Bicycle Austin forum

Pedal Pusher

Member

Registered: 2008-06-02

Posts: 23

Money Talks

Every year, they have the motorcycle gathering here in Austin. We all know when it happens because you can hear the roar of motorycles everywhere and there are signs up here and there at restaurants welcoming the motorcylclists.

This year, just as it was getting started, I was cycling down berkman drive and going toward 51st street and at the corner of 290 and Berkman, there were a couple of police cars and sections of road blocked off and a very pretty lady sitting on the corner with some very bad road rash on her arm and shoulder and back and her husband was standing next to their motorcylce with his shirt ripped and some road rash as well talking to one of the policemen.  I overheard that the driver that hit them was obviously speeding and could tell that it was probably a hit and run partly because there was no sign of the other driver, just part of the bumper, broken tail light and so on that hit them lying on the ground.

I noticed now on cbs news here in Austin, they have started doing a bunch of stuff about driver's paying attention to motorcylists - look to the left, then look to the right, and then look to the left again and I thought, boy that's good that they are doing that, but wouldn't it be nice if they did those kind of things for bicyclists too?

But it is a fact that when motorcylcists come into Austin, it helps the economy a lot because they spend a truckload of money in hotels, restaurants and bars so those motorcyclists are indeed extremely welcomed by Austinites. 

Maybe we need to start come kind of big deal bicycling gathering here in Austin so people come from all over the country every year and stay in hotels and eat in restaurants to the tune of a bunch of money and then guaranteed, Austin will care how bicyclists are treated.

Because money talks........and that's a fact.

Adriel

Member

Registered: 2008-05-27

Posts: 91

Re: Money Talks

You mean like the Livestrong Challenge?  Or the other many bicycle events we have had here in Austin?

Maybe we need something that is not so tied to lycra and racers.  Something involving cycling through town and shutting down a bunch of roads in town.

(Like critical mass but with an escort and legal).

Pedal Pusher

Member

Registered: 2008-06-02

Posts: 23

Re: Money Talks

Do as many people show up for the livestrong as the motorcyle event? Are cyclists mostly frugal?  Do motorcyclists spend more?  I don't see signs all over town welcoming cyclists for livestrong?

Yea something where we shut down roads legally with permits and all that, but mostly something were it is obvious that a lot of businesses in the city are making a truckload of money the few days a huge CROWD of cyclists ride all over town.

See that's the problem with critical mass - they don't ride down the streets throwing money at all the restaurant and hotel owners like the motorcylists do.