Antone's Nightclub
Don't Blame Your Frustration With Congestion on Bikers
RECEIVED Mon., April 21, 2008
Dear Editor,
Re: "Dear Bike Rider, Wake Up!" ["Postmarks," April 18]: As a bike commuter, this subject is near and dear to my heart. Every time I ride, I am aware that drivers may be deflecting their frustration with congestion on the visible target that is the biker who temporarily slows down traffic. It is not my desire to alienate drivers from the positive virtues of bicycle commuting, nor would I ever choose to bike during rush hour if I could avoid it. Of course, quite often I find that the cars also hold me up, their sheer numbers creating massive congestion around red lights.
Bikers wish that Austin offered decent, safe routes around town, but the sad reality is that they don't really exist. Never mind the bumps, glass, and gravel along the sides of the roads or that there is usually no bike lane. Avoiding heavy traffic is akin to zigzagging down side streets and alleys, waiting at stop lights that aren't triggered by a bike, and cutting along ill-maintained sidewalks, while maintaining constant awareness for negligent drivers. Fortunately, I find that most drivers are respectful and patient, and I do my best by biking hard when I know that I'm slowing down cars behind me. I'm very aware that many drivers would prefer I weren't biking, but I don't have the money to buy a car or afford the gas, don't know where I would regularly park even if I did, and don't want to live that way even if I could.
Some people live too far from their jobs to bike or require cars for their jobs. But the impact of biking on the environment is negligible compared to that of driving, idling cars withstanding. Each of us contributes to the world that we have before us. I imagine that Carl LoSchiavo's letter will provide ample grist with which a vocal minority can continue to alienate bikers and drivers from one another rather than facilitating cooperation to achieve a better transportation system. I feel that the anti-car resentment that bikers have is primarily due to a few bad apples, and the anti-biker angst tends to be fueled by those with egos and a sense of entitlement. I hope LoSchiavo will also vent his frustration constructively by advocating for more bike lanes.
Re: "Dear Bike Rider, Wake Up!" ["Postmarks," April 18]: As a bike commuter, this subject is near and dear to my heart. Every time I ride, I am aware that drivers may be deflecting their frustration with congestion on the visible target that is the biker who temporarily slows down traffic. It is not my desire to alienate drivers from the positive virtues of bicycle commuting, nor would I ever choose to bike during rush hour if I could avoid it. Of course, quite often I find that the cars also hold me up, their sheer numbers creating massive congestion around red lights.
Bikers wish that Austin offered decent, safe routes around town, but the sad reality is that they don't really exist. Never mind the bumps, glass, and gravel along the sides of the roads or that there is usually no bike lane. Avoiding heavy traffic is akin to zigzagging down side streets and alleys, waiting at stop lights that aren't triggered by a bike, and cutting along ill-maintained sidewalks, while maintaining constant awareness for negligent drivers. Fortunately, I find that most drivers are respectful and patient, and I do my best by biking hard when I know that I'm slowing down cars behind me. I'm very aware that many drivers would prefer I weren't biking, but I don't have the money to buy a car or afford the gas, don't know where I would regularly park even if I did, and don't want to live that way even if I could.
Some people live too far from their jobs to bike or require cars for their jobs. But the impact of biking on the environment is negligible compared to that of driving, idling cars withstanding. Each of us contributes to the world that we have before us. I imagine that Carl LoSchiavo's letter will provide ample grist with which a vocal minority can continue to alienate bikers and drivers from one another rather than facilitating cooperation to achieve a better transportation system. I feel that the anti-car resentment that bikers have is primarily due to a few bad apples, and the anti-biker angst tends to be fueled by those with egos and a sense of entitlement. I hope LoSchiavo will also vent his frustration constructively by advocating for more bike lanes.
Jeff Paine