If you Airstream AND ride a bike... you'll be interested in this...

[85MH325]

I know from the popularity of the many bicycle threads here at Airforums that there are many of us who are also avid bike riders... The Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, and an acquaintance of mine, posted this link on his Facebook wall. As an Iowan, I am appalled at Congressman Latham's attitude, as well as the behavior of the rest of the Transportation Committee members... Regardless of your political leanings, if you ride a bike, you should be papering your Congressional Delegation about this.

This from Courthouse News:

Republicans Ridicule Bike Lanes
By NICK WILSON
ShareThis

WASHINGTON (CN) - Republicans heaped ridicule on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at a Wednesday hearing after LaHood suggested that bicycling and walking are just as good ways to get around as cars. To laughter, Republican House members suggested LaHood was taking drugs, dismissed the very idea of bike lanes and derided any change to a car-dependent society. "What job is going to be created by having a bike lane?" asked Ohio Republican Steven LaTourette.
He suggested that environmental sustainability projects have "stolen" $300 million from other programs and to attacked LaHood's encouragement of bicycling, on a personal level. "If it's not a typo, is there still mandatory drug-testing at the department?" said the wit, to chuckles from the back of the room.

Full Article here....

Here in Iowa, we host RAGBRAI every year; the largest annual assemblage of bicycle riders (10,000+ riders) in the world for the third week in July. There are thousands of riders in Iowa... our trails system is building out to be one of the better ones in the country... we're working toward alternative transportation systems... and then to see the House Transportation Committee react like this...

Please, if you enjoy cycling... take a second to fire off an email to your Congresman about this... link to the article... bring them some reality!

Thanks all!

Roger

[Boondocker]

I am trying to think of a reasonable thing to say that wouldn't violate the forums policies. I got nothing. It is increasingly difficult not to look at DC with anything except a jaundiced view.

[wahoonc]

Unfortunately not much good comes out of DC anymore...

If they would do their research they would find out that the roads cost money forever, bicycling, pedestrian and mass transit facilities actually create sustainable jobs.

Aaron

[guy99]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Unfortunately not much good comes out of DC anymore......

Aaron

Sorry, I don't understand this comment. Isn't Ray LaHood in Washington? What did he say that you disagree with?

My point is that I don't think it is helpful to dismiss all of Washington and everyone in it because of one party or point of view. Both parties are sometime (often) venal and stupid. Both parties are also sometimes trying to do the right thing.

Unfortunately this is the only government we have, I suggest supporting and rewarding things we approve of is more useful than dismissing everything coming out of Washington.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by guy99

Sorry, I don't understand this comment. Isn't Ray LaHood in Washington? What did he say that you disagree with?

My point is that I don't think it is helpful to dismiss all of Washington and everyone in it because of one party or point of view. Both parties are sometime (often) venal and stupid. Both parties are also sometimes trying to do the right thing.

Unfortunately this is the only government we have, I suggest supporting and rewarding things we approve of is more useful than dismissing everything coming out of Washington.

I said NOT MUCH. I support Ray LaHood, and quite a few others, but there have been quite a few that take his remarks as a huge joke. Unfortunately they are the ones in DC at the moment.

I do my part, I vote in every election and I am not usually very kind to the incumbents. I am a firm believer in term limits.


Aaron

[guy99]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I said NOT MUCH. I support Ray LaHood, and quite a few others, but there have been quite a few that take his remarks as a huge joke. Unfortunately they are the ones in DC at the moment.

I do my part, I vote in every election and I am not usually very kind to the incumbents. I am a firm believer in term limits.


Aaron

Sorry, perhaps I read something in to your comment that you did not intend.

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Please, if you enjoy cycling... take a second to fire off an email to your Congresman about this... link to the article... bring them some reality!

Thanks all!

Roger

Roger,
Thank you for posting this. I will make the contact with my congressman. As you stated, regardless of one's political affiliation, this is an outrage. Good timing. I'm just coming off of an eventful bike ride (on an otherwise beautiful day) where I had a flat tire, a broken chain, and then some neanderthal nearly pinches me between his little sports car, and a panel truck (while blowing his tiny horn the whole time), on main street of my home town. Probably a good thing I wasn't packing today.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by SilverRanger

Roger,
Thank you for posting this. I will make the contact with my congressman. As you stated, regardless of one's political affiliation, this is an outrage. Good timing. I'm just coming off of an eventful bike ride (on an otherwise beautiful day) where I had a flat tire, a broken chain, and then some neanderthal nearly pinches me between his little sports car, and a panel truck (while blowing his tiny horn the whole time), on main street of my home town. Probably a good thing I wasn't packing today.

How DARE you nearly get smushed on the street without paying any meaningful road use tax while bicycling... what WERE you thinking?

Rog

[Road Ruler]

There are the two of us .

We have gone from 3 vehicles to two and I can see the day coming when we will only have one.

In the last 12 years we have gone from 1 bike in the garage to "7".

Bike lanes are a good thing and we are seeing more and more of them up here all the time.

[ROBERT CROSS]

I do believe that the Pols in DC take pretty much the same oath that those of us did when we joined the Service.....

The difference...to them it's a JOB

To us a ...DUTY

Semper-fi

[Elvie]

All of the above!

May I mention a favorite lobby of mine?

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy:: Creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines:: Building healthier places for healthier people.

Also just noticed Google is showing biking routes although there are a lot of missing miles but at least they have started.

[DaveFL]

Originally Posted by Elvie

All of the above!

May I mention a favorite lobby of mine?

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy:: Creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines:: Building healthier places for healthier people.

Also just noticed Google is showing biking routes although there are a lot of missing miles but at least they have started.

Our town has promoted the trail as it runs close to the center of town, presently enlarging the sidewalks and paths to be able to bicycle in town.
Only generates money if it is promoted as a destination for people to get away for a day or weekend. Throughout the year activities are featured on the trail or near it.
Why does a form or transportation or exercise need to generate money?

[Elvie]

Why does a form or transportation or exercise need to generate money?

Excellent question, seems to me that saving trips to the hospital "generates money."

When I get in one of my cynical moods I can find a sort of perverse logic to it. Make it harder for people to go places using the healthier method so they have to use their car's because it costs more. Think of all those parking meters that don't get plugged, besides people with cars have more money then us poor bicyclists don't you know.

Bike lanes do create new jobs, planning meetings, paint and signs must go up, maps made, the list is endless.

DC?---Please don't get me started.