An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Happy Thoughts for Your Critical Mass Ride Today

Out in Alameda, the city council is trying to pass an amendment that would make it illegal to ride bikes or skateboards in city parks, school yards, parking lots and public structures like parking ramps.

The original reasoning for changing the ordinance was to address an ongoing problem with skateboarders using the steep interior ramps of the new six-story parking garage as a recreation area.





I've noticed a couple other ongoing problems: The cost of fuel and the wastefulness of driving 2,000 pound internal-combustion cages and obese police officers. I'm just saying. I've noticed.


Meanwhile up in San Francisco they're sort of taking the opposite approach to Alameda. There, they're trying to pass laws that would limit urban sprawl and encourage population density. That is, more people living closer together within cycling distance to grocery stores, baseball stadiums, city parks.

The automobile is quickly becoming obsolete, so why not start planning for that eventuality?

1 comment:

Matt said...

A lot of people make comments about motor vehicle weights that are wildly incorrect. Sadly, you've joined 'em. You'd be very hard-pressed to find a current production 2,000-lb. car. The average weight in the U.S. fleet is around 4,000 pounds. The Toyota Camry is 3,516 lbs, even a Corolla is 2,745 and when you get into the SUVs the weights really go up, with the Ford Explorer at around 4,500 lbs and the lighter Chevy Suburbans at 5,600. These have crept up over the years; the 1979 Honda Civic was 2,208 pounds; the 2007 is 3,197, virtually hlaf a ton heavier. The discontinued Toyota Echo was 2,055 lbs, but, as I said, it's discontinued.

Sorry to nitpick, but I get annoyed when easy facts are misstated (usually it's cyclists whining about "4-ton SUVs" but even the Hummer H2 comes in at a mere 6,400 lbs curb weight).

Glad to see you blogging more again. Good commentary on the NVGP as well.