LAB and the USADA

bizikletari · 2012-06-15 12:21:55

I had suspected for a while that the LAB was just a sidewalk on steroids. But, now that the USADA is bringing charges to the Mellow Man, should we change its name.
Any thoughts?

dougmc · 2012-06-24 02:14:29

bizikletari wrote:

I had suspected for a while that the LAB was just a sidewalk on steroids. But, now that the USADA is bringing charges to the Mellow Man, should we change its name.
Any thoughts?

Wouldn't it be appropriate to at least wait until he's convicted (or whatever the equivalent that the USADA is empowered to do) of the crime?

owlman · 2012-06-24 09:02:07

Makes sense to keep the initials, to avoid changing signs/artwork. How about a recursive acronym... "LAB Austin Bikeway"

:)

bizikletari · 2012-08-26 21:31:53

I guess now's the time.
I like the recursive idea, it's funny. But a complete change in name may be more appropiate.

bizikletari · 2012-10-17 16:21:28

With Lance leaving Livestrong today, it is only Oakley and Austin the last staunch supporters of the Armstrong brand still standing tight.

MichaelBluejay · 2012-10-22 04:44:14

At the time the city commission was naming it, years ago, I went down and argued that if they were naming it after anyone, they should name it after Eric Anderson, the bike activist who conceived the whole idea in the first place, rather than a celebrity cyclist who at that time had done zero for local transportation cycling. Of course that fell on deaf ears. The mayor recently reconfirmed his support for Armstrong, being unfazed about the cheating allegations, so I don't think the move to change the name would get much traction, at least not now.

I just think it's a shame that Anderson never really got any recognition for his efforts. In 2012, who remembers that the bikeway was his brainchild, even within the bike community?

ggw · 2012-10-22 21:22:39

Check out the Bike To Work day from 2001. That year I was working downtown and Eric needed volunteers for BTW day, so I did it. It took Eric, Kathryn Otto, and myself nearly a month to put it together. I particuarly took on the "wait person / clean up" that year, but found plenty of time to take photos that day. I was strictly a grunt work guy, and did none of the planning. Eric was really riding high that year.

http://www.cjwyche.org/bike/20010504/20010504BTW.html

I don't know where he got all the energy. He was certainly appreciated at the time!

ggw

damicoaustin · 2012-10-23 09:41:08

Great photos...do you have any other "archives" of bicycle activists? I'd like to see them if you do.

MichaelBluejay · 2012-10-24 06:09:04

Thanks for posting those pics GGW!

MichaelBluejay · 2012-10-24 16:46:19

damico, ggw has photojournals of other old bike events here.

ggw · 2012-10-24 20:08:55

The only other pictures I have that include "public" figures are the several months of "Courteous Mass" which was also from 2001 later in the year. Those do not have annotations like what I already posted.

If and when I put those up at cjwyche.org, I'll write to this same post.

ggw

bizikletari · 2012-10-25 10:26:26

Mr. Anderson had posted in FB an article from KVUE about Lee Leffingwell's dismissive position on the LAB re-naming issue and the mayor's praise of Armstrong. In the following thread, I did point out, citing to Anderson's bio from MBJ's website, that the LAB was indeed Anderson's creation.

The article posted on FB was (http://tinyurl.com/9c3l2cq) and he posted it on Oct 18, but later erased the comments —I imagine he felt on the spotlight by them.

I do think he is due recognition for the LAB. Naming it after him would be the right thing to do.

MichaelBluejay · 2012-10-25 12:58:46

Well, if we could get enough of us together to go ask City Council, I would sure do it. Who else will go with me to ask Council to rename the LAB after Anderson? And should we wait until Leffingwell's term expires?

bizikletari · 2012-10-25 14:00:34

I would go to the CC. No, I would not wait for Leffingwell to leave. I think he would not want to oppose it at this point.

bizikletari · 2012-11-12 10:17:50

From the Ethicist, in case we care.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/magaz … icist&_r=0

MichaelBluejay · 2013-01-18 13:23:52

Now that Lance has confessed to cheating, is there anybody else who would join me and bizikletari in asking the city to rename the bikeway after Eric Anderson?

bizikletari · 2013-01-19 19:30:24

It is just two short horizontal strokes to turn LAB into EAB. They seem to require a ton of courage, though.

Bicycle Austin forum

#1 2012-06-15 12:21:55

LAB and the USADA

#2 2012-06-24 02:14:29

Re: LAB and the USADA

#3 2012-06-24 09:02:07

Re: LAB and the USADA

#4 2012-08-26 21:31:53

Re: LAB and the USADA

#5 2012-10-17 16:21:28

Re: LAB and the USADA

#6 2012-10-22 04:44:14

Re: LAB and the USADA

#7 2012-10-22 21:22:39

Re: LAB and the USADA

#8 2012-10-23 09:41:08

Re: LAB and the USADA

#9 2012-10-24 06:09:04

Re: LAB and the USADA

#10 2012-10-24 16:46:19

Re: LAB and the USADA

#11 2012-10-24 20:08:55

Re: LAB and the USADA

#12 2012-10-25 10:26:26

Re: LAB and the USADA

#13 2012-10-25 12:58:46

Re: LAB and the USADA

#14 2012-10-25 14:00:34

Re: LAB and the USADA

#15 2012-11-12 10:17:50

Re: LAB and the USADA

#16 2013-01-18 13:23:52

Re: LAB and the USADA

#17 2013-01-19 19:30:24

Re: LAB and the USADA

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