Living Car Free - Good News

While this comes from a conservative web sight and the comments aren't exactly in line with the general opinion typically expressed here, I thought most might be pleased by the opinions of the new transportation secretary.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/63290

“About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people's lives,” said LaHood. “So have at it.”

Well, ending the article that way shows a lot about the angle they are looking for. Not exactly supportive. An article definitely designed to raise the hackles of the car-addicted and make them feel self righteous about what is "already being done" by industry.

Already being discussed in another thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?630363-U-S-Secretary-Of-Transportation-encouraging-a-sea-change).

I read many of the comments. They were the same old pro-auto comments with some cyclists thrown in. I would like to respond to many of them but what would be the point. We know that cyclists pay for roads via their regular taxes and we know cyclists have the right to use the roads. It would be like talking to a brick wall.

I'm glad LaHood said these things and has made a change. He didn't really say funding would go to other forms of transportation, only that non-motorized methods of transportation would have a say in the future. I just inferred that more money would be spent on mass transit, pedestrian, and cycling infrastructure.

“About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people's lives,” said LaHood. “So have at it.”

Well, ending the article that way shows a lot about the angle they are looking for. Not exactly supportive. An article definitely designed to raise the hackles of the car-addicted and make them feel self righteous about what is "already being done" by industry.

Provoking self-righteousness is the main form of political propaganda these days. Maybe it's always been that way, everywhere. Unfortunately, it's an obstacle to real civil discussion of issues.

I already read about it in other sources, so I'm going to skip the comments that will probably just piss me off. But I'm glad that LaHood said what he said about giving new priority to non-motor transportation. At the very least, it will make it easier for local planners to stick to their guns when they tell citizens that we need serious solutions to the serious problem of too many cars congesting the roads.

I used to read a book series back in the day that paired a couple of odd and very opinionated characters, whose back-and-forth would reveal nuggets of true wisdom. One character would call speeches like this a "pretty song", indicating that it was comforting to the ear, a feel-good balloon of no real substance. That's kinda how i feel about it. I like what I hear, but I don't see much change coming.

What I have noticed is that the caucasian Anglo societies in the world are aggressively auto-centric (US, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.; continental Europe is less so, IME). There seems to be a sense of entitlement embodied there, a sort of "we're the best in the world, we deserve the best and most decadent!" THAT has an intertia that would be hard to overcome.

I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

I used to read a book series back in the day that paired a couple of odd and very opinionated characters, whose back-and-forth would reveal nuggets of true wisdom. One character would call speeches like this a "pretty song", indicating that it was comforting to the ear, a feel-good balloon of no real substance. That's kinda how i feel about it. I like what I hear, but I don't see much change coming.

What I have noticed is that the caucasian Anglo societies in the world are aggressively auto-centric (US, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.; continental Europe is less so, IME). There seems to be a sense of entitlement embodied there, a sort of "we're the best in the world, we deserve the best and most decadent!" THAT has an intertia that would be hard to overcome.

I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

Obviously the Secretary of Transportation is not going to change American culture or entrenched government policies with one speech. But he is signalling a change that will be a long time coming.