What is it about the Midwest and bikes? Last year, a group of Iowans circulated a petition calling for a ban on bikes on farm to market roads, and now the St. Charles County Council in Missouri is considering several ordinance changes including a complete ban on bicycles on some public streets. In classic paternalistic double speak, the measures’ author, Councilmember Joe Brazil, says “We would provide maps and actually make St. Charles County more bicycle friendly.”
Right. Banning a mode of transportation actually will encourage its use?
The article also quotes bike advocates with this particularly eloquent statement:
“It’s a basic human right to be able to move about freely in this country,” said Patty Vinyard, executive director of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation and a Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation board member. “That liberty doesn’t apply only to people who own or drive cars.”
I don’t know what personal insecurity bicycles of Brazil’s bicycles are tapping to, but maybe he’s joining his fellow Republicans in fighting the bicycle-U.N. conspiracy to keep America free. This measure makes just about as much sense.
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Yet another non issue being whipped up by right wingers to bring out their hateful xenophobic base. Funny thing is, cycling could really help America move towards energy independence. Why do republicans hate America so much?
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 11:49 am
The summary in this story is somewhere between misleading and flat-out inaccurate. From the article –
… introduced a bill July 12 that would ban bicycles from sections of state highways 94, D, DD, F and Z in southwest St. Charles County where there are no shoulders or bicycle lanes.
…
… the bill (another bill? It’s not clear that this is the same bill as the first one) would ban bicycles on “red-lined” sections of highway where there is limited line of sight, 55 mph speed limits, no shoulders and heavy commercial traffic.
There’s three bills being discussed (the third adds some more rules for cyclists, read the article for more.) These two (?) bills would ban bicycles from certain roads where most cyclists usually wouldn’t want to ride anyways, but doesn’t go anywhere near the claimed “complete ban on bicycles on public streets.” (I guess this statement could be technically correct, as long as bikes are completely banned on at least two streets, but as written it’s extremely misleading, as it suggests that bikes will be banned *everywhere*.)
(And no, I’m not excusing them for this. Just pointing out that it’s not as bad and unreasonable as this summary suggests.)
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Doug,
I’ve edited the post to make it a little clearer.
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Thanks, but your title is still misleading.
on Aug 24th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Better?
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 3:03 pm
FYI, update the link and be aware that these roads are where many cyclists like to ride and are absolutely necessary to get from A to B.
Brazil’s compromise: “You would have to have a flashing light on your bike,perhaps a flag, only ride no more than 20 inches from the white line you cant double up riding and you have to have a mirror.”
“It’s just too dangerous right now to ride for the bicyclists who ride on them are extremely reckless in my opinion, says Brazil, “they don’t care about the motorists they just care about themselves and its selfish.”
http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-st-charles-bike-ban-081810,0,6493731.story
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Thanks, FYI!