These people are just brutal.
Which people?
The bike cult.
In the midst of World War III, as we as a nation hunker down to fight the great threat to the welfare of our nation, as we worry about our wrecked economy, the thousands of dead neighbors, the interruption of education, and social isolation, the bike cult is worried about “opening” city streets for “exercise.” Even though this contradicts the city’s advice to button up and stay inside.
The pedalphiles don’t care. They are guided by Rahm Emanuel’s political advice to “never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
Such as expand bike lanes without City Council approval, even though the vague “open streets” idea seems to have the approval of five of those mutts. Before Councilman Bill Greenlee retired, he managed to get a bill through Council that district Councilpersons had to approve the addition of bike lanes in their districts. Bike heads hate that because they know the majority doesn’t want them, so the cyclists shop for ways to force their wishes down the community’s throat.
While you are worried about staying inside as we have been urged to do, several local civic associations, joined by some deranged nonprofits, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, have been petitioning Mayor Jim Kenney to open some city streets for “exercise.”
A lead group is the Center City Residents Association and I emailed the president to provide more detail than I found in the Inquirer’s account, which typically had no comment from anyone opposing the idea.
I did not hear back from CCHR, but found the letter elsewhere.
There are two main thrusts — one specific and the other, to coin a word, stupid.
Specific is to close the outer lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for other use, but even that reasonable request is wrapped in questionable logic.
In identical letters, CCHR and the Logan Square Neighborhood Association asked to have the outer lanes of the Parkway, even while admitting Parkway traffic is “very light” currently.
The letters whined about “the need for a great deal more outdoor space for pedestrian and bicycle activity than we currently have.”
Really?
Bicycles have legal access to almost all city streets, while pedestrians have access to every damn sidewalk in the city, not to mention numerous playgrounds and parks in most neighborhoods, including the granddaddy of all municipal parks, Fairmount, that runs through a wide swath of the city.
The letters reference a petition being circulated by the Clean Air Council, requesting streets be closed — even though traffic is about half of normal, I estimate.
What does the Clean Air Council want closed? This is the stupid one: roads through FDR Park, Hunting Park, and West Fairmount Park; Kelly Drive; Ben Franklin Parkway’s outer lanes; and 9th Street in the Italian Market.
Why?
With the exception of 9th Street, all those roads are underutilized on weekdays. And how would you get there — on Septa’s emergency schedule?
Look — these whizbangs make the case that the Schuylkill Trail gets crowded, and it probably does. But Kelly Drive? All of freaking Fairmount Park?
People who walk for exercise, as I do, can go anywhere and we don’t need to walk in the street. We are not going to walk on the outer lanes of the Parkway. What’s driving this is the bike cult and the holdup seems to be coming from — surprise — the nimrod Kenney administration, which the Inquirer reports is worried about costs and logistics.
Actually, what it should be worried about is the health issue — creating an incentive to ignore the city’s pleading to stay indoors. But the cult that claims biking makes for good health, doesn’t care. It wants what it wants and the hell with you.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
check your mail for CHECKS !
Why should the bike coalition be any different than anyone else ? The famous phrase,”I want !”, fits here to a tee. If the bikers (sic) get together with the rainbow group, Kenny will cave instantly.
Tony
I had been a utilitarian cyclist since the 70s, and was a racing cyclist at one point. Due to arthritis and balance issues brought on my growing older, I had to sell my bikes after almost 40 years, but if I were still able to ride a bike, I wouldn’t be out there. Though I have to say, it would be a lot more enjoyable sans the cars, attendant pollution, and reduced risk of being doored by unattentive car drivers.
There are so few cars now, WHY do they need closed streets? They don’t. It is the. Camel’s nose under the tent.
This coalition sounds like many of its members are also part of the group that feels they can smoke anywhere, regardless of the laws.
Stu,
Kudos for representing the un-organized majority.
One way to slow the roll of the bike cult is to beat them at their own game i.e.: POLITICS. Time for the majority to regain control by “Voting Out” the spineless elected officials that feed their endless thirst of our tax dollars.
COVID-19 stimulus funds for more bike trails??? Read on
3-21-20
Just this week, we’ve seen unprecedented numbers of people turning to trails and walking and biking for physical activity, respite and transportation. In Philadelphia, a main thoroughfare has closed to traffic to create more outdoor space for people to be active while maintaining 6 feet of distance between each other. Similar actions are being pursued in New York City, and we expect to see more communities working quickly to find places for their people to be active outside; it’s where public health experts say they can maintain health and wellness, as long as they also maintain social distance.This stimulus effort is just one of many we expect will directly affect our organizations, and the trails, walking and biking movement in the coming days, weeks and months.At RTC, we are closely tracking federal opportunities to secure resources for trails, walking and biking in forthcoming stimulus packages. In this unprecedented time, we appreciate the opportunity to work closely with you to elevate the need for federal investment in active transportation infrastructure. In this moment of uncertainty, we’re seeing how important trails and other active transportation infrastructure are in creating strong, healthy, resilient communities.We will send more insights and actions early next week.In solidarity,
Ryan Chao President Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The problem is “bicycles” have become a progressive “thing.” They are for it without thinking about it. It is hard to get the majority motivated UNTIL they get a bike lane on THEIR street. And then it is too late.
Bikers in organized groups are like plagues of locusts…..they have & will continue to devour as much of the public streets and tax money for their own selfish interests as they possibly can…..and now set their cultist greedy paws and sights on the stimulus money “to secure resources.” It never ends with these 2 legged locusts.
Amen.
Bikers are a threat to all others who enjoy the outdoors to walk, hike, or yes, other bikers. According to experts a passing cyclist can leave a droplet trail of up to 50 feet in it’s wake. So much for social distancing.
Stay out of the slipstream!