Comments on: We can do better http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/ Creating a better community through bicycling, throughout Seattle, King County and Washington state. Sat, 18 May 2013 16:21:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Spokespeople » Spokespeople Rides Oct 1 and Oct 2. Getting Active on Neighborhood Greenways http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-75273 Spokespeople » Spokespeople Rides Oct 1 and Oct 2. Getting Active on Neighborhood Greenways Tue, 18 Dec 2012 04:05:12 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-75273 [...] in the news. The PI, the Seattle Times, the Economist, the Stranger, Crosscut, Cascade Bike Club blog, the Sun Break, and the Ballard News Tribune have published articles about safe streets and [...] [...] in the news. The PI, the Seattle Times, the Economist, the Stranger, Crosscut, Cascade Bike Club blog, the Sun Break, and the Ballard News Tribune have published articles about safe streets and [...]

]]> By: Roundup of recent calls for safer streets | Seattle Bike Blog http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27324 Roundup of recent calls for safer streets | Seattle Bike Blog Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:31:46 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-27324 [...] Cascade lays out the path to safe streets People of Seattle are encouraged to get involved in their communities. Join the Neighborhood Greenways movement, for example, to show that your neighborhood wants these improvements. [...] [...] Cascade lays out the path to safe streets People of Seattle are encouraged to get involved in their communities. Join the Neighborhood Greenways movement, for example, to show that your neighborhood wants these improvements. [...]

]]> By: I saw a car/bike crash today « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27323 I saw a car/bike crash today « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:28:06 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-27323 [...] hope, but hope alone won’t amount to much. If more families are going to get around by bike, we need safer streets. And we need them [...] [...] hope, but hope alone won’t amount to much. If more families are going to get around by bike, we need safer streets. And we need them [...]

]]> By: Paul Scott http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27102 Paul Scott Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:52:59 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-27102 As some one who has, as a pedestrian, been hit by a car over in W. Seattle at Genesee and California, while in a freshly painted crosswalk, with the lights, both traffic and crosswalk, on a sunny day, while wearing bright clothing, and while looking around, I have only one piece of advice: at some level, if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist, cars, busses and some trucks are out to kill you. Most drivers are are in confrontational mood with each other, and while they might get hurt physically or $$$ by a physical altercation with another car truck or bus, they don't feel the same about bikes or pedestrians. Bikes and pedestrians barely register as conscious markers, unless in the way of rapid, smooth progress. So remember, they ARE out to kill or maim you. And, really, the attitude of most people, the state, county and city is that if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian, it's ok to be hit by a vehicle. Really. Paul As some one who has, as a pedestrian, been hit by a car over in W. Seattle at Genesee and California, while in a freshly painted crosswalk, with the lights, both traffic and crosswalk, on a sunny day, while wearing bright clothing, and while looking around, I have only one piece of advice: at some level, if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist, cars, busses and some trucks are out to kill you.

Most drivers are are in confrontational mood with each other, and while they might get hurt physically or $$$ by a physical altercation with another car truck or bus, they don’t feel the same about bikes or pedestrians. Bikes and pedestrians barely register as conscious markers, unless in the way of rapid, smooth progress.

So remember, they ARE out to kill or maim you. And, really, the attitude of most people, the state, county and city is that if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian, it’s ok to be hit by a vehicle. Really.

Paul

]]> By: Don Brubeck http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26954 Don Brubeck Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:57:57 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26954 Brad and Jake, Why stop with license fees for bicycle riders? What about pedestrians? They are using an awful lot of the right of way too, and demanding sidewalks, crosswalks, signals and overpasses. License 'em! And an extra license plate for wheelchairs, to pay for all those curb cuts. And dogs. There could be a surcharge on pet license tags for dogs who are using the sidewalks and fire hydrants and crosswalks. That way, in addition to the property taxes that I pay that actually pay for the city streets, I could pay license tab fees for two motor vehicles, three bikes, my self as a pedestrian, and a dog. Brad and Jake,
Why stop with license fees for bicycle riders? What about pedestrians? They are using an awful lot of the right of way too, and demanding sidewalks, crosswalks, signals and overpasses. License ‘em! And an extra license plate for wheelchairs, to pay for all those curb cuts. And dogs. There could be a surcharge on pet license tags for dogs who are using the sidewalks and fire hydrants and crosswalks. That way, in addition to the property taxes that I pay that actually pay for the city streets, I could pay license tab fees for two motor vehicles, three bikes, my self as a pedestrian, and a dog.

]]> By: George Harvey http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26768 George Harvey Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:41:16 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26768 The "bikes need to pay" meme is easily countered with facts. Facts are that cyclists already pay for the local roads, but not the freeways. I'm a commuter, I own a condo and a couple of cars, and my wife and I are professionally employed so we pay all kinds of taxes and fees. Where does the money come from for the local roads I use? From Publicola: Here's the SDOT 2009 arterial and non-arterial paving expenditures. They spent $29,377,725 for arterial and $261,000 for non-arterial for a total of $29,638,725. The arterial revenue sources breakdown as follows: Bonds: $14,748,947 (50.20 percent) Bridging the Gap Property Tax: $9,693,410 (33 percent) Bridging the Gap Commercial Parking Tax: $4,801,062 (16.34 percent) Gas Tax: $129,981 (.44 percent) Grants: $4,325 (.01 percent) All of SDOT’s non-arterial paving work was 100 percent funded by the gas tax, but non-arterial work only accounts for .9 percent of total paving expenditures for 2009. The paving numbers reinforce what the budget numbers already showed: everyone is paying for Seattle’s roads. The “bikes need to pay” meme is easily countered with facts. Facts are that cyclists already pay for the local roads, but not the freeways. I’m a commuter, I own a condo and a couple of cars, and my wife and I are professionally employed so we pay all kinds of taxes and fees.

Where does the money come from for the local roads I use?

From Publicola: Here’s the SDOT 2009 arterial and non-arterial paving expenditures. They spent $29,377,725 for arterial and $261,000 for non-arterial for a total of $29,638,725. The arterial revenue sources breakdown as follows:

Bonds: $14,748,947 (50.20 percent)
Bridging the Gap Property Tax: $9,693,410 (33 percent)
Bridging the Gap Commercial Parking Tax: $4,801,062 (16.34 percent)
Gas Tax: $129,981 (.44 percent)
Grants: $4,325 (.01 percent)

All of SDOT’s non-arterial paving work was 100 percent funded by the gas tax, but non-arterial work only accounts for .9 percent of total paving expenditures for 2009.

The paving numbers reinforce what the budget numbers already showed: everyone is paying for Seattle’s roads.

]]> By: leo Stone http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26603 leo Stone Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:03:07 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26603 OK, one more time. Your car tabs do not pay for the roads, they pay for your car tabs or whatever else is tacked on to them. Your drivers license fee doesn't pay for the roads, that fee pays for the license and that's all. The main source of funding for the roads is from property taxes. We don't have user fee's to use public roads because they are public roads, for use by the public, get it? Americans have the right to use a public road without sufferance (permission) from the state or federal government. It's a Right that we have, understand? So. please don't troll anymore about how cyclists need to pay and pay and pay, WE ALREADY DO! Now quit driving into us! OK, one more time.
Your car tabs do not pay for the roads, they pay for your car tabs or whatever else is tacked on to them.
Your drivers license fee doesn’t pay for the roads, that fee pays for the license and that’s all.
The main source of funding for the roads is from property taxes.
We don’t have user fee’s to use public roads because they are public roads, for use by the public, get it? Americans have the right to use a public road without sufferance (permission) from the state or federal government. It’s a Right that we have, understand?
So. please don’t troll anymore about how cyclists need to pay and pay and pay, WE ALREADY DO!
Now quit driving into us!

]]> By: Lamar Bass http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26580 Lamar Bass Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:33:04 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26580 "Be a community pace car. " -- just not in the left lane on the highways :-) “Be a community pace car. ” — just not in the left lane on the highways :-)

]]> By: Kevin Carrabine http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26576 Kevin Carrabine Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:16:42 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26576 A contagion drifts in...and we all feel sickened. Mike, Brad, Jake- pls remember the rules of the road out there. Sadly, I can't control anyon else's behavior, only my own. Speed limits, traffic signals, and everything else. All good stuff. See you on the road. A contagion drifts in…and we all feel sickened.

Mike, Brad, Jake- pls remember the rules of the road out there. Sadly, I can’t control anyon else’s behavior, only my own. Speed limits, traffic signals, and everything else. All good stuff.

See you on the road.

]]> By: Jake Jackson http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26549 Jake Jackson Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:03:57 +0000 http://blog.cascade.org/?p=8274#comment-26549 Brad, I couldn't agree more. Bicyclists demand to be treated the same as drivers of motorized vehicles -- until it comes to paying their way, and obeying the traffic laws. I find it very hard to take the cyclists very seriously when they display such selfishness in both daily behavior and political agendas. Fortunately, with both state and city governments short of money and facing even bigger gaps, I don't think we'll have to worry too much about a lot of money being spent on the bicycle agenda. Sooner or later, even the activists will realize that the money is simply not available to pay for their unrealistic dreams. Brad, I couldn’t agree more. Bicyclists demand to be treated the same as drivers of motorized vehicles — until it comes to paying their way, and obeying the traffic laws. I find it very hard to take the cyclists very seriously when they display such selfishness in both daily behavior and political agendas.

Fortunately, with both state and city governments short of money and facing even bigger gaps, I don’t think we’ll have to worry too much about a lot of money being spent on the bicycle agenda. Sooner or later, even the activists will realize that the money is simply not available to pay for their unrealistic dreams.

]]>