The League of American Bicyclists maintains a pretty neat page called "Who's Trash Talking Bikes." It documents recent comments by politicians and radio personalities who make disparaging comments about bicycling, cyclists, or bicycle funding. The most recently documented comments were by Congressman Eric Cantor (Republican-VA), who is also the House Minority Whip:
On NPR's morning news program "The Take Away," Senator Eric Cantor said, “To give you just an example, $3 million went to the District of Columbia. You know what they did with that money? They’re going to go build bike paths, and they’re going to increase the number of bike racks in neighborhoods like Georgetown. I don’t think that that’s a stimulative move.”
This page is a useful resource for anyone concerned with keeping politicians accountable for their words and actions relating to cycling and transportation issues. Considering the source, the website aggressively supports spending on bicycle infrastructure. Even if you disagree with that philosophy (and some well intentioned cyclists do, myself excluded), it's good to be aware of the rhetoric being thrown around.
2 comments:
I found that quote especially interesting as my aunt and uncle in Virginia rode their bikes 30+ minutes each way to work in DC for years. They're retired now, but I'm sure they would have appreciated the bike paths.
Good way to keep tabs on my best bud John Boehner.
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