April,
2005 Anti-Bicycle Banner
Herald Editorial and Letters to the Editor in Response. Scroll
beyond the Editorial to read Letters to the Editor. Over
150 cyclists gathered for Courteous Mass at the Banner Herald building Friday
April 29
Bicycles aren't viable option for commuting Editorial Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, April 15, 2005 In the past 12
months in Athens-Clarke County, there have been 51 days when the temperature was,
at some point during the day, 32 degrees or below. Also during the past 12 months,
there have been 62 days when the temperature, at some point during the day, was
90 degrees or above. And there have been 13 days when an inch or more of rain
fell.
Those are just three reasons why bicycles cannot - in fact, should
not - be considered a viable form of alternative transportation. A primary measure
of viability is reliability, and bicycles cannot be reliable transportation because
they either cannot, or will not, be ridden on days when weather conditions make
it impractical or dangerous to do so. And even with a charitable interpretation
of weather data for the past 12 months - taking into account the time of day when
the high or low temperature was reached, or when rain actually fell - it's probably
fair to conclude that out of the past 12 months, there was a total of at least
one month's worth of days when it would have been impossible, or impossibly uncomfortable,
to use a bicycle to get to work or school and back or to run errands. Imagine
if Athens Transit buses operated at the same level of reliability. That would
mean that somewhere just shy of 10 percent of the time in any given year, potential
riders wouldn't know whether they'd be able to catch a bus. Would such an alternative
transportation system inspire public confidence, and be worth any infusion of
public money? Probably not. Yet many in this community continue to insist
bicycles, despite their demonstrable lack of reliability as a commuting tool,
be taken seriously as an alternative form of transportation, to the point that
cycling-related infrastructure - bike lanes and, to a lesser extent, "Share
the Road" signs - has been allowed to claim a share of public dollars. The
latest example of this insistence on seeing bicycles as viable alternative transportation
came at Wednesday's meeting of the Madison/Athens-Clarke/Oconee Regional Transportation
Study, a transportation authority comprising elected officials and other representatives
of Madison, Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. At that session, Athens-Clarke
Mayor Heidi Davison mounted an effort to get bicycle lanes added to a list of
regional transportation projects, producing a stack of hundreds of letters from
people she said wanted more bike lanes, and insisting bike-lane advocates are
"not a fringe group of folks." And that might be. The problem
for Davison and other advocates of bicycles as alternative transportation is the
scant evidence people are using bicycles for anything other than recreational
purposes. If the hundreds of people who want more bike lanes were, in fact, routinely
using their bicycles to get to work or school, they would be a far more noticeable
presence on the community's roads. Advocates will doubtless argue bicyclists aren't
on the roads because of the lack of bike lanes, and that existing bike lanes aren't
located so as to be conducive for use as commuting pathways. Still, if those advocates
were, in fact, truly committed to using their bicycles as alternatives to motor
vehicles, they would, or should, be willing to use them with or without an accommodating
infrastructure. In fact, that willingness, if it was there, would be a powerful
argument for bike lane advocates. Still, even without evidence of significant
use of bicycles as alternative transportation, discussion of bike lanes should
have some place in public discourse. It's not unreasonable for bicycle advocates
to expect a discussion of bike lanes to accompany any discussion of road improvements
in the community. Whenever a road is slated for restriping or resurfacing, or
whenever a new road is built, the feasibility of adding bike lanes to a given
project should get some serious consideration. With this approach, it's certainly
possible that after several years, there will be enough infrastructure in place
to prompt a considerable number of people to use bicycles as commuting vehicles.
At that point, it might be wise to add bicycle infrastructure to the list of projects
deserving some public funding. But for now, it's time to stop thinking bicycle
infrastructure ought to have any significant claim on public dollars.
Letters
to the Editor in Response Bicycles
are used widely in Athens The Athens Banner Herald's April
15 editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable option for commuting") states,
in part, "If the hundreds of people who want more bike lanes were, in fact,
routinely using their bicycles to get to work or school, they would be a far more
noticeable presence on the community's roads." I notice people riding
bicycles all the time. Where have you been? I've seen plenty of people out
riding their bicycles during commute hours, and given that many people in the
community either teach or attend school at the University of Georgia, you can't
even assume that what you see between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. commuting hours represents
all of those using bicycles to commute. And what is that statement in the
editorial based on? An actual poll of bicycle lane usage, or something a little
less scientific, like somebody's memory of what they personally see when riding
to work? The editorial's other argument - that bicycles aren't reliable
because of the weather - is equally specious. I've ridden my bicycle in nearly
all kinds of weather, including when it's very cold. And even if people ride their
bikes 90 percent of the time and can't ride the other 10 percent, that's still
90 percent less pollution from individual automobiles. It's worth it, monetarily,
just to help us meet clean air standards. Sara Amis Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 17, 2005
Bicycle
is viable commuting option In light of the April 15 Athens
Banner-Herald editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable option for commuting")
I just have to share my own experience as a bicycle commuter. I really do ride
my bike to and from work on most days of the year. You'll see me on my bike on
really cold days, really hot days, and even when it's raining. Do I ride my bike
to work every single workday? No, sometimes it's raining so hard I drive my car,
park on the perimeter of campus, and wade to work on foot, with an assist from
a very large umbrella, or I use one of the 12 free parking passes per year the
University of Georgia gives to people who join the Alternative Transportation
Program. But most workdays I ride my bike.
I'm no spry jock and no spring
chicken. I'm just an ordinary citizen who figured out riding my bike to work is
the best form of transportation for me. I don't have to tolerate traffic delays,
I get to work in the same amount of time it takes me to drive, I don't have to
pay for campus parking, plus I benefit from the great exercise. And I'm pretty
sure I'm not the only bike commuter who falls into this category. Mary
Whitehead Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 17, 2005
Bicycle as good as car for commuting I
commute by bicycle year-round for work, play and daily errands. When it's too
rainy or cold, I ride Athens Transit. When I can't make the bus, I drive or carpool.
That, in order, is my transportation chain-of-command, and overwhelmingly, I use
my bicycle because it's easy, cheap and just as quick as a car. I always get a
prime parking spot with my bike, too. Print Print-ready version Send
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E-mail the Editor Forums Discuss in Forums In light of my experience, and
that of many, many others in Athens, your editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable
option for commuting," April 15) was misinformed and plainly hostile to your
neighbors. I sincerely hope the editorial staff at the Athens Banner-Herald doesn't
throw fast-food trash and insults at cyclists on their way to the office. Brent
Buice Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 17, 2005
Local media need to be progressive Progressive
college towns don't just happen. Local leadership pushes for student-friendly
changes and finds a sympathetic ear in like-minded, locally owned media outlets. But
here in Athens, we have basically no local television or radio stations. What
we do have is a chain newspaper with a thinly veiled attitude of contempt for
students. (For proof of this, look no further than a December editorial
in the Athens Banner-Herald that characterized an entire University fraternity
as being populated by "idiots.") Ultimately, the problem with
our hometown media outlet is that it is wedded to the past and to preconceptions. It
lacks the progressive spirit to explore new options that could benefit the campus,
the city and ultimately the state. Partly as a result, in nearly every area
except music, Athens lags decades behind other college towns such as Madison,
Wisc., where I lived during the late 1980s and 1990s. Alternative transportation,
in particular, has fallen behind many other college towns. Athens is a relatively
compact city. Most students live within a few miles of campus, the climate is
good, gas is expensive, on-campus parking is tight and our air is polluted by
CertainTeed and Atlanta traffic. Sounds like a nearly perfect location for
bicycling, right? It works in Madison, Ann Arbor, Mich. and Boulder, Colo. Why
not here? Of all reasons, it is Athens' allegedly bad weather, if you were
to buy into the reasoning of the Banner-Herald's April 15 editorial. The
newspaper determined it was "probably fair to conclude" that there are
"at least one month's worth of days" each year that are completely unfit
for bike-riding: either too hot (above 90 degrees), too cold (below freezing),
or too wet (an inch or more of rain). Funny, I don't think of most cyclists
as being as persnickety as Goldilocks when it comes to the weather. My wife
Pam, who is the Assistant State Climatologist for the state of Georgia, quickly
did some calculations. Two-thirds of all heavy rains don't occur during
normal working hours and most don't last more than an hour or two. Only
12 percent of below-freezing days in Athens have temperatures below 40 degrees
for the whole day and are unusually chilly. Only 25 percent of warm days in Athens
have a high above 92 degrees and are unusually hot. Add it all up, and at
most 21 days a year fit the spirit of the Banner-Herald's own stringent, invented
rules for impossible-to-bike weather. Furthermore, assuming a random distribution
of such days across the week, only 15 weekdays -- three working weeks a year --
would be too inclement for bicycling. That's less than 6 percent of the
work year. For students on an August-to-May schedule, it'd be even less,
because students would miss out on the Christmas chill, the spring break storms,
the July heat and the summer thunderstorms. At most, University students
have to contend with a handful of truly bad-biking days each academic year. Truth
is, you'd be hard-pressed to find a much better climate for bicycling than Athens. But
don't tell our local newspaper. Where, I wonder, is the progressive spirit
in our community media? Until it is found, other cities and regions will
continue to move forward while Athens sits in neutral. In a car. In gridlock. John
Knox Published , April 18, 2005, Red & Black
Bikes
provide benefits without full-time use Nobody claims bicycles
are perfect for transportation - just that they are viable alternatives. Buses
are not perfect - you cannot go door to door. Cars are not perfect either - the
litany of pollution, consumption, cost and trade issues goes here - and remember,
they break down. But your editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable option
for commuting," April 15) is even further off in trying to decry objective
reasons why bicycles are not worthy alternatives at least some of the time. I
just moved from the Sacramento area, which receives as many rainy and hot days
as Athens, and yet there are at least 10 times as many bike commuters. Why? Because
resources have been put toward making sure citizens can all participate in what
the town has to offer without driving. Moreover, just because some days,
or some errands, call for a gas-powered engine, doesn't mean there aren't great
benefits - health, less consumption, lower cost, etc. - from having even a small
additional portion of trips taken by bicycle. Even if we each only used our bikes
one time in 10 for trips of less than a few miles, the benefits are tremendous,
and many studies have shown this incremental effect time and time again. I am
a faculty member at the University of Georgia, and have not bothered to apply
for a parking permit. I ride every day, and yes - rain is an issue. That is why
I own a $25 pair of rain pants and a $40 rain jacket, and my bicycle has fenders.
I'd love to ride into work with your editorial staff some day - You might be surprised.
It works. John Wares Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Accommodate bicycles
to encourage more use The April 15 editorial ("Bicycles
aren't viable option for commuting") raised a false issue to support a prejudiced
stance against equal access to transportation by cyclists. I'm a middle-aged guy
with bad knees and high cholesterol who for the last three years has used a bicycle
for the nine-mile commute to my professional job in Athens. Weather conditions
are usually the least of my concerns in deciding how to get to work. I routinely
ride in the conditions the editorial describes as "impossible, or impossibly
uncomfortable" for bike commuting, with little additional equipment and preparation. But
so what if I didn't? So what if the region's weather scares off cyclists for 30
days out of the year? Does this justify the status quo of denying safe transportation
options to bike commuters 365 days of the year? The editorial's claim most people
really wanting to commute by bike would do so even without bike infrastructure
is utterly false. To most, our transportation system simply provides no choice
between the bicycle and the automobile, so biking is never an option. Every day,
the Athens Banner-Herald reports threats to our community all linked to dependence
on the automobile - rising gas prices, declining air quality, increasingly sedentary
lifestyles, the unstoppable creep of sprawl development, etc. Without meaningful
transportation options, it's no wonder many feel powerless to act. But if roadways
were designed to safely accommodate would-be cyclists, automobile trips would
be substantially reduced, even if all cycling occurred only on fair days. Clint
Moore Watkinsville Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday,
April 19, 2005
Appropriate clothes make bike
commuting possible I ride my bike to work, rain or shine,
heat or cold, every day. I work at the University of Georgia, and the only days
in the past year I have not ridden to work are those days when the administration
has closed the entire university due to threat of snow or ice. When it comes to
riding a bike, there is no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing.
Daniel
Promislow Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday, April 19,
2005
With proper gear, bikes can be used year-round It's
disappointing to see the Athens Banner-Herald rule out bicycles as a "viable
form of alternative transportation" (Editorial, April 15) based only on the
average annual number of rainy, cold or hot days. True, it's nicer to ride
on a sunny spring day than in a downpour, but unpleasant weather only challenges
cyclists, as well as motorists, to use more care on the road. A dedicated bicycle
commuter will invest in good rain gear, cold-weather cycling clothes, waterproof
saddlebags for cargo, a headlight and blinkers. There's no need to get soaked,
even in a downpour, or to go numb even in the coldest weather. Athens-Clarke County's
weather is exceptionally moderate and cyclists can and do commute year-round.
Many of us don't own cars. Bicycles are among the most reliable forms of
transportation. A child can fix a flat tire. Commute times are highly predictable,
and cyclists don't have to spend time finding a parking spot. It's sad to
see bicycle commuting dismissed as "unreliable" simply because an editor
can't imagine riding to work in the rain. I can't imagine taking a job that requires
me to risk my life, but I wouldn't therefore conclude our military can't sustain
itself. If you can't imagine riding a bicycle to work in rainy, cold or
hot weather, then by all means stay in your car. But please don't suppose your
inability to conceive of year-round bicycle commuting is a reason for the rest
of us to leave our bikes at home. Kris Boudreau Published in the
Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Bike
lanes should be part of transportation planning I was disappointed
with the April 15 editorial ("Bicycles not a viable option for commuting")
which claimed bicycles shouldn't be considered viable alternative transportation
because they aren't reliable. There are many levels of bike commuters. Some
ride to work occasionally. Some, like myself, ride regularly in fair weather,
thus using a mix of transportation options depending on conditions. And some are
daily commuters, riding in all conditions. Bike lanes accommodate all types of
commuters, as well as recreational users. With better bike facilities, more people
would see bikes as a reasonable transportation alternative. And those who continue
to drive would enjoy reduced traffic congestion as a consequence. Our current
infrastructure promotes automobiles above all other modes of transportation, and
has many negative consequences for the environment and for society. We need a
balanced infrastructure that provides adequate facilities for multiple commuting
options. Bike lanes, sidewalks and a good transit system are all part of this
balance. Just because bikes are not the transportation mode of choice for all
people, all the time, does not mean bike lanes aren't worthy of public funding.
If we use that type of argument, we will never spend public money on anything
at all. Kirsten R. Hazler Published in the Athens Banner-Herald
on Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Weather doesn't
keep cyclists off their bikes Moving to the Athens area from
Raleigh, N.C. in 1997 caused bicycling culture shock. Raleigh wasn't a great place
to cycle, but at least I didn't feel there was open hostility, and roads were
pretty well shared. I rode in rain, and even when the temperature fell into the
20s, because I had the proper gear. Now I'm older, my health isn't what
it was, and I commute on a motorcycle essentially every day. The bad weather argument
against bicycling made in the April 15 editorial ( "Bicycles not a viable
option for commuting") is, by extension, an argument against motorcycles
and any other mode of transportation that can require an extended period of time
outside. I'm afraid that would include buses for many commuters. The argument
is flawed and demonstrably false, unless a person only has one set of clothes
and no rain gear. The editorial implies a car is required to be a part of the
community. I'm still surprised to find the animus toward cycling so strong the
local paper of a "college town" would oppose facilitating an activity
that can have positive health, traffic and environmental benefits. Dwight
Fisher Bogart Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday, April
19, 2005
Local cyclists are brave visionaries In
reply to the April 15 editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable for commuting")
I'd like to note that for most of my 25 years of marriage I have watched my husband
go off to work and school on his bike - rain or shine. Only when it's raining
horribly - as in sleeting - does he drive. He views his bike as not only
a means of transportation, but a means of keeping his heart and spirit together.
His heart, literally, because of a family history of heart disease. I fear
the problem for cyclists in Athens-Clarke County is not the weather, but an uncaring
government - excluding Mayor Heidi Davison - and rude people, the same root for
a lot of Athens-Clarke's woes. Athens-Clarke needs good bicycle paths, not
the death traps we've provided. I believe more people would ride if it were safe.
Athens-Clarke needs a vision for the future and the people to implement it. We
need people looking out for Athens-Clarke County, not just looking to make a buck
off the community. We all have heard the reasons for changing our lifestyles
and behavior. Our air is filled with pollution. Our customary fuel is costly and
diminishing. We'll come to these changes one day. Not voluntarily, but we'll
be forced into it, unprepared. If not us, our grandchildren then, and what will
they think of our selfishness? Rather than demean bicyclists as weekend
dilettantes, we should hail them as visionaries, and brave ones at that, to attempt
to ride the streets we give them. Becky Striggow Published in
the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Editorial
overestimated weather's effect on cycling With regard to the
Athens Banner-Herald's April 15 editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable option
for commuting"), if you analyze Athens weather data carefully, some things
jump out. Your broadest criteria for "bad weather," in which you
contend bicycles wouldn't likely be used, would include 113 days in the past year.
However, when you consider the time of day at which rainfall occurs and the quick
showers that comprise much of the heavy rainfall, the number of rainy commuting
days is much smaller, and four of them this year were due to tropical storms,
which don't occur each year. If you look at days that are cold all day long, with
a maximum temperature at or less than 40, or are quite hot, with a maximum temperature
over 92, and consider some of this weather occurs on weekends, only about 15 work
days would be affected each year, not the 30 days estimated in the editorial. But
even 15 days is probably an overestimate. In Wisconsin, I frequently saw bicyclists
commuting in temperatures of 20 and lower in calm winds. Most bicyclists know
how to dress for the weather and can adjust to a wide range of temperatures. They
plan their travel to avoid adverse weather conditions. If some Athens-Clarke
County residents want to reduce their gasoline consumption by 90 percent or more
by taking their bikes, I am in favor of doing everything we can to support them.
The alternative is worse pollution, higher gas prices, more obesity and parking
problems for all of us. Pam Knox Assistant state climatologist Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Biking
in bad weather easy with right gear While commonly believed,
the premise of the April 15 Athens Banner-Herald editorial questioning the viability
of bicycles as alternative transportation is mistaken. Serious bicyclists long
ago figured out how to commute in lousy weather. Rain - even heavy rain
- requires mainly fenders and a $17 poncho specifically designed for bicyclists.
Mine packs small, so I always have it with me. Of course, there are a few other
things serious cyclists may want for rainy commutes - shoe covers, a visor, and
good lights - but outfitting a bicyclist for rain is no more of a hassle than
replacing windshield wipers is for motorists. Cold weather is also easily
manageable on a bicycle. When the temperature drops below 40 degrees I put on
my hat and gloves, but together with my usual winter coat these are all that are
necessary. As long as people are habituated to their motor vehicles and
even many bicycle advocates restrict their ambitions to an agenda that goes no
further than seeing cycling as occasional "alternative," it is to be
expected few will ever learn how easy and convenient it is to bicycle in bad weather.
But this is just another instance in which misunderstandings masquerade as facts. Ken
Morris Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, April 21, 2005
Alternative
transportation could be cheaper and faster Curt Stevens, CFO
of Louisiana-Pacific, recently told investors "the transportation system
in North America is broken. We are all having a hell of time getting product to
market." Nobody who drives in Atlanta has to wonder what he meant - the system
shuts down twice a day. The reason it does is that automobiles - while sensible
for out-of-town trips - simply take up too much road space and use too much energy
to be practical in cities. That's why many of the world's cities, including some
of the most successful in the United State, use trains, streetcars, and, yes,
bicycles. In Athens-Clarke County, we long ago eliminated the streetcars
and "put all our eggs in one basket" - that of the automobile. That
was before $3 a gallon gas, but supply and demand will continue to drive gas prices
higher and make non-auto options more attractive. True, most people still drive.
But what choice do they have? Here's an experiment: Run buses - every 30 minutes,
in both directions - along every numbered highway in Georgia, for their entire
length. You could, for instance, ride a bus down Highway 316 and catch another
at I-85. Expensive? In fact, it would be far cheaper than individual car
costs rolled together - not to mention hours wasted and sheer frustration - and
it would give us a shot at having a future transportation system that actually
works. As for trains, modern ones like those in Germany and Japan run on specially
built tracks and travel routinely at speeds in excess of 150 miles an hour. That
would put Atlanta a half-hour away from Athens. John Huie Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, April 22, 2005
Local
topography can be problematic for bike lanes Athens-Clarke
County is located in the state's hilly piedmont region, and streets and roads
have evolved depending upon the topography. Some are narrow and not suitable for
enlarging to add bike lanes, because of the potential for intruding on residential
and business properties. Print Print-ready version I have lived in Copenhagen
and traveled to Amsterdam and even Sacramento. All of those places are flat with
wide avenues, making them safe for both cyclists and motorists. As far as
safety is concerned, I fail to understand why I can be cited and fined if every
passenger in my car isn't wearing a seatbelt, but a totally unprotected cyclist
is out there competing with multi-thousand-pound vehicles that are in the majority.
Sometimes I feel local bike enthusiasts are a problem equal to that of deer in
the road. Aldies Edwards Winterville Published in the Athens
Banner-Herald on Saturday, April 23, 2005
Bikes
not in evidence on Hawthorne Avenue I have traveled the section
of Hawthorne Avenue where bike lanes were added some time ago, and I have seen
only one bicycle in the lanes during that time. I travel Hawthorne at least eight
times a week, and have sometimes been down it as often as four times a day. Bike
lanes are a waste of money and tie up traffic. If they are added to the rest of
Hawthorne, it is going to be mess. Also, I have never seen a bike on Epps
Bridge Parkway, which I travel even more often than Hawthorne. Phil Bridges Winterville Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 24, 2005
Cycling
editorial shows laziness and ignorance In response to the
Athens Banner-Herald's April 15 editorial about bicycles not being a viable transportation
alternative, I'd like to say your position shows just how lazy and ignorant you
are, as well as many in this town who probably agree with you. If we are
to use your line of reasoning for not adding bike lanes, then we should probably
stop all funding for parks, downtown public areas, jogging/walking trails and
similar areas that "require" perfect weather, or at least temperatures
warmer than 32 and cooler than 90. What a joke the editorial is. Next time, take
a more intelligent stance when trying to argue something, otherwise you'll lose
the respect of your readers as you have with me. I am a recreational as
well as commuter cyclist, and there were maybe five days last year I didn't ride
outside. Get tougher. Marc Anderson Published in the Athens Banner-Herald
on Sunday, April 24, 2005
Weather no reason
to dismiss bike lanes The Athens Banner-Herald's April 15
editorial ("Bicycles aren't viable option for commuting") asked who
Athens-Clarke County's bike commuters are. I'm one of them. I ride to my Prince
Avenue office nearly every day. The fact I can live within cycling distance of
work and shopping is one of the main things that keeps me in Athens-Clarke. Now
that $2.50 gas is the norm, I'm all the happier to jump onto my bike instead of
into my truck. I only hope our town's leaders look beyond the Banner-Herald's
nay-saying weather report in planning for the future. In recent years, I have
visited and ridden in towns much hotter (Gainesville, Fla.), colder (Missoula,
Mont.) and wetter (Portland, Ore.) than Athens-Clarke, where forward-thinking
politicians and planners have included bicycling in transportation planning, with
great results. That kind of real-world evidence is what should guide transportation
planning here, not whether a newspaper editor can imagine himself riding in a
little rain. Kes Roberts Published in the Athens Banner-Herald
on Sunday, April 24, 2005
Cycling's benefits
can include love, marriage Not minding the poor use of data
and rhetoric to support a dim view of cycling, the Athens Banner-Herald's April
15 editorial on bicycles not being a viable form of alternative transportation
notes that for the bulk of the year - 11 months - the weather permits commuting
by bicycle. By that logic, then, all one needs is a safe route, a bike and a place
to park it. This is perhaps especially true for the roughly 33,000 University
of Georgia students who are young, healthy and have more flexible schedules. Of
course, you don't have to want to bicycle to work to be in favor of bike lanes.
Athens-Clarke County's air quality is such that the cost of motoring is increasing.
Indeed, some of the best days for cycling are coincident with the days in which
ozone in the air exceeds federal limits. It is the number and severity of these
days that drives how much time and money it costs us to register our cars. So
if cycling lanes can get some people out of their cars on only the nicest days,
the whole community can experience tangible year-long benefits. I am pretty
much a fair-weather commuter. I ride to work maybe one-third of the time, but
I think both I and my community are better for it. I suggest everyone try riding
to work - weather and schedule permitting - if only to develop your own opinion.
You never know what you will find; One glorious day I met a beautiful, smart and
outgoing woman riding her bike to work, We started chatting, and love and marriage
followed from there. Jason Seligman Published in the Athens Banner-Herald
on Sunday, April 24, 2005
Banner-Herald unaware
of bicycle commuters The April 15 editorial ("Bicycles aren't
viable option for commuting") demonstrates the ignorance and assumptions
of many who oppose inclusion of bike infrastructure in community planning.
The
editorial makes several false assumptions, the first of which is that those who
use their bicycles for transportation don't do so on days when it's below freezing,
above 90 degrees, or raining. Rain and 95-degree days are common here, and it
has been a long time since either kept me off a bike. The editorial also
claims a lack of bicycles on the streets illustrates a lack of need for bicycle
infrastructure. But between my house on Nantahala Avenue and the Classic Center
in downtown Athens on the afternoon of April 15, I counted 13 people on bikes.
The bikes were not being used recreationally, but were quite clearly methods of
transportation. The editorial proves, among other things, the Banner-Herald
is unaware of the many bicyclists frequenting our roads. This, of course, is exactly
the problem. If nothing else, we need bike lanes to protect us from the apparent
blindness of those who believe an automobile will keep them safely sealed off
from weather, other people and social responsibility. In the future, arguments
against bike lanes shouldn't rely on the following logic - "I don't ride
bikes to work, and neither do my friends, so obviously we don't need them. Plus,
it's hot sometimes and cold sometimes, and it rains, too. Bicycles, therefore,
do not exist, and those who rely on them for transportation are apparently imaginary,
too, since I can't see them as I miss them by mere inches while barreling down
Prince Avenue in my airtight 3,500 pounds of steel." Pretty shaky logic.
Thankfully not all our citizens jump to such conclusions, and here's hoping our
mayor and commission don't, either. Charlie Maffitt Published
in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, April 25, 2005 BACK
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