kf5nd
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Re:Francisco Rios was struck by van and killed on old - 2008/01/02 00:20
Matt, I feel your pain, 100% of it.
But I don't think it's even possible to conceive of "safe, separate....bikeways that actually go somewhere and are connected to a network that you can actually get around town on."
That kind of setiment gives fuel to the cultural belief that you've probably heard 1000 times yelled at you out of a car window by a JAM*... "get on the sidewalk!" Yes, on the sidewalk is a seperate and safe facility (if you act like a pedestrian and go 3 MPH at every driveway crossing and every intersection).
John Forester talks about a time back in the 60s and even into the 70s when bikes were banned from the roads in many parts of the country. Mandatory sidepath laws. We never, ever want to go back to those days.
I mean... where else would you put this seperate facility for bikes? Are we talking about condemning private property and buying out existing landowners, as in the case of the Katy Freeway project, in order to get more right-of-way? That whole process was a nightmare, and unbelievably expensive.
As for carpooling and METRO... thousands of people per day use carpools, vanpools, and METRO, many more than bike commuters. I ride the #46 bus to work, with my bike on the front of the bus, and I have to point out that bike commuting is not going to work for the 75 year old lady walking with a walker, or the mother with two young kids and a baby. But its not an either-or situation as you point out. We need bikes, we need METRO, and we need to make METRO compatible with bikes, which is exactly what BikeHouston is working on.
Matt, if you really want to honor your friend Cisco, you'll engage some of your energy and get involved with BikeHouston, and get involved in politics in general and work for and support candidates and parties who support the kinds of projects you want to see built.
The 2008 election year is going to be pivotal, there will be many changes and surprises from top to bottom, from President on down to County Judge and School Board. You need to get involved, you need to make things happen.
Christof Spieler of Citizens' Transportation Coalition wrote, and I agree, that the Harris County Judge election is the most important race in 2008. This is Ed Emmett (R) versus David Mincberg (D). The County is directly responsible for much of the bike-unfriendly roads and streets in our area. Also, the Harris County Commissioner elections are very important.
* JAM = Jerk A-hole Motorist
Post edited by: kf5nd, at: 2008/01/02 08:21
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