Bicycle Austin forum

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,455

Website

Chronicle cover story: "The Joy of Bicycling in Austin"

Kevin Curtain's piece:

https://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/20 … in-austin/

Interesting and well-written.  When I saw the headline my first reaction was, bicycling here is no joy; I didn't realize how much cycling in Austin stressed me until I stopped riding and then started again.  But the article reminded me of the happy points:  Ascending and descending parking garages, Critical Mass (with the two rides/factions about whether to obey/break traffic laws, just like over 20 years ago, the more things change, the more they stay the same), local proponents like Lee Gresham, riding through alleys, etc.

But then this quote by Gresham:  "Because the population is more left-wing, pot-smoking, and has been somewhat educated with the university here, people do acknowledge cyclists as more or less legitimate users of the street."  Methinks he might not be on Nextdoor.

dougmc

Administrator

Registered: 2008-06-01

Posts: 623

Re: Chronicle cover story: "The Joy of Bicycling in Austin"

The whole CM "faction" thing is definitely not about obeying vs. breaking traffic laws -- both sides are perfectly willing to break them when convenient, as has always been done.  It's about control.

And the 22 page "call to action" story got way more bizarre in the hours after this article was written.  It might be worth your time to read up on that.

And yes, it's a great article -- and I'm not just saying that because I'm in that last picture.

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,455

Website

Re: Chronicle cover story: "The Joy of Bicycling in Austin"

Yeah, thanks, but I don't really have that kind of time. :)