Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Cycling hits the Mainstream Media... in L.A. atleast.

I received three e-mails this morning regarding articles from Los Angeles news sources that all pertained to cycling in one way or another. If this doesn't speak to the rapidly expanding cycling community, then I don't know what does...

It's obvious to everyone with the IQ of a trained monkey and up that cycling does some good. How much good is debated by News Anchors on Fox and Right Wing radio hosts; but for the most part folks seem to agree that riding a bike is good for your health, good for the environment, and good for the pocket book. So it's no wonder to me and many others that more and more people in L.A. are riding their bikes to get to work, to run errands, and to take care of the business of every day life. One of these articles address this trend right off. Click here... no wait... here to read that article. It's pretty good and fair, and talks about the shift in the market from buying gas to buying bikes... a good shift, in my humble opinion.

The second article was about West Hollywood lifting the "Sidewalk" ban for cyclists. This is a bad idea, and here's why. It gives further fuel to motorists who believe that cyclists don't belong on the road, It puts pedestrians in danger, and it puts cyclists at greater risk. Keep cycling on the road, where it belongs and instead pass legislation to create more, and more effective educational programs for drivers and cyclists. You can read this article here, and keep in mind that this is a perfect example of media bias against cycling.

The last article is an unfortunate reminder just how bad it can be for cyclists. The driver in this article Should be locked away for a long F**king time.

2 comments:

brightblack9 said...

hey corey, this is cash. one of the "lost" crew. good luck on the death ride this weekend. and, nice blog. also, i'm not sure if i agree w/ you about the sidewalk ban. in a perfect world, you are right... we can discuss later.

we should get a training ride in soon since i live near you. email me if you're interested at cashrowden@hotmail.com

later,
cash

Anonymous said...

Ugghhh! How disgusting. I do agree with you that cyclists shouldn't be allowed on the sidewalks. It gives people a false sense of security and everyone should most definitely learn about safety on the road whether you drive a bike, motorcycle, or bike. However, did it ever occur to you that if the government steps in on this mandatory "education" you speak of that it may give them a reason to start regulating and monitoring cyclists? Like, requiring licenses to ride your bike? Or registering your bike(s) with the DMV? Collecting the fees to fund the politicians and their agendas that have nothing to do with nor have any real benefit to our communities? I realize that what I am suggesting seems a little ludicrous, but hey...we live in a country who elected a tool as their leader.
And..that road rage driver in Mandeville Canyon should have been charged with attempted murder and not assault. It sends a clear message that cyclists don't matter and cars are more important.
One last note. You really need to proof read your blogs for grammatical errors. My Grammatical OCD is being kicked into super overdrive.