bike paths are a waste of money and shouldn't be part of an economic stimulus

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) was on Face the Nation Sunday morning and had some thoughts about the need to quickly pass a "responsible" stimulus plan. Here's a link to a story on the TheHill.com

“I think there’s a place for infrastructure, but what kind of infrastructure? Infrastructure to widen highways, to ease congestion for American families? Is it to build some buildings that are necessary?” He stated. “But if we’re talking about beautification projects, or we’re talking about bike paths, Americans are not going to look very kindly on this.”

I am an American and i am not looking kindly on the idea of widening highways during oil wars and impending depression while also disregarding bicycles as transportation. The irony is killing me. Its it that crazy of an idea to the federal powers that bicycles are freakin' transportation?!?! Widening highways would cause more problems than it would solve and eventually that solved problem will only be the same problem but bigger and wider!

and here's another similar situation, check out this post on bicyclespokesman.com about a bike path near Washington DC that is not being built, but a 6 lane highway will be built!

Anyways, shoupy gave me a heads up in this along with with Rep. Boehner's contact info.

We wrote him, you should to! Post a copy of your letters in the comments.

ps. By the way, "...widen highways, to ease congestion for American families?" What the hell is that supposed to mean? I didn't watch the news last night, or the night before, but did I miss some big story about the new biggest threat to our family life as we know it like: Millions of American families suffer congestion due to skinny highways...film at 11.

pps...don't read more....WRITE MORE! give 'em a piece of your mind!

. Read more!

It's time....for the Threat Down!

We may think it's a little hard in Hartford to bike, what with all the deadly sandpits, potholes, glass-strewn streets, poorly designed bike lanes, unlabeled routes, and rude drivers, but there's a threat out there that puts all of our worries to shame.

That's right, the number 1 threat to American bicycling commuters today:

BEARS!!!!


These godless, killing machines have begun to turn their murderous rage against anything on two wheels. These brave heroes may have escaped and lived to tell about it, but how many uncounted Bianchis, Treks, and Cannondales have been dragged off to the soulless, rampaging marauders' dens of murder? Stay vigilant, Nation!


With apologies to Stephen Colbert.


Read more!

We don't need no...

There was some discussion on this blog last month about the overall driver/biker viewpoint-rift that exists which is demonstrated specifically in the comments section of the Courant. We also talk a lot about the need for better bicycle infrastructure around this region as well as more education for rude drivers and noob cyclists. I found this post about bike education over at Bike Commute Tips Blog to fit in pretty well with some of the topics that were raised here and on the Courant discussion forums (minus the ignorant haters).

That blog, run by a dude named Paul Dorn, is a pretty excellent site that's worth a read if you're into community bicycle advocacy. Paul does a really good job at aggregating stories from newspapers around the country (he's picked up Hartford Courant articles often) that pertain to urban commuting, infrastructure, and advocacy, without including every little "Area Man bikes to work" article. He also makes insightful and forward-thinking commentary on each.

Anyway, as far as education goes, it's pretty difficult to get the bicyclists who really need it any type of bicycle education. All that can be done on our level is to continue shouting at people riding on the wrong side of the road and publicize the CCBA and classes such as the ones at REI. Including more bicycle awareness education for DOT drivers licensing tests is an option that probably won't get looked at very seriously.

For my part, before I started commuting by bike every day, I got my hands on a copy of Bicycling Street Smarts by John S. Allen and read it. Just doing that, I became much more confident about my role and responsibilities are as well as more aware of common hazards and dangerous situations that I would encounter. It's brief and basic, and I recommend it to anyone who is either starting out commuting or feels hesitant about biking around the streets of greater Hartford.

http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

Read more!

Cyclists must realize that the road belongs to the driver and they are merely borrowing it..... A Retort

Another letter in today's Courant offers a retort to yesterday's letter to the editor which minimized cyclists' rights to the roads in favor of the free rein of motorists. The comment section of the original publication sparked some good conversation (minimally ignorant and threatening) and I can guarantee this retort will do the same.

Let us know you think the argument yesterday shaped up. Fair and even or pure lunacy?

Warning: Gun-toting conservatives at play. Read more!

"Rell Signs Law Setting Caps on Emissions"

When I read the above titled article in the Courant I didn't think it really had anything to do with biking in Hartford but the more I thought about it, it really does.
For many of us, this is one of the major reasons we bike to work, school, the grocery store, the bar, etc. So what could be more important than legislature that will (hopefully) further encourage alternative (read: bike) transportation? Not much.

The article is quoted below or can be found here. Be sure to check out the comment section. If you are at all like myself it will baffle, amuse, frighten, and enrage you.

As a teaser here is my favorite comment:
"Finally!! Somebody is putting a cap on all those CO2 emissions coming from the State Capitol. Great idea. Oh, wait, this has nothing to do with gas bag politicians, just another attempt at causing an economic depression over the lies of anthropogenic global warming. Leftists love their pet phrases so they can all sound so hip; the newest one being "carbon footprint" . Yes, everybody is concerned about their "carbon footprint". Or so they say. What nonsense. Remember in the '80s when all the leftists were afraid Reagan was going to have the world nuked, the pet phrases of the era were "nuclear freeze" and "nuclear winter"? Well, Reagan put an end to the Soviet Union w/o a shot being fired. The leftists, sad that the evil U.S. won that round, had to pocket their "nuclear winter/ freeze" mantras for another era. But now that Iran is finally getting a nuclear weapon, it might be a good time to dust off the "nuclear winter/freeze" phrases. It's a lot closer to reality than man made global warming. That said, it's not to late for a special session to stem gas emissions from the state capitol and order that all elected officials drive hy-breds, instead of their gas guzzlers. Right Mr. Blumenthal?." - Alfred E Newman Esq. Wallingford, CT

Great eh? Well here is the article....

"As the U.S. Senate debated its global warming bill this week, Connecticut took a major step of its own toward addressing the issue.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Monday signed into law an act that sets mandatory caps on the emissions scientists say are warming the globe. To meet those goals, residents could see many changes in their daily lives over the next few decades, from the price they pay for electricity and the ways they commute to work, to the sources of energy they consume in vehicles and homes.

Exactly what those changes will be is up in the air: The law directs state agencies to produce an inventory of the state's emissions and take other measures to promote energy efficiency and set up incentive programs and regulations to encourage businesses and residents to do more to control greenhouse gas emissions.

The state already has a plan in place to address climate change. But the new law gives it some teeth by making the emissions cuts mandatory.

The law requires Connecticut to cut its output of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gases 10 percent below 1990 levels over the next 12 years, and 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050. The caps are even more ambitious than what is being proposed in national legislation sponsored by independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia.

"By capping greenhouse gas emissions, we will reduce our carbon footprint, conserve energy and improve air quality in Connecticut while leading the way for the rest of the nation," Rell said in a statement.

Now seriously, don't click to read more, go click on this link and check out the comments! Read more!