Comments on: Interesting Passage from “Pedal Power”… http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/ Bike Your Drive! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: ricke http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14170 ricke Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:30:26 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14170 i'm from Ill. and i've been commuting since i lost my driver licence in 1987. commuting there was hell! but i did it. now i live in portland oregon and wooweeee it's so nice here! we still have our own problems here but we seem to overcome them in some way or another. i now commute 70 miles round trip to work and it's like living back home again! once your out of the city limits......your on your own! good luck out there! ride hard, ride fast, it's two against four, eventually we'll win cause there won't be any fuel left............ but your own 2 legs! i’m from Ill. and i’ve been commuting since i lost my driver licence in 1987. commuting there was hell! but i did it. now i live in portland oregon and wooweeee it’s so nice here! we still have our own problems here but we seem to overcome them in some way or another. i now commute 70 miles round trip to work and it’s like living back home again! once your out of the city limits……your on your own! good luck out there! ride hard, ride fast, it’s two against four, eventually we’ll win cause there won’t be any fuel left………… but your own 2 legs!

]]> By: fUSION Anomalog. » Blog Archive » Pedal Power: Affect The Change http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14166 fUSION Anomalog. » Blog Archive » Pedal Power: Affect The Change Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:35:13 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14166 [...] into trouble supporting bike growth. This is an important bargaining chip for biking interests.” [+] Explore posts in the same categories: progressives, [...] [...] into trouble supporting bike growth. This is an important bargaining chip for biking interests.” [+] Explore posts in the same categories: progressives, [...]

]]> By: Iron Man http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14142 Iron Man Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:04:28 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14142 Matt, BIBS! That's one down. What's next? Matt, BIBS! That’s one down. What’s next?

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14138 Ghost Rider Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:19:24 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14138 Matt, you've discovered the weakness in FL DOT's own rules. They threw in a "where feasible" clause that lets municipalities decide at whim whether bike lanes become part of the rebuild or not...and they usually choose "not". I agree -- advocacy groups have to come together with a unified set of demands, and that's a battle in itself! Matt, you’ve discovered the weakness in FL DOT’s own rules. They threw in a “where feasible” clause that lets municipalities decide at whim whether bike lanes become part of the rebuild or not…and they usually choose “not”.

I agree — advocacy groups have to come together with a unified set of demands, and that’s a battle in itself!

]]> By: PJ http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14128 PJ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:59:08 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14128 I think as more people start commuting by bike, and heaven forbid more bike-related accidents, the people upstairs will start to take notice. I have noticed that in this great country of ours, it takes tragedy for change to occur. As far as a big bicycling advocacy, that would be a great idea. As the price of gas creeps upward, hopefully more of the above-average joes will catch on to the movement and provide the much needed muscle for bicycling advocacies. $4 a gallon was my tipping point. What will it take for the well-heeled? I think as more people start commuting by bike, and heaven forbid more bike-related accidents, the people upstairs will start to take notice. I have noticed that in this great country of ours, it takes tragedy for change to occur.

As far as a big bicycling advocacy, that would be a great idea. As the price of gas creeps upward, hopefully more of the above-average joes will catch on to the movement and provide the much needed muscle for bicycling advocacies. $4 a gallon was my tipping point. What will it take for the well-heeled?

]]> By: Palm Beach Bike Tours http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14122 Palm Beach Bike Tours Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:52:02 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14122 Bike lanes don't rouse the ire of potential opponents? That hasn't been my experience. For a few years now, the South Florida cycling community has been in litigation with the State of Florida over the widening of State Road A1A along the beach. The FDOT's own rules say when you do serious road work, you add a bike lane. The folks along A1A -- mostly wealthy or powerful -- don't want cyclists (or anyone else for that matter) using their road. The A1A property owners managed to keep the bike lane from being built. The courts have found that a bike lane should have been installed but the state has no money to go back and redo A1A to add the lane. So, we lost even though we won. Bike lanes face resistance from from inside the castle walls as well. There are a lot of serious, well-respected cyclists who are rabidly opposed to bike lanes. Ghost, I think you're onto something when you suggest a large organization to represent all bike riders. Unfortunately, many of the key issues we face are our most divisive. Mandatory helmet laws. Bike lanes. Spending on mountain bike trails or paved trails. Shouting 'clear' at intersections or actually obeying the law. Bike shorts or bibs. Wool or synthetic. Bell or horn. You get the idea. Before we can hire a lobbyist, we need to all be on the same page as to what we want. --Matt Bike lanes don’t rouse the ire of potential opponents? That hasn’t been my experience.

For a few years now, the South Florida cycling community has been in litigation with the State of Florida over the widening of State Road A1A along the beach. The FDOT’s own rules say when you do serious road work, you add a bike lane. The folks along A1A — mostly wealthy or powerful — don’t want cyclists (or anyone else for that matter) using their road. The A1A property owners managed to keep the bike lane from being built.

The courts have found that a bike lane should have been installed but the state has no money to go back and redo A1A to add the lane. So, we lost even though we won.

Bike lanes face resistance from from inside the castle walls as well. There are a lot of serious, well-respected cyclists who are rabidly opposed to bike lanes.

Ghost, I think you’re onto something when you suggest a large organization to represent all bike riders. Unfortunately, many of the key issues we face are our most divisive. Mandatory helmet laws. Bike lanes. Spending on mountain bike trails or paved trails. Shouting ‘clear’ at intersections or actually obeying the law. Bike shorts or bibs. Wool or synthetic. Bell or horn.

You get the idea. Before we can hire a lobbyist, we need to all be on the same page as to what we want.

–Matt

]]> By: Vadim http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14110 Vadim Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:27:12 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14110 For any Chicago people that are interested, I'm trying to organize a campaign to get a shared bike lane on Broadway north of Diversey. https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/a-bike-lane-on-broadway/ Everyone who would want one should join this campaign and commit to sending a letter once we reach 100 people. I commute every day in Uptown and Broadway would be great if it would be a little safer for bicyclists and pedestrians in general. For any Chicago people that are interested, I’m trying to organize a campaign to get a shared bike lane on Broadway north of Diversey.

https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/a-bike-lane-on-broadway/

Everyone who would want one should join this campaign and commit to sending a letter once we reach 100 people.

I commute every day in Uptown and Broadway would be great if it would be a little safer for bicyclists and pedestrians in general.

]]> By: Iron Man http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14096 Iron Man Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:17:44 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14096 My city is 20 million in the hole right now. So any expenditure that appears "recreational" to the voters is going to get shot down. Even the majority of cyclists in my town are recreational cyclists. Their view of advocacy doesn't go much beyond "Share the Road." My views of what was needed drastically changed when I became a commuter vs when I was a purely recreational rider. My city is 20 million in the hole right now. So any expenditure that appears “recreational” to the voters is going to get shot down. Even the majority of cyclists in my town are recreational cyclists. Their view of advocacy doesn’t go much beyond “Share the Road.” My views of what was needed drastically changed when I became a commuter vs when I was a purely recreational rider.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14089 Ghost Rider Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:16:05 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14089 PJ, you're right, of course -- cyclists ARE still a tiny minority compared to motorists. And yes, changes are happening, but these tiny incremental improvements suggest that folks aren't really serious about things yet. Here's another question for everyone: are there too many local advocacy groups? Would we be better served if each city tried to consolidate the various clubs and groups into a larger "umbrella" group that packed more political muscle? PJ, you’re right, of course — cyclists ARE still a tiny minority compared to motorists. And yes, changes are happening, but these tiny incremental improvements suggest that folks aren’t really serious about things yet.

Here’s another question for everyone: are there too many local advocacy groups? Would we be better served if each city tried to consolidate the various clubs and groups into a larger “umbrella” group that packed more political muscle?

]]> By: PJ http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/09/interesting-passage-from-pedal-power/#comment-14087 PJ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:11:29 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=1169#comment-14087 I think for the most part cyclist are still a minority compared to cagers (sorry, motorcycle language). So legislators tend to pass off cycling advocacies as small interest groups. But as I have been witnessing (me being one of them) more and more people in Honolulu have been commuting by bike and the need for this city and others to become bike friendly is ever-more important. I think for the most part cyclist are still a minority compared to cagers (sorry, motorcycle language). So legislators tend to pass off cycling advocacies as small interest groups. But as I have been witnessing (me being one of them) more and more people in Honolulu have been commuting by bike and the need for this city and others to become bike friendly is ever-more important.

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