Alarmingly Ignorant Op-Ed on Bike Share in Washington Times

[jordash]

“HURT: Capital Bikeshare is making biking ugly, smugly”
by Charles Hurt

Highlights of this ridiculous op-ed include:

“…red communal bicycles you see peddled all over town by commune enthusiasts. (Say that fast, and it sounds like you are saying “commun-ists.”)”

“Oh, and the smugness with which these pedaling heroes pump away! I have seen proud drivers of Priuses look away in shame as they ease by in their bio-electric and sometimes spontaneously combustible vehicles.”

“My personal pride in the program reached a new level last week after reading about a woman in my neighborhood who was talking on her cellular phone. A thug rode by on a bike, slapped her and swiped her phone.”

Clearly it’s more important than ever to be vocal proponents of cycling. I don’t use Bike Share because I like my own bike, but it’s appalling to me to see others discourage a sound lifestyle decision: biking. Now, BikeShare isn’t beyond reproach but constructive criticism instead of mockery and a caustic op-ed is hardly productive to help cities suffering from overcrowded roads, an overweight nation, and a world in need of environmental infrastructure.

(Sorry, the article’s a bit old, but I felt compelled to post it)

Topic

[MV Clyde]

I really like the “Love your Commute” slogan. I think it would resonate with anyone who lives/works/drives in the DC area. It would seriously get their attention because everyone hates their commute…..except cyclists. And maybe slugs. Cyclists are the only commuters I see smiling.

[KLizotte]

@MV Clyde 24956 wrote:

Cyclists are the only commuters I see smiling.

I know some walkers who enjoy their commute. For once the peds and cyclists would be on the same page.

[KelOnWheels]

@MV Clyde 24956 wrote:

Cyclists are the only commuters I see smiling.

I love that! Everyone I see on bikes in the mornings is smiling. We all look like we’re getting away with something awesome.

[Author]

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