Back in March 2011, John Cassidy of "The New Yorker" complained that NYC's new bike lanes were getting in the way of his lumbering antique cars, (which he calls "heaps"). There followed an extended...ahem...reaction from Hall's fellow NYers who ride bikes, not cars, in the city's new cycling lanes (see bottom of the NYer article). The Economist weighed in with "The World is His Parking Spot." Taking the bait——indeed swallowing the hook whole——Hall attempted to justify himself with no fewer than 3 additional rants about why the city already had too many bike lanes. Mind you, he isn't opposed to all bike lanes. Some of his best friends are bike lanes...
Cars being persecuted by selfish kids on bikes and inconsiderate women with baby carriages.
Nobody does print flame wars better than NYers so who knows where—or if—this will end. Meanwhile, John Cassidy has earned himself a place in the Social Biking Blog Biking Hall of Shame (see the right sidebar).
Bike lanes are only abundant because of high gasoline prices; thus less automobile driving.
ReplyDeleteGasoline is an obvious finite resource. Unfortunately finite resources also go into bike manufacturing. Thus, cycling is also a temporary method of transportation.
Although, it won't be for a very very long time, there will be a time when were talking about the high price of bicycles, because, like gasoline, the resources going into their manufacturing are being used up (like gasoline).
I predict animals will eventually regain their prominence in transporting human beings. Like cars and bikes once did.
When this happens I wonder if I'll hear cyclists upset about having to deal with cycling on animal paths and regularly encountering animal dung.
Cullen
Cullen,
ReplyDeleteIf we're talking about "a very, very long time" won't we be mining our mineral-rich moon and nearby asteroids? If so, bikes will be cheaper—and more non polluting—than ever.
I'm not a planetary chauvinist. What about you?