FLCC> Commuting and Climate Change

Sun Apr 27 20:08:14 EDT 2008

To follow up on some comments from Wayne and others, I agree that visibility
of the local cycling community is very important (so, get out and ride).
 Additionally, though, relationships between cycling groups and the city and
town are also important.  Getting to know planning officers and local gov't
reps is important. These are the people that we are looking to to make
changes on our behalf.  One way to start to "work together" might be to
organize an event.  If there is support from the city, a downtown circuit
race (just one example chosen from numerous possibilities) might be a good
way to raise visibility and work together to identify and address some
issues as part of planning for the logistics of the race (ie road conditions
and hazards, traffic).  The one-on-one time with city and town planners and
others in organizing an event may help when you are going to the city or
town looking for changes in traffic patterns, road improvements, etc.  Race
day also provides a forum to present cycling issues to a non-cycling crowd.
Todd

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 4:47 PM, Kent Johnson <kjohnson at cityofithaca.org>
wrote:

> Hello -
>
> Thanks for the comments regarding bicycling issues! Feedback such as
> this helps to identify problem areas and issues, and helps to show that
> there is broad community interest in reducing those problems.
>
> I look forward to continuing this discussion and have signed-up to
> participate on the FLCC email list. Often, however, these issues defy
> brief email replies - so a phone call may be better (I can be reached at
> 274-6528 - you can leave a message outside of work hours). (and, did you
> know that the City of Ithaca has a "Potholes" listing in the phonebook?
> - 272-1718 - just tell them where the pothole is and they will patch it
> relatively soon, really).
>
> At this point, I am trying to brainstorm about the best way to move
> forward to improve conditions for bicyclists (and pedestrians, transit
> users, motorists, etc.) and I invite your input.
>
> Thanks,
> Kent
>
> PS - I work in the City's Engineering Office, Transportation Division
> addressing all types of transportation-related issues. In particular, I
> have been trying to focus extra attention on bicycling issues since this
> is a topic that is seldom specifically addressed and bicycling in Ithaca
> seems to be greatly undeveloped as compared to other travel modes.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Kent Johnson
> Transportation Engineering Technician
> Office of the City Engineer
> City of Ithaca
> 108 E. Green St.
> Ithaca, New York 14850
> (607) 274-6528, (607) 327-0316 (cell)
> kjohnson at cityofithaca.org
>
>
> >>> jim eagen <jeplus3 at yahoo.com> 4/20/2008 10:29 AM >>>
> Thought this was an interesting blurb, maybe some of you saw it, from
> the NY Times Magazine this weekend:
>
> "BIKETOWN MELLOW: Johnny, a play on maillot jaune, French for "yellow
> jersey," was Lance Armstrong's nickname during his Tour de France
> days. Next month, Mellow Johnny's will be the name of a multiuse
> facility Armstrong is backing in Austin, Tex., that features bicycle
> sales and repairs, a cafe, bicycle parking for downtown residents and
> commuters, spin classes and showers. The old 18,000-square-foot,
> yellow-and-red-brick building was, in previous incarnations, a Pearl
> beer distributorship and a homeless center. Armstrong and his general
> partner, Bart Knaggs, say they wanted to use as much of the existing
> infrastructure as possible. The showers from the shelter days seemed
> like an ideal incentive for bike commuters in a city that experiences
> spring and summer temperatures for much of the year. "If you want
> people to ride an hour to work, and their workplace doesn't have a gym
> and it's 100 in summer," Armstrong says, "you can't go to
>  work that way." While Mellow Johnny's is a for-profit endeavor,
> Knaggs says he hopes that offering "one bazillion" bicycle-parking
> spaces at a nominal fee will have a positive environmental impact.
> "It's more about shifting a local mind-set about alternative
> transportation," he says, a nod to the fact that Texans — even those
> in this, the most liberal, eco-conscious city in the state — often
> feel dutybound to drive even to the corner store. And how does Mellow
> Johnny's propose to meet its own energy needs? With conventional
> sources, though pedal power may put a little energy into the grid.
> "We're looking for ways to use pedal power so that we can charge
> up the building a little bit," says Armstrong, who, while he has no
> immediate plans to work the register, might be the one whose r.p.m. runs
> the espresso machine."
>
> Jim Eagen
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Daniel Kidney <daniel.kidney at gmail.com>
> To: Peter Ozolins <peter at peterozolins.com>; flcc at icycle.org
> Cc: kjohnson at cityofithaca.org
> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 11:02:41 PM
> Subject: Re: FLCC> Commuting and Climate Change
>
> Kent, maybe you could read the below messages, also part of our
> conversation among the FLCC.
>
> Peter, I absolutely agree. A few times I've had my lack of a car
> clearly looked down upon when applying for jobs, and several times I've
> just refrained from
> applying as it was clearly stated in the job
> description that car ownership was a necessity. I understand the motives
> of employers in seeking people with reliable transportation, but it sure
> would be nice if employers actually looked positively on bike commuters
> (or other non-personal-car commuting). Perhaps city businesses could be
> offered incentives to encourage their employees to get to work on bikes!
> (And help them out with some of the down sides Peter mentioned).
>
> That's my final plug for the moment as I'm off for a little interstate
> bike commuting to go check out a college I might go to this fall in
> Pennsylvania. See you all next week!
>
> Daniel
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 5:07 PM, Peter Ozolins <peter at peterozolins.com>
> wrote:
>
> What about approaching it from the employer end? For me at least, the
> biggest headache is dealing with bringing stuff, what to do with stuff
> when  I get there, and of course dealing with being dirty and wet.
> Promote employers promoting bike commuting.
>
> In CA, there's a law that you're entitled to the cash value OR a
> parking
> spot if ine is offered at your job.
>
> At Qualty  Bicycle Products in MN,employees win sone hefty prizes for
> most miles comuted, etc.
>
> These kinds of thugs could add up to a hefty pr coup in thus day and
> age. it just needs to be promoted or sold.
>
>  Peter Ozolins
>  peter[at]peterozolins[dot]com
>  607.592.1997
>  Sent via mimi
> _____________________________
>
>
>
>
> Wayne Gottlieb wrote:
> > Daniel, this has been an ongoing discussion among FLCC
> > people, sometime on-line, sometimes on the bike.
> > There are many of us who bike commute and would like
> > to see bigger numbers.  It seems that higher gas
> > prices and the whole global warming thing makes this a
> > good time to promote bicycle commuting. It seems that
> > Ithaca has particular difficulties, despite our image
> > of being a progressive town.  We have those darn
> > hills, those 6 month winters and our roads just aren't
> > very bike friendly.  There's this catch 22 that nobody
> > wants to ride because the roads are too dangerous, and
> > the city won't consider bicycles in their plans
> > because not enough people ride.  How do we help people
> > overcome their aversion to riding and how do we
> > convince the city that many more will ride if roads
> > are planned accordingly.  If we are made aware of a
> > specific action that we can take to promote this
> > issue, I think you will get many people in the club
> > helping out.  Perhaps some of us should be writing
> > letters to the editor for a start.  I would love to
> > have more people to ride to work with and I would love
> > for there to be less cars on that ride.  By the way,
> > don't hold your breath about the parking lots. Wayne
>
>
>
>
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