Freeze Until Stupid

While stumbling around the other day, I came across an older article on Treehugger.com.  The article takes on the way that colder climate communities manage resources after snowfall.  The argument of the author is that cities spend their budgets to benefit private interest by plowing roadways before sidewalks and bike paths.  Sometimes Stumbling can derail a good day into a irritated rant of disgust...

Needless to say after reading this I was completely stunned at the complete stupidity behind the entire article.  Does this author know that ambulances, firetrucks, police, and the entire network of resources used by everyone in a city depend on the roads?  If a city spent their budgets on clearing bike paths and sidewalks first even a devout cyclist would complain when an ambulance is stuck several blocks away in the snow when they are having a heart attack from shoveling their driveway.

As much as I am for the use of bicycles, common sense does not get checked in at the door.  Those that use a bike during the winter months are fully aware of how the city they live in prioritizes path and sidewalk access.  They know that with enough snowfall, that some days they just have to find another way to get somewhere.  It is a bicycle, and not the most efficient design for severe winter weather (unless you have the one picture below).  To complain about the city not catering to cyclists during winter months is easily the best way to make cities want to ignore cyclists as a whole and label them "kooks".  It is always morons that have no concept of reality and cannot think past their own purpose or need, that makes things harder for everyone else.  

Better than your average road bike in snow.

The numbers for winter cycling is interesting.  The Author must not have a concept of services by need and use.  He cites another article that states-spending the bulk of money on car access is "unfair, unbalanced and undemocratic".  Overall, cyclists in the U.S. make up 2% of trips.  That means 98% of trips are by car.  In winter, only 20% of that 2% continue to ride.  Many of the cyclists that do not ride in winter do so because of the temperature, not the snow.   So it does not matter if there is one inch of snow on the bike path or thirty.  With his argument, it is just as unfair that Walmart employees do not have their own traffic lane that gets priority maintenance over the rest.  

To extend my observation of the articles lack of "getting it", again, you can follow the link to see it in full, but here are the pictures the author thought fit his point best.  Upon looking at the pictures I wondered why someone would complain about the roads condition when their own front steps and the bike they intent to ride are not cleared off.  I'm sure if the city cleared the sidewalk there would be a complaint that the city damaged their bike along with a law suit with pain and suffering due to an emotional attachment to their now deceased left pedal.  

photo credit Andyscamera

The next picture really exemplifies his complaint well, that road in the background certainly looks well maintained with an unfair balance of resources.  With so much money being thrown at driving over the snow to pack it down instead of plowing I would be angry as well (sarcasm implied).   

Photo Credit Laurie Mcgregor

This is the reason why there is resistance to giving any budget money to cycling at all.  Those that you give an inch, always want a mile.  The rest of us that would revel having the inch get screwed by the louder idiots that ruin it because they lack the ability to use mental functions other than selfishness.  I am glad that my community clears the roads in a systematic way by need and use.  It starts with emergency access, main thoroughfares and then down to alleys and goat trails.  If the author of the treehugger article even rides in the snow at all, and his path is not clear... in the event that his bike gets stuck, get off, pick it up, and move on.  Maybe he would like to try that with a firetruck if his home was on fire.  Despite this guy and his opinion, people that ride in winter still manage to face the challenge.. most of them willingly and with a smile.