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Most assuredly the dumbest quote I've read...

Old 03-02-11, 02:34 PM
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Most assuredly the dumbest quote I've read...

Regarding bike lanes.

There was a thread a while back on this, but the city of Arlington, TX is in the process of considering bike lanes, sharrows, etc. as a part of a massive street/"hike and bike" plan. It passed the planning/zoning committee vote and went to the city council last night. I honestly didn't expect it to make it that far, so I was pleasantly surprised. But the city council just talked about it last night and decided to make yet ANOTHER panel to consider the cost/benefit ratio, etc. Never mind the people who have been working on the project for the past year.

Anyhow, the Star-Telegram ran a story on the city council meeting last night and I just found this doozy of a line:

Tuesday was the first time the council heard an overview of the plan, and some members raised concerns about the recommended projects.

"We should encourage bikes in our parks," north Arlington council representative Mel LeBlanc said. "I don't want bike paths on our streets. It's dangerous."
So, a plan to give bicycle riders a little more space and raise drivers' awareness is dangerous? As opposed to say, completely ignoring bicycles and not making a single effort to educate the other road users?

Full story: https://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03...arlington.html
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Old 03-02-11, 03:00 PM
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Wasn't the 1st Mel LeBlanc the voice for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all those? Wonder if the 1st Mel drew up and cartooned this one. Only a cartoon-character buffoon could say that with a straight face.
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Old 03-02-11, 03:19 PM
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On street bike paths can be dangerous vs. none at all.
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Old 03-02-11, 03:26 PM
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Ask him how the bikes are supposed to get to the park... I'm sure that response would be just as hilarious.
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Old 03-02-11, 03:29 PM
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the assumption is that bikes are not on the street if there is no city-designated bike path. he must not get out much.

Why don't you just head down to the Vandergrif autoplex and let them get you into a "proper" vehicle and stop worrying about all this...
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Old 03-02-11, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by WalksOn2Wheels
Regarding bike lanes.

There was a thread a while back on this, but the city of Arlington, TX is in the process of considering bike lanes, sharrows, etc. as a part of a massive street/"hike and bike" plan. It passed the planning/zoning committee vote and went to the city council last night. I honestly didn't expect it to make it that far, so I was pleasantly surprised. But the city council just talked about it last night and decided to make yet ANOTHER panel to consider the cost/benefit ratio, etc. Never mind the people who have been working on the project for the past year.

Anyhow, the Star-Telegram ran a story on the city council meeting last night and I just found this doozy of a line:



So, a plan to give bicycle riders a little more space and raise drivers' awareness is dangerous? As opposed to say, completely ignoring bicycles and not making a single effort to educate the other road users?

Full story: https://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03...arlington.html
Serious answer? Invite Mel to go riding with you sometime. Apparently there are starting to be some group rides in Arlington (See Trinity Bicycles Facebook page); invite him to a ride. Trinity may be able to provide a bike if he doesn't have his own (talk to Bernie or Bryan at Trinity about that).

Originally Posted by DX-MAN
Wasn't the 1st Mel LeBlanc the voice for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all those? Wonder if the 1st Mel drew up and cartooned this one. Only a cartoon-character buffoon could say that with a straight face.
That was Mel Blanc.
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Old 03-02-11, 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
On street bike paths can be dangerous vs. none at all.
This.
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Old 03-02-11, 04:53 PM
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We don't want stupid politicians. They're dangerous.
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Old 03-02-11, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by AdamDZ
We don't want stupid politicians. They're dangerous.
wuh? I thought New York was the landing pad for stupidity, just saying...
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Old 03-02-11, 05:25 PM
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Merely a poor attempt to mask their actual position, which is, "I don't want to be inconvenienced by goofy people riding bicycles; they should stay in the park and off the roads". It's what all anti-cyclists want. Texas being oil country, even more so.
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Old 03-02-11, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by AdamDZ
We don't want stupid politicians. They're dangerous.
If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.
~ H. L. Mencken
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Old 03-02-11, 06:04 PM
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The really frustrating part here is that the City of Dallas is watching events in Arlington with a VERY close eye. Here's hoping we have enough ground-swell in Dallas support to overwhelm the haters (Vehicular Cyclist Zealots and Tea Party folks both).
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Old 03-02-11, 08:06 PM
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My guess is, $10/gallon gas is going to shut up all the political morons. Next thing you know, THEY will be advocating everyone get their bikes out and ride them...
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Old 03-02-11, 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
On street bike paths can be dangerous vs. none at all.
Yes and no. But that's not the point. It's the way he phrased it. As if riding bikes on the road is bad and dangerous, period. It's totally a different way of saying "I don't want to share the road."
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Old 03-03-11, 06:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Santaria
wuh? I thought New York was the landing pad for stupidity, just saying...
It still is...
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Old 03-03-11, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by xizangstan
My guess is, $10/gallon gas is going to shut up all the political morons. Next thing you know, THEY will be advocating everyone get their bikes out and ride them...
I predict that $10/gal gas will result in massive protests if not riots, demanding that politicians "do something about it."
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Old 03-03-11, 08:42 AM
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"I don't want cars on our bike path. It's dangerous."
There I fixed it for the council.

I don't mind bike path or lane if they put them in the right places. Around here, they put them in residential area where resisdent parks their car over the lane. Out in the main road where it is needed has none at all. Sometime I sort of feel like they are purposely strategically installing lane as an attempt to try to limit our selection of road to travel
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Old 03-03-11, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
I predict that $10/gal gas will result in massive protests if not riots, demanding that politicians "do something about it."
Yeah, sadly, we're more likely to start another war than we are to have most politicians and most people see getting out of cars as a solution to the problem.
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Old 03-03-11, 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Santaria
wuh? I thought New York was the landing pad for stupidity, just saying...
That must make Texas is its launching pad...
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Old 03-03-11, 10:48 AM
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Not to mention, following his logic that I should be riding in the park, here's a scenario...

I wake up, hop on my trusty steed and hit the park. I'm riding around for what feels like an hour having a lovely time when my cell phone goes off. It's my boss, she wants to know where the heck I am. Apparently you can't get to work by riding around on trails in the park! Actually, you can't get ANYWHERE just riding around in the park.
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Old 03-03-11, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
I predict that $10/gal gas will result in massive protests if not riots, demanding that politicians "do something about it."
Exactly...

Originally Posted by JeremyLC
Not to mention, following his logic that I should be riding in the park, here's a scenario...

I wake up, hop on my trusty steed and hit the park. I'm riding around for what feels like an hour having a lovely time when my cell phone goes off. It's my boss, she wants to know where the heck I am. Apparently you can't get to work by riding around on trails in the park! Actually, you can't get ANYWHERE just riding around in the park.
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Old 03-03-11, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by JeremyLC
Not to mention, following his logic that I should be riding in the park, here's a scenario...

I wake up, hop on my trusty steed and hit the park. I'm riding around for what feels like an hour having a lovely time when my cell phone goes off. It's my boss, she wants to know where the heck I am. Apparently you can't get to work by riding around on trails in the park! Actually, you can't get ANYWHERE just riding around in the park.
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Old 03-03-11, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by JeremyLC
Not to mention, following his logic that I should be riding in the park, here's a scenario...

I wake up, hop on my trusty steed and hit the park. I'm riding around for what feels like an hour having a lovely time when my cell phone goes off. It's my boss, she wants to know where the heck I am. Apparently you can't get to work by riding around on trails in the park! Actually, you can't get ANYWHERE just riding around in the park.
No one rides a bike to work, that's just crazy talk. Dude, get a car!
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Old 03-03-11, 01:04 PM
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What if the bikes were propane powered?
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Old 03-03-11, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by DX-MAN
Wasn't the 1st Mel LeBlanc the voice for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all those? Wonder if the 1st Mel drew up and cartooned this one. Only a cartoon-character buffoon could say that with a straight face.
or a Texican
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