Planetizin has this piece today on the rise of the bike-share:

“Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis – the list of Midwestern cities that have already, or are hoping to, establish bike-share systems is a testament to the incredible popularity of a concept that’s only found its footing in the U.S. in the past few years. Schmitt examines the trend, and the ways in which Midwestern cities have learned from, and adapted, the approach to building such systems undertaken by more dense pioneers.”

As I wrote about in this piece for Pittsburgh City Paper, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and bike advocacy group BikePGH announced earlier this week that it would be coming to Pittsburgh.  That’s good news for a city’s whose trying to invest more in cycling infrastructure. But also a reminder that motorists and passerby that even more cyclists will be on the road. Last year was a tough year for cyclists in Pittsburgh, with a number of high-profile attacks and hit-and-run cases.

This is an oversimplified statement, but bike shares are awesome. They are bountiful in European countries and cities like Portland and Washington, D.C. But with more bike shares come more cyclists on the road, so it’s imperative drivers are educated and made aware of how to ride with cyclists  — and that cyclists, in turn, are educated on riding in traffic.  In the mean time, check out this piece from the Streets Blog on the mentality of motorists around cyclists.  It may be impossible to change driving and cycling mentalities and behaviors all at once, but it can start, one person at a time.  Ride on!