. If you haven’t moved yet, try to find housing close to where you’re working or where you know you’re going to want to go. That’s not always possible. So, if you’re there, you find yourself wanting to explore and start biking as your main form of transportation, start with your maps. Pick up a bike map. Most cities have a physical bike map at a bike shop but get familiar with the bike route options on Google Maps or whatever your preferred map app is, so that you can start to see your neighborhood and just where the bike networks connect into where you are, where you want to go. Lots of work has been put into creating connected low-stress bike networks in many cities and towns. And so, a lot of that work has been done. Look for the local bike meetups. Bike advocacy organizations often host bike rides, casual, like no-drop. No drop meaning nobody gets left behind, bike rides, community bike rides, I think go a long way in helping people become familiar and just get started in biking in a new place, finding the people who were doing it.

[00:10:20] Zack: So some of the most important safety tips, a lot of people overlook them, like making yourself visible or simply wearing a helmet. So what are a few simple habits or pieces of gear that make a difference for somebody?

[00:10:34] Tangier: I do want to say that making ourselves visible as bicyclists is smart, but we are no way obligated to do so just because we choose to bike. That being said, there’s some really fun gear out there to make ourselves more visible. Spoke-flectors are one of my favorites. They are little tubes that’s all reflective material that you just snap onto your spokes. And I love them, because I put them on both wheels. And especially at night, when cars are coming from the cross streets, they can see me lit up from the side. So, it’s not just like I have a headlight and taillight. I am completely visible from both sides because of these spoke reflectors. Highly recommend spoke reflectors. I also love neon and reflective. You can’t have too much reflective wear. We’re talking about riding at night. And then neon works day or night. I like neon and bright colored helmets. I have a neon yellow helmet that I love. You can buy reflective tape to add to your bike. Also, being predictable is a safety thing. Use your turn signals just like you’re driving a car. Make sure that the other users of the road know what you’re doing. And try not to surprise other users of the road. Headlights, taillights at night, always very bright ones.

[00:11:57] Zack: Being predictable is a great point, because I know when I was a younger person you bicycle as if you own the road and you bridge this weird gap between vehicle and pedestrian, and it’s almost like you change it in the moment and you expect everyone around you to adhere to your new laws. So, not doing that is a great way to not get hit by a car.

[00:12:16] Tangier: Yeah.

[00:12:18] Zack: Hey bikers, quick heads up. Did you know AAA covers bicycles too? That’s right. Whether you’re cruising the boardwalk or commuting to work, AAA’s got your back with roadside assistance, gear discounts and other perks for as low as $2.50 per month. So, if your chain snaps or tire pops, help is just a call or click away. Pedal smart. Check out AAA.com/Everyday for more information.

Let’s talk etiquette. So, what is the etiquette when riding near pedestrians, cars, other cyclists?

[00:12:56] Tangier: Yeah. When it comes to riding near pedestrians, cars, other cyclists, I don’t know that there’s any unspoken rules, but behavior I’ve seen, maybe I wish people were a little bit more considerate when it comes to their speed. I see people and have experienced people on our trail system. There are people pushing strollers. There are children riding their bikes. There are people in wheelchairs. There are people walking and running, all these users of these shared paths. And I still see some bicyclists traveling at too high of speeds, endangering everybody else, including themselves, if they crash. They’re trying to go 20 mph on a shared-use path. It’s dangerous. I wish everybody would just slow down until it clears. And then, maybe pick up your speed when it’s not congested with other users. It’s a shared path for a reason. On the road, I think kind of goes back to just being predictable.

[00:13:54] Zack: Let’s say a bicyclist doesn’t have the fortune of riding in a city that has designed a lot of bike spaces. How can riders stay safe on roads that are not designed for bicyclists?

[00:14:06] Tangier: Choose roads where it’s less likely that a driver’s going to be going 30 mph or more. Again, a lot of work has been put into creating bike networks and selecting these low-stress streets. As a bicyclist, you have to be defensive. You’ve got to be aware of what’s going on, who’s in front of you, who’s beside you. But yeah, just because there’s not infrastructure on a street doesn’t make it unrideable.

[00:14:30] Zack: So there’s being safe, that’s one thing. And then there’s confidence, which if you’re a new rider or a hesitant rider, how do you build confidence on two wheels?

[00:14:40] Tangier: I love helping people feel confident on a bike. One, I’ve done this with friends and people who are hesitant. And I think that’s a huge part of it is finding a friend and finding somebody else who bikes. Bike clubs that do casual, all-inclusive rides or just that one person at work, maybe, or somebody in your family, a family member who bikes. Plan some casual rides with somebody who is familiar with biking. If you don’t know anybody, I think building confidence requires feeling at ease when you’re on your bike. Having a bike that fits, that is operating properly, it has been well maintained, and in a space that you where you feel at ease. Maybe getting on a bike right outside of your apartment, your house, your condo onto a street does not feel like you’re not at ease there. Can you take your bike to a park? Can you take it to one of the off-street trails and start there, where it’s just not as where you’re maybe you don’t start right away riding on the road? Also having some incentive. I’m going to get on my bike and there’s a destination, right?

[00:15:53] Zack: Yeah. And this leads us into our next topic, which is integrating micromobility into your life. So some people kind of suffer from this all or nothing mentality. And I think a lot of what we’ve talked about, I’ll call it expert level bicycling, which is I’m gonna ride to the grocery store or bike to work five days a week. That might seem like a big thing for for people to bite off in the beginning.

[00:16:13] Tangier: It can for sure be intimidating and the all or nothing is definitely there. It’s oh, if I can’t do this like all the time or every day, then why bother? But I would say if if you find joy in it, then that’s why. If it gets you connected to people and your neighborhood or the neighborhood next door or your local restaurants.

[00:16:36] Zack: So let’s let’s shift perspective. I am a car person. That’s my job. I review cars for a living. But also a lot of people drive cars. What can drivers do to better support cyclists, scooters, make people feel safer? And how do we share the road better?

[00:16:53] Tangier: Vote for policies that are advertised as creating safety for bikes and pedestrians. Because policies that create safer spaces, meaning adding bike lanes, whatever’s reducing barriers to people getting on bikes and using them, all of those policies are also good for drivers. It’s not about bikes versus cars when we’re talking about like the safety of our streets. If we design roads and our streets for people who are strolling or walking or biking or scooting, then those roads become safer also for drivers.

[00:17:34] Zack: Someone’s listening, they’re curious, what is the one tip that you would give them to just give this a try?

[00:17:41] Tangier: The one thing I would tell them is depending on how far this person’s commute is, consider an e-bike. It makes the commute faster, much more comfortable in many cases. You don’t feel like you’re going so slow with the flow of traffic. Make your routes in advance. Get all your stuff together the night before, your helmet, whatever you need to ride, depending on weather. Make sure you gather all of that stuff so you can have a successful commute, and know how you want to get there.

[00:18:14] Zack: E-bikes reduce the sweat factor. Because I used to bike to school, and I always arrived quite gross. E-bikes get rid of that.

[00:18:21] Tangier: And it these e-bikes really are beginning to help people see how they can replace car trips because they can get there just a little faster, right? They’re amazing. E-bikes are fantastic. I highly recommend panniers. Nobody wants to carry a backpack and your back’s all sweaty. Panniers, all about it, or a bin or something that you can store your stuff in.

[00:18:46] Zack: Some people call them saddlebags, right? They can hang over the wheels. Right.

[00:18:49] Tangier: Yeah, saddlebags, panniers, and also it is just get go online and find they have these nice checklists of just how to prepare for a successful bike ride. You need your lock, you need a helmet that’s comfortable, and your bike needs to be in good working order. Make sure your tires are blown up, all that stuff in advance before the day you’re gonna go ride.

[00:19:13] Zack: Well, thanks for sharing your tips on staying safe when it comes to safer micromobility.

[00:19:18] Tangier: Thank you so much for having me. This was a pleasure. I appreciate it.

[00:19:25] Zack: Big thanks to Tangier for sharing her tips for staying safe when it comes to safer micromobility. Whether you’re new to two wheels or you just want to ride smarter, we hope this episode helped you feel more confident on the road. Remember, if you’re thinking about buying an e-bike, make sure you look into your local laws and safety regulations and how they apply to the type of e-bike or moped you’re considering. And if you’re enjoying the show, do us a quick favor. Hit that like button, leave a review, and share it with a friend who’d love it too. It helps more than you know, and it keeps the good stuff coming your way. Thanks for being part of the ride. See you next time on Merging Into Life. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of AAA Northeast, AAA and/or its affiliates.