Comments on: Ramblings From Guardian

By: Zippo

Zippo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:48:48 +0000

The libs* think Europe is great… but did you know a typical middle class European rents a home and only owns the basics inside plus there clothing… and rides the public transportation. No car.

Some in Amerika think that is great, but I bet most would not if they’d only look away from Oprah long enough to notice. Time to get to work and earn what we have… and also stop government from destroying what we have (for our own good… so we can live “well”, like a European).

*Lib = overly smart person with high carbon footprint trying to force others to live “better” lives through high taxation.

By: David Zarkin

David Zarkin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:36:25 +0000

France: Lighten up if $4 coke was the most you paid for refreshments there. What about air pollution? Everyone driving diesels even though public transportation is great. And how about a waiter shouting at you: “Blouseon” meaning you need to wear a suit jacket. Dinner at 11 pm? No thanks. But the Rodan exhibit, super.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:48:28 +0000

ADR saw bicyclists ” forcing cars that were driving at 50mph speeds to swing around them into the oncoming lane.”
Um, no; the drivers chose to head toward oncoming cars. There is an alternative: Slow down until there’s a safe place to pass.
That’s what I do, and I haven’t hit any bicyclists (knock on wood) or any oncoming cars.
Yeah, it ticks off the drivers behind me, but tough! They need to learn to respect — or at least tolerate — everyone else on the road, including bikers and those of us who prefer not running over bicyclists (and pedestrians).

By: sam the sham

sam the sham — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:57:13 +0000

saw a sign “Boise is Bicycle Friendly”

which it isn’t, so why the sign?

By: ADR

ADR — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:56:13 +0000

I ridden bikes for over 40 years, when I’m on mine I pretty much presume that I am invisible to cars. I also stay off of major arterials, especially ones with higher speed limits. Just yesterday I saw 4 different cyclists on 2-way 50mph roads that have no bike lanes, forcing cars that were driving at 50mph speeds to swing around them into the oncoming lane. I also saw another bicyclist at the corner of an intersection, still on the roadway, changing a flat tire when a sidewalk was less than 10 feet away that he could have used to get himself out of traffic.

Speaking AS a lifelong bicyclist, I find this type of behavior by other cyclists not only to be irresponsible and inconsiderate, but extremely dangerous. Sure there are plenty of bad drivers in cars and I make no apologies for any of them, but most of the cycling community in Boise as a whole has a long way to go to clean up their act. Just my personal observation after riding bikes in Boise most of my life.

Oh, and one other thing. Almost every time someone has something negative to say about the bicyclists in Boise, there is an immediate outcry about how they have all these rights and laws on their side. Just a news flash, all the laws and rights don’t mean doodly if you get hit by a car, you are still injured or dead. Best forget about your ‘rights’ and ride defensively as hell.

By: James Bond

James Bond — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:14:27 +0000

I’ve commuted on bikes quite a bit, and I also avoid major roads. I know the area well enough to get around them, although there are times, depending upon your destination, where it is not possible to avoid them completely. I do not get bikers who routinely ride major roads. I see some on State Street, which makes no sense whatsoever. I have had many close calls, all of which were the fault of drivers not paying attention.

By: Mr. Nice

Mr. Nice — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:32:07 +0000

It baffles me that so many bicyclists risk their lives every day. If they make a mistake they die, if a motorist makes a mistake they die. I don’t ride on any street that has a speed limit higher than 25. I try to take the backroads through neighborhoods or the greenbelt. If there is no bike lane I sometimes get on the sidewalk. The moral? The paranoid survive!

By: foundinidaho

foundinidaho — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:34:49 +0000

My boss and I had to travel to Europe about five years ago together. I drink, she doesn’t. She was joking by the end that she ought to take up drinking wine because it was just as expensive for her Diet Coke as my Chardonnay.

By: Taxed Out!

Taxed Out! — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:18:53 +0000

Here are my random thoughts on bikes:

Why is there so much anger in drivers when we discuss the subject of bicycles? Why is there so much anger when bicyclist talk about drivers? Competition for the same space on the roadways? Over crowding?

If its stupidity, it seems, per capita, there are as many careless drivers as bicycle riders? Drivers can do more damage, quicker.

Which of us can say they have not done something stupid while driving or riding a bike. There but for the grace of God, we all could be the person who caused a collision of some sort.

I ride my bike to work most days, year round. Fortunately, I can take the greenbelt for 80% of the trip. If I had to ride on a busy road–I would drive.

When I am on my bike on the greenbelt I am making more room for all drivers–not to mention health benefits for me–less pollution–less demand for gasoline.

ACHD needs to make room for bicycles but not on busy roads. It needs to figure out alternative routes–separate but equal?

Is there any street where bicycles get priority? Not that I know of. There are many low auto volume streets that would make good alternatives for bikes. Why does ACHD not use them to route bicycles away from busy streets?

Will making more bike paths get rid of bad drivers and bad bicyclist? No! It may get others to ride bikes and leave more room on the roads.

The ACHD seems to be more interested in keeping cars and bikes on its roads. Bike lanes on busy roads that end just before intersections are not the solution and increase tensions between bikers and drivers.

Build well thought out, connected bike paths and most bicyclist will use them instead of busy roads. Well, maybe.

Is there a perfect solution? I doubt it but we could do more? Is it cost effective to encourage bike travel?

Can we ever fix the traffic problems with more roads? I doubt it.

By: sam the sham

sam the sham — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:11:02 +0000

Most people who ride bikes also drive in a car (at least once in a while) but not all people who drive a car ride bikes.
People who ride bikes are not the only people in danger from some of those “I own the road, even the part you are on” kind of drivers…. even people in cars are in danger with those people behind the wheel.

Europe – wine is less expensive than soda pop and Coke.