Sue McNamara Tancredi
Thu, 18 Jul 2002 13:14:46 -0700
The unfortunate thing in this discussion is that niether side is representative of typical bicyclists or people who might choose to bike. I, as a person who has admittidly made my living as a bike advocacte for many years, have one mindset. The vehicular cyclists, most who have been riding for many years and travel many miles a year, see the world from that particular point of view. My concern is that we reprsent the spectrum of bicyclists in this discussion. How do older cyclists feel about bike lanes? How about mothers with baby seats? Or mothers who send their children oout on a bike so the child has greater personal mobility? Racers? Recreaeational riders? People who never ride farther than their apt in Queens Village to their job on Market Street? People who combine bike and rail to communte? People who commute great distances? People who must ride a bike because they can't afford a car and SEPTA doesn't go where they work when they need to be there? Suburban cyclist? City cyclists? One thing I learned at the Bike Coalition is that every cyclist has a story. I would like to hear some of them in relation to this bike lane issue? Do they make you feel safer or do you think they are dangerous? Has the development of all the bike lanes in the regional changed your route? Do you give the concept of lanes and paths a thumbs up or thumbs down? Elected official, government and nonprofit advocacy groups operate in the public trust. That means they must keep the public reasonaly safe, but they also must repond the the wishes of the majority of the public. They elected people or support advocacy groups to work to fulfill thier wishes because the general public doesn't have time or access to advocate for everything they support. ********************************** Sue McNamara Tancredi Philadelphia Coordinator Tri-State Transportation Campaign 327 South 43rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 215.243.2026 phone 215.243.2029 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.