Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Streetsblog CA

Charmingly Didactic: An Illustrated Guide to Why Biking Can Be Scary (But Doesn’t Have to Be)

Vreni perfectly captures how it feels to ride in the new protected bike lane at Lake Merritt in Oakland. All illustrations by Vreni

Illustrator Vreni just posted a short illustrated treatise at The Nib on the importance of designing streets to make biking feel safer so more people will bike. The image at the top of this post captures another reason why this is key: pure joy.

Vreni's post begins with her dilemma as a new resident in Oakland who wants to ride a bike but is frightened by statistics, bad driving, and helmet-shaming drivers. She throws in a little bit of education about infrastructure, and even finds a way to illustrate some safety statistics. And her post celebrates some of the changes that are coming to cities--like Oakland's newest protected bike lanes, above, and road diets and bike boulevards.

false

The Nib posts nonfiction comics on political and current events, and if you head over there to check out the rest of Vreni's work, I can't be held responsible for the time you spend looking at all the other posts.

By Vreni via The Nib
false
By Vreni via The Nib
false
By Vreni via The Nib
false
false

Hat tip to Robert Prinz, and thanks to The Nib.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Rosemead Creates Subcommittee on Bus Rapid Transit with Neighboring Cities

After a contentious city council meeting, the motion passed.

March 13, 2026

Friday’s Headlines

LAX rental car center, Traci Park, Merced Greenway, Metro operations, car-nage and more

March 13, 2026

Reading Changes in City Streets

Markings on cities streets can sometimes reveal what used to be there

March 12, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines

Record heat, parking, Ohio Ave., Measure ULA, Culver City, gas prices, car-nage, and more

March 12, 2026

Eyes on the Street: New Stations on Metro D Line Extension Section 2

After this May's D Line section 1 opening, there's more D to come! The D is growing longer! Check out photos of new station erection... er... construction today in Beverly Hills and Century City

March 11, 2026
See all posts