Bike the strike!
 

Philly's transit system is set to go on strike tonight at midnight so today I set out to create a new commuter - my DH, who has tooled around on a bike on vacation but never changed a flat or biked in traffic. We practiced shifting, panic stops, and getting in and out of toe clips on a bike path this morning, and the basics of bike lanes after that, with DH riding my old mountain bike. Then I tricked out that old mountain bike with a new saddle, new tubes, new tires, new lights, and a toolbag. We're going to bike together to his work in the morning (only four miles), but he'll have to get to a night class and home on his own in the evening. Will a commuter be born tomorrow? Or will the money and time I put into this project simply ensure that workers and management reach a last-minute settlement tonight?

Well I hope your commuter is built, the strike is on. See ya on the roads.

it was nice not having to deal with busses this morning but the drivers certainly didn't seem any nicer than usual.

stick with it!

Well, it was gridlock as we made our way up Spring Garden this morning. I have never seen traffic like that in that part of the city. Cecil B. Moore wasn't too bad for the few blocks I was on that road. I think I actually saw less bike commuters than usual.

I did see one new commuter, my wife. I told her that she had to try biking to work this morning before actually refusing to do it. I fely bad for her, as she rides an old cruiser (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ght=roma+sport) that I swear is made out of solid rods rather than tubing. It is also geared at a stout 32 x 20 which makes it kind of comical to see her legs pumping away with the bike going so slow. I stayed with her the whole pedaling once every 5 seconds or so for the whole four miles. She was worried that she would be all sweaty and gross for work, we'll have to see how it goes for the day.

What time were you on Spring Garden, ofofhy? I just want to get the lay of the land.

It was about 8:25 or so. We moved along fine, because of the BLs, but even moving real slow we were blowing the doors off the cars. And, it seems people have never heard the phrase, "Don't block the box."

There was a lot more cars on Market St today appx 8-8:30 AM

Every day we make a choice ... they made theirs ... we made ours.

PEDAL POWER!!!!

Oh, that doesn't apply to them, they've got places to go! Only the proles wait for space on the other side before going.

I noticed alot more traffic in center city this morning, but I did not see that many more people on bikes.

What is the strike about? Labor contract?

yeah i ride in early (in the city by 7:15) but i noticed ZERO extra bikers.... just me, my gf, and the guy i se EVERY DAY coming the opposite way.

i hope it picked up later... but my faith in people was pretty eroded. it just seems most people are weak and would rather saw off their legs than ride a bike to work!

Well the city did announce the creation of free parking spaces. I saw some along 23rd St just north of Market. I am sure the lure of free parking did little to convince people to seek alternatives to their cars.

some one that works for me that lines in Univ. City was complaining about the 20.00 in cab fare to get to work. I told her that she could probably get a cheap bike off of craigslist.com for 2 days worth of cab fare.

She looked at me like I was insane, then asked it she could work from home.

I was a wimp, I said yes.....

So my husband's first bike commute (Univ. City to near St. Joes) went well. I rode with him as his personal sag wagon and was relieved that the route I had picked - but not yet ridden - had a bike lane the whole way, sane drivers, and no dire hills. We saw a few other cyclists. I then turned around and headed to my office in Old City - and saw only one other cyclist the whole way...

Yes. Health care costs are skyrocketing and SEPTA wants its employees to bear some of the cost. The Union says no.

This is more legit than the strike engineered by the Union back in 1998 over a 1% difference in salary increases. The drivers ended up losing all the money from their raises to lost pay from striking. That was Union thuggery at its worst.

You know, I spent a bit of time trying to figure out what DH meant in your original post.

"Designated Hitter?"
"DownHiller?" - I decided on this, since I thought you were anthropomorphizing your downhill bike that you converted into a commuter...

So does it mean "Darling Husband" or "Dear Husband" something like that?

Actually the union wants the employee contribution to be a given percentage of salary, rather than SEPTA's proposed given percentage of healthcare costs. This way a first year bus driver would have to contribute less money than one of the higher paid managers. This would ease the financial burden on lower paid employees.

It kind of makes sense, but in effect they are looking for blood from a stone. SEPTA has zero money, and this strike certainly isn't helping matters.

http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/bikethestrike.htm

Here's some solid info on Bike the Strike.

The whole situation regarding health care is getting out of control in this country. It's effecting our ability to make cars and now public transportation. Incredible.

I like SEPTA but you're right. It has no money.

What kills the negotiating position for the Union is that SEPTA's full operations work at a losss. Every day there is a strike is a day where they lose less money than they normally do. Kinda takes away the negotiation stance.

That's probably why she wouldn't ride even if she wanted. No one wants to be the butt of someone else's joke or be laughed at. Maybe you should consider getting her a bike that's worthy of riding instead?

A bad bike is bound to make anyone slow and comical looking. If you really want to get her into riding, at least get a decent bike for her to ride on, or else let her drive in peace.

Koffee

Transit agencies never have money. Any agency that ran a surplus would be highlighted as a case study in government inefficiency. They're also in a unique position vis-a-vis labor disputes. As a corporation that operates at a deficit, largely due to variable costs, a day not spent paying your workforce and not operating your passenger vehicles is a day you lose less money. A strike is more financially viable than business-as-usual.

edit: Err... Yeah, like Mr. Miskatonic said.

I dream of a bus strike. A very long one at about the same time gas is $3.12/gal.

Why? So the less fortunate can suffer even more?