I don't mean to pick on one political party or another. But I simply must ask: Why do some conservatives go totally apopleptic when the subject of bicycles comes up?
I think Dorothy Rabinowiz's rant about the New York's new bike share program takes the cake:
Now I will say, in her defense, that I used to respect and even admire Ms. Rabinowitz. Sure, she has always been more "conservative" (whatever that means) than I am on most issues. However, she took a courageous--and, as it turned out, correct--stance back in the days when it seemed that every week, some hapless day care worker was being incarcerated over testimony that included "recovered memories" and other since-discredited evidence.
Please note that I am as disgusted as anyone can be by adults who abuse children sexually or otherwise. However, I also don't want to see people punished for crimes they didn't commit. That, in essence, was Ms. Rabinowitz's stance when Kelly Michaels and others lost years or decades of their lives over the wildest stories imaginable.
What's happened to her since? Why exactly does she think bikes are such a scourge? While I agree, to some degree, with her criticisms of Mayor Bloomberg, I think that she doesn't represent the majority of citizens, as she believes she does.
I find it offensive that she considers that tourists don't know the rules of the road.
ReplyDeleteBeing a "conservative," will she support the "liberal" Weiner when he carries out his promise to rip all the (expletive deleted) bike lanes out? Anti-cycling screeds come from all ends of the political spectrum - making cycling truly bipartisan.
Steve--The dirty little secret is that the "tourists" people like her decty are the ones who keep the city--and will keep the bike share program--going.
ReplyDeleteGood point about Anthony Weiner. Although I rather liked him back in the day, I have a hard time not snickering when I hear his last name because I think about his "sexting" scandal!