Robert Gustafson wrote:
"Or is the city also supposed to have a
road way system and mass transit system for when the
bicyclists need them?"
I think it is in no way unreasonable for the city to provide
adequate public transit options for bicyclists, especially over the winter
months. Encouraging citizens, even in this climate, to make the most
physically healthy, ecologically sustainable, and economically viable
transportation choice is a worthy goal. This leads nicely to my answer to
Mr. Gustafson's other question: "who made it the city's responsibility to
get me out of my car?" Once again, the point is not to force, but to make
it not-impossible. We complain about traffic, congestion, smog and other
forms of pollution, and the loss of community-owned businesses ("what's
missing...?") but continue to subsidize the behavior that leads to these
problems: over-reliance on the automobile. I'd love it if someone else on
this list would make available the amount of city, federal, and state funds
we spend on infrastructure for the automobile within the city of Minneapolis
each year. We could put these figures beside the numbers Mr. Gustafson
finds "not crummy" to see what the ratio looks like.
All we bicyclists are really asking for is equal, safe access to the streets
we help pay for. Is that really too much to ask?
Robin Garwood
Marcy Holmes
P.S. Some of us work to prove you wrong every day, Robert.
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
