Conference noted::bicycle

1791.0. "Congressional resolution on bicycling" by GLDOA::AUGHINBAUGH () Fri Nov 30 1990 11:23

    The League of American Wheelmen recently informed its members of a
    resolution submitted to the House of Representatives encouraging
    greater attention to bicycling transportation, and the L.A.W. urges
    cyclists to write their representatives in support of this resolution.
    The resolution, H. Con. Res. 369 has been referred to the Committee on
    Public Works and Transportation, and should be considered in the spring
    of 1991.
    
    Here is the League's sample letter to your congressman, followed by the
    text of the resolution:
    
    Dear Representative, 
    
    I support H. Con. Res. 369 and am asking you to support it. Support for
    an improved bicycling environment will yield manifold benefits,
    including reduction of fuel consumption, reduction of air pollution,
    reduction of suburban and urban congestion, and development of a
    healthier population of Americans.
    
    Sincerely,
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MR. DEFAZIO, FOR HIMSELF AND MR.
    OBERSTAR AND MR. KENNEDY, SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING CONCURRENT
    RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND
    TRANSPORTATION:
    
    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING
    THE DESIRABILITY OF PROMOTING THE SAFE AND INCREASED USE OF BICYCLING
    AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
    
    RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (THE SENATE CONCURRING),
    
    	o Whereas national transportation policy is to promote the use of
    bicycling as a means of transportation and bicyclists are recognized as
    legitimate highway users in all 50 states;
    
    	o Whereas bicycling is a viable and practical means of
    transportation for millions of Americans and could be part of the
    solution to urban and suburban congestion, pollution, and energy waste
    if more people bicycled instead of driving;
    
    	o Whereas more than 50 percent of commuters in the United States
    have a journey to work of 5 miles or less, an ideal distance for
    bicycling, and yet less than 1 percent currently commute by bicycle;
    
    	o Whereas most economic competitors of the United States enjoy much
    higher levels of bicycle use, for example in Japan 15 percent of trips
    to work are by bicycle, in Switzerland 10 percent, in the Netherlands
    30 percent, and in West Germany 11 percent;
    
    	o Whereas bicycling is a healthy and popular recreational activity
    enjoyed by more than 90,000,000 Americans in 1989;
    
    	o Whereas more new bicycles have been sold over the last 10 years
    than new cars and bicycles outnumber cars by 2 to 1 across the world;
    
    	o Whereas the Congress recommended in 1989 that the Department of
    Transportation should have at least one full-time staff person
    overseeing a national bicycle program, and
    
    	o Whereas if bicycling is to continue to grow in popularity and
    practicality, people need more safe places to ride, both on- and
    off-highway: Now, therefore, be it
    
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That
    it is the sense of the Congress that---
    
    (1) an adequate level of professional staff in Federal, State, regional
    and local transportation agencies should work to promote the use of
    bicycles as a means of transportation;
    
    (2) to help prevent the nearly 1,000 annual bicycle accident
    fatalities, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should
    give bicycle safety a higher priority;
    
    (3) the Department of Transportation should more adequately define the
    strategies by which it will implement its policy of promoting bicycle
    use;
    
    (4) State and local governments should promote and develop safe places
    to ride on highways, byways, trails, and abandoned railroad corridors;
    and
    
    (5) State and local governments should encourage engineers and planners
    to take a leadership role in integrating the needs of bicyclists into
    the design, construction, reconstruction, maintenance, operation and
    management of the Nation's transportation system.
     
    
    

    Gee, that's an easy thing for them to support, too because they don't
    have to put up any money.
    
    ed
    (now in Hong Kong)

    
    Ed's reaction was close to mine.  But there's more...
    
    There's no teeth, no metrics, hardly any substance to the resolution.
    It almost sounds worse than nothing - so that Congress, the States,
    and everyone else can point to a piece of paper and say, "Hey, we've
    done our part - we've passed a resolution!"  (Whoopee)
    
    I have mixed feelings.  This is not a black-and-white issue.  Oregon
    devotes 1% of its highway funds to cycling (largely towards superb
    cycling lanes along their highways).  States like NC, SC, NH, or even
    "pinko-liberal" Mass. are a long way from being approached with such
    a "hare-brained" suggestion.
    
    Telling people to commute 5-10 miles to work (as the resolution hints
    we could, and I do) ... and like Bicycling magazine's "beat Iraq" editorial,
    turns a blind eye towards the traffic situation and road-layout of
    especially the "modern" New Age cities such as, oh, Charlotte - 
    where it is ludicrous and suicidal to get on trunk roads with your
    bike except at 2am; and at certain points there are NO alternatives
    to getting on those roads for many people.  (I have alternatives, because
    I gave up living in a safer, nicer neighborhood, so that I could bike
    to work.  If you have kids, for example, would you do that?)
    
    It's a whole complex.  It's a cultural dilemma.  Yes, we can change 
    things, but it's not just changing people's attitudes - it also means
    changing (a) huge capital momentum (condo developments, mall
    developments, roadways to feed them), (b) the existing network.
    
    Don't get me wrong.  Things can be changed; and we should work
    relentlessly to that end.  But on that scale, a milque-toast resolution
    is ineffectual at best, and can be counterproductive (lulling the
    officials and public).  The Bicycling editorial, from workers in
    Emmaus PA, imply that cyclists who don't commute are just being
    wimps - "Get some rain gear, some lighting, and hit the streets."
    
    Some people in this conference have been doing this already for
    years - showing determination and courage.  But don't berate
    heads-of-household in American motorized dream cities from being
    reluctant.  It is not just a question of showers at work.  It is
    a question of Medivac availability and life insurance policies.
    
    Meanwhile, I will continue to commute by bike as much as I can,
    within the bounds of safety.
    
    <end-of-rant>
    
    -john

    Re: .2
    
    I agree that we should all do what we can to replace or commuting
    vehicles with bicycles.  I'd like to see companies like DEC provide
    facilities that would make it conducive for employees to ride to work. 
    I would certainly commute to work if there existed safe areas to park
    the bikes, shower facilities and a storage area for work clothes, etc.  
    Riding to work is the easy part...  I wonder if DEC would go for such 
    an idea??
    
    Eric

If they are serious they would put the necessary legislation into the highway
code that applies to any road that is supported with federal funding.

Of course that would make running a bicyclist down on an applicable highway a 
federal offense.  That means the offending driver would get time in a country
club prison.

Lobbying is more effective at the state and local level where results can be
connected directly to actions and budgets.  If state and local gov't aren't
interested the situation of running to a rich uncle to try to force things
can only accomplish limited things.

It makes it more obvious if you can point to a politician whose victory
supporting alternate transportation causes or a defeat for not can be used
as an example.

Everybody seems to agree that the resolution does nothing, per se.

Just the same, if congress gets a lot of mail regarding it,
they might consider it a notch higher on the priority list next time.

If it passes without notice, then it will be regarded as a subject
of public apathy the next time.

-Jeff Bell