BIKE: NYTimes.com Article: The Path to a Healthier America

[dick ryan]

Good idea - I'm also a member of AARP, but unfortunately I qualify - 
Older people also need to prepare for when they can no longer drive.
Maybe AARP could help to cosponsor some "life without a car" workshops 
which would encourage older people to organize their life around 
walking and how to recognize physical environments where they could 
live happily without a car. It has always mystified me why so many 
nursing homes are located on the outskirts of towns or in the suburbs 
of cities. I once had the pleasure of once meeting an 86 year old lady 
in Guthrie Oklahoma, who when she could not find adequate downtown 
housing, bought a two story building across the street from the 
downtown post office and developed three apartments on the second 
floor: one for herself, one for her best friend and one to rent out!

There already exists a vehicle for safe walking with whom  AARP could 
hook up -  that is the Pedestrian Safety Workshops conducted by 
TransTexas Alliance with funding through TXDOT.  see

http://www.transtexas.org/projects.html

Happy Walking
Dick Ryan

On Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at 09:03 AM, CHRISTINE WILLIS wrote:

> I'm assuming you mean AARP, which I'm a member of ... but I'm not 
> really that old :o).  In reading their newsletters, I would think they 
> would be willing to put some lobbying effort into bicycle and 
> pedestrian issues.  They don't specifically discuss these issues but 
> they are very focused on health and safety.  Since a lot of older 
> people cannot or do not drive and many older people have been involved 
> in car/pedestrian accidents, safer pedestrian facilities are 
> definitely needed.  I think the lobbying arm of AARP would be open to 
> this.  Any ideas on how best to approach them?