Fifty Plus (50+) - A little Advocacy- Need your support NOW

Hey All- congress is getting ready to take a 30 year step backwards- if you ride, or walk, or run, you need to take a few minutes and send a letter to your representatives. The link makes it painless.

http://support.railstotrails.org/Save_Trails

or

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/7093/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9546

Done,

With our current congress it's necessary to email them at least weekly telling them of what you don't approve of, they come up with wacky bills like this on a daily basis.

"In the House, we are asking representatives to oppose the House transportation bill. Despite the fact that walking and bicycling infrastructure is a low-cost investment that creates more jobs per dollar than any other kind of highway spending, the House bill eliminates dedicated funding for walking and biking altogether."

Is this true? It sounds like someone pulled these figures (if there are any) out of their rumps.

I'm all for cycling but I won't forward a letter if it's not factually accurate.

"In the House, we are asking representatives to oppose the House transportation bill. Despite the fact that walking and bicycling infrastructure is a low-cost investment that creates more jobs per dollar than any other kind of highway spending, the House bill eliminates dedicated funding for walking and biking altogether."

Is this true? It sounds like someone pulled these figures (if there are any) out of their rumps.

I'm all for cycling but I won't forward a letter if it's not factually accurate.

I believe it is, based on what I read. But if that part bothers you, edit it out. The form letter is just a starting point.

"In the House, we are asking representatives to oppose the House transportation bill. Despite the fact that walking and bicycling infrastructure is a low-cost investment that creates more jobs per dollar than any other kind of highway spending, the House bill eliminates dedicated funding for walking and biking altogether."

Is this true? It sounds like someone pulled these figures (if there are any) out of their rumps.

I'm all for cycling but I won't forward a letter if it's not factually accurate.

This was widely reported months ago. I'll look for a link.

http://www.peri.umass.edu/236/hash/64a34bab6a183a2fc06fdc212875a3ad/publication/467/

Done.

Thanks for that link BluesDawg.

I've read the letter and what I could find on the bill and their figures. Everything seems to add up as kosher. Sent a personalized letter to Rep. Miller.

Bill

Where were you guys when they were closing trails and lands years ago?

Done and link passed along to friends.

Writing letters and signing petitions as the AMA D37 lobbyist asked us to do. Still active with the desert racing and trails activist groups here and SoCal.

Bill

Both Senators from Oklahoma are fervently anti-bicycling. Senator Inhofe has referred to funding for bikeway and pedestrian projects as "frivolous spending". He lists elimination of bicycling related funding as one of the top 3 items on his "agenda". He is a powerful Transportation committee person, and our advocacy efforts cannot be relaxed...

Done. Thanks for alert and links!!

It depends.

I'm in favor of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure improvements for their own sake, much as I favor parks, greenways, and other improvements to one's town to promote overall health and enjoyment of one's surroundings.

However, you're not going to convert any budget-hawks with the links you provided.

Did you look at the figures? Over $100,000 per job created? Sorry, but that's as much a symbol of government waste and inefficiency as I could imagine. Yes, it compares favorably with the $230,000 per job of the stimulus package, but give me $230,000 and I'll do better than produce one job with it.

It's difficult for me to see anyone as truly being anti-cycling, although I know they exist and they're out there, unfortunately. Sadly, I think many see the bicycle as a surrogate for Nanny-state pestering "the personal is political" types, and oppose it for no better reason than that. And I can't say that I blame them, either.