Bicycle Austin forum

Augenwinkel,

Thanks for the valuable advice. The Hyde Park Neighborhood Association actually just passed a resolution this week opposing the closure of Bruning Avenue.

Appreciatively,

Seth Johnson

I just came across this thread and thought I'd throw in my observations.

Looking at the Burley Travoy linked to by someone earlier, that looks like an EXCELLENT choice for groceries and errands. The design lends itself to you bringing the cart into a store with you. This is a fantastic concept.

I sing those praises of that trailer, which I don't own, because it contrasts sharply with the trailer I do own.

Several years ago I bought a BOB trailer with a plastic cargo container. Installed it on my mountain bike, which has an aluminum frame. The payload capacity is not very large. It doesn't do well with an ice chest, for instance. During turns, it wants to tip over or drag on the ground when loaded heavy. I can also feel it exerting significant torque to my bike's frame.

Parking a bike with a BOB trailer at the grocery store is not very convenient. You have to really secure your bike so the whole shebang doesn't fall over. You also don't want to have to back the the thing up far because you'll jack knife for sure.

The Burley Travoy design looks to skip all this mess because the cart comes off and into the store with you. This pays dividends because you pack your groceries on the cart in the store (once), and don't have to spend time packing them when you get back outside to your bike. And when you get home, I bet that cart comes right into the kitchen to unload.

Anyone want to trade a Burley Travoy for a lightly-used BOB trailer?

Seth

Well, I'm not so concerned about that...

What type of pedals work with these types of shoes? Is "SPD" a type of binding system?

Appreciatively,

Seth Johnson

The $25 million figure comes from a STATE slush fund set aside to lure sporting events to Texas. Ex-Austin Mayor Kirk Watson was the sponsor of the bill that made F1 racing qualify for these funds.

The funds are to be paid out as $25 million per year. If Bernie pulls the race after the first year, the state will have only spent $25 million in taxpayer funds while netting a substantial amount of tourism dollars that would likely exceed the $25 million.

Formula 1 racing would be a great addition to Central Texas. If the track wasn't going to be built, that land was designated to be sliced into hundreds of small platts for a massive housing development that would have created a lot more impervious cover than this track will.

I'm a proponent, but a realist. Here's what's likely to happen: Red McCombs and the other investors are dropping a racetrack on a BIG plot of land just east of Austin. The racetrack will take this land out of the market for 10 years. The land surrounding the track will also be in a weird limbo for those 10 years. But Austin will likely sprawl out in that direction in the next decade. All this property also has good access to Texas 130. Ten years from now, the track gets torn down, and Red McCombs can sell that land to developers at whatever price the property has appreciated to. The land around it will also leap up in value because it's no longer right next to a race track. The question to ask is who will pay taxes on the land during the ten years? Investing in this project is a means of tax-sheltering a property investment that is bound to pay off huge in ten years.

Seth

I'm not so sure you're answering a rhetorical question as much as asking a devil's-advocate-styled question.

Happens all the time, Doug. If police have reports of bikes being stolen, which they do, and a truck is seen transporting several bicycles, that is enough for a cop to pull the truck over and ask the driver to explain the source of the bikes, i.e. ask where they came from and if the driver has proof of purchase. Without proof of purchase, the cop can then radio in serial numbers from the roadside to see if any of them have been reported stolen.  This is absolutely a reasonable search.

I've run several garage sales as well as attended many more garage sales, and I've never seen a truck driving around exclusively buying bicycles. Your observations may be more unique than you realize.

Seth

I was commenting on your exaggeration of the cyclist's injuries. You inserted the word 'kill' where the original article and even this thread used the word 'injured.'

But hey, it's just like some facts. No need to take note. Please do continue with your agenda.

Seth

I don't think JW was advocating for anything violent. It sounded like he was frustrated with the slap-on-the-wrist received by the driver.

Actually, the ticket is better than how most of these incidents are handled. In this case, the ticket identifies fault on the part of the motorist. The bicyclist is racking up dozens of thousands of dollars in medical bills already. The motorist's insurance will have to cover these to the limit (I think it's usually $25k). An accident attorney can then go after the motorist for additional compensation in court. Might bankrupt the motorist.

Without the ticket, it would be the bicyclist who suffers bankruptcy due to medical expenses.

Seth

Not really a solution for Allen Demling. Lee Leffingwell likely would have found his new address as well.

Seth