Advocacy & Safety - U.S. Senate adopts pro-bike amendment

from BTA newsletter (http://www.bta4bikes.org)::
actually from April 12, 2002...

Message 8: BELIEVE IT OR NOT - U.S. SENATE ADOPTS PRO-BIKE AMENDMENT

It was only a matter of time until our leaders got the message

In the midst of a debate on the energy bill, the US Senate adopted an amendment promoting bicycling as a way to conserve energy. The amendment, introduced by Illinois Senator Richard Durbin and Maine Senator Susan Collins, established a new "Conserve By Bicycling" program within the US Department of Transportation.

The new project will oversee pilot programs across the country
designed to promote and document bicycling as a clean and responsible alternative to regional automotive travel. The program still needs approval by the US House and President Bush before it can be implemented.

For details go to http://www.bikeleague.org/mediacenter/medprs041202.htm

very cool.

Thanks for the information. I like reading these kinds of articles. :thumbup:

Thanks, Nathan, very positive! I enjoy your posts.

I will read it through before I comment...

ITS ABOUT TIME!
I hope this amendment helps to spur the building of more biking trails or lanes, because im tired of sharing the road with these speed demon car freaks. This amendment should also give cyclists priority when it comes to crossing intersections, etc.
Anyways this is very cool!:)

This is a great amendment, but its support is based solely on energy conservation. If this becomes a non-issue for what ever reason, this support will be yanked about as fast as we heard of it. But hey, I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth...I just love that it's now a political issue--both biking and energy conservation.

I wonder when the last time Pres. Bush rode a bike was? Which brings me to another question--does dragging a bike beneath your car constitute riding ON a bike?:confused: :eek: :p

Boy, I am sure glad we never gave Bill Clinton the line-item veto he was hankering for. Surely, Mr. "Conservation is no sound energy policy" Cheney would have instructed Bush to strike the amendment.

This happened to us, more or less, in Wisconsin about 4 years ago. I don't recall the details very well, but in one of the yearly budgets, the Wisconsin House had put in some nice sound dollars for more bicycle paths and additional mass transit. Wisconsin has one of the most powerful line-item vetoes in the nation--the governor can all but re-write legislation with it. As a governor who loved to use his line-item veto power, Tommy Thompson moved most the bicycle and mass-transit money into highway construction (i.e. into the pocket of his campaign contributors).

Let's hope this bill makes it all the way.

Cheers.

The executive director of a bicycle advocacy organization in Illinois worked with Durbin's staff to come up with the proposal for the amendment. I'm a member of that organization, and work like this makes me feel that my membership dues are being well spent.:)

I am glad to see someone in Washington who actually believes the bicycle is competative with the automobile. (I already know it is!)

I read a "recommendation" written by an independent advisory group which outlined the feasability of various solutions to urban traffic problems. The purpose of the study was to help transportation planners spend their money most wisely, to get the "most bang for the buck" in solving overcrowding on our roads.

Bottom line of report: cars are king, and will continue to be. However, the study recommended allocating some token money
for the construction of "bicycle facilities" because of the positive effect their construction seems to have in public relations. Yet, the study flatly declared bicycling to be of no real value in reducing traffic congestion.

I have personally found bicycling to be of tremendous value in reducing traffic congestion. That is, I never seem to find myself cussing the traffic jams. If I want to take a quieter route, I know all the back streets through every neighborhood.

Stress is a word I find alien to me in my commute. :D