BIKE: The Most Heinous Menace Out There

[Jeb Boyt]

Interesting how the Statesman decided that this merited front page coverage.

In talking to people about this yesterday, it looks like the City will 
likely construct a crushed granite gravel trail with City funds and later 
request CAMPO that the STP 4(C) funds be repurposed for another project 
where a paved surface is welcome.

That does sound like an interesting petition that the Statesman so 
vigilantly reported as having 197 signatures.

Jeb

----Original Message Follows----
From: Patrick Goetz <pgoetz>
To: forum, rogoyski
Subject: BIKE: The Most Heinous Menace Out There
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 13:19:40 -0500

Torture of prisoners?  No, far from it; that's actually kind of routine.  I 
hate to start a post with an aside, but those of you who got all teary-eyed 
over Bush's heartfelt apology for the torture of prisoners in Iraq might 
want to devote a few of your scant neurons to wondering why the Bush 
administration specifically selected someone to oversee the reopening of the 
Abu Ghraib prison who had been forced to resign for torturing prisoners 
right here in the good old US of A.  See the New York Times for details: 
(http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/08/national/08PRIS.html?ex=1085147949&ei=1&en=b728f669bd3cd0cf)


No, the menace I'm talking about is ... fast-moving bicycle traffic. Think 
I'm making this up?  Guess again:  It was on the front page of the Statesman 
yesterday: 
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/monday/news_04f982b82350c0200029.html

"For years, administrators have been working toward improving the 
hike-and-bike trail along Boggy Creek near Rosewood Avenue, drawing designs 
and acquiring a federal grant for construction.  The plan, part of a 
proposed bikeway from Austin to Round Rock, includes paving the dirt trail 
and reconstructing three bridges.  But Rosewood residents, who are wary of 
fast-moving bicycle traffic, don't want a paved trail. City officials, 
meanwhile, say they can't make improvements without including the asphalt 
treatment."


I can understand this since, I too live in mortal fear of fast-moving 
bicycle traffic.  However, I do have an issue with this:

"The debate, as well as a 197-signature petition delivered to city leaders 
by area residents, was enough to persuade the Austin City Council to hold 
off on the plan last month, saying the groups should seek a compromise."

I happened to obtain a copy of this petition from an anonymous source, and 
it looked something like this:

      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
      Bob Snerd		2525 Rosewood Ave  (illegible scrawl for signature)
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