Missed connection

Ray LaHood is a lifelong Republican, although he's currently the Secretary of Transportation in a Democratic administration. LaHood is perhaps the single most important individual in the U.S. today in terms of bike policy and bike infrastructure funding. He has been a very visible supporter of cycling. He has been pushing the government to give equal consideration to cyclists and pedestrians when designing and building new transportation infrastructure. As the Secretary of Transportation, he has a mighty big role to play.

Of course, he doesn't carry out every project design and funding decision himself. But he has proven himself to be a major supporter of cycling in the U.S. and maybe the most important person for bicycling in the U.S. over the past few years.

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Originally Posted by PotomacCyclist

Ray LaHood is a lifelong Republican, although he's currently the Secretary of Transportation in a Democratic administration. LaHood is perhaps the single most important individual in the U.S. today in terms of bike policy and bike infrastructure funding. He has been a very visible supporter of cycling. He has been pushing the government to give equal consideration to cyclists and pedestrians when designing and building new transportation infrastructure. As the Secretary of Transportation, he has a mighty big role to play.

Of course, he doesn't carry out every project design and funding decision himself. But he has proven himself to be a major supporter of cycling in the U.S. and maybe the most important person for bicycling in the U.S. over the past few years.

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Okay, good point.

But does he ride?

I don't know. It's not important. It's hard to see how LaHood could be any more of a supporter of cycling than he already is. He is helping to make current and future streets, bridges and trails safer for cyclists. He is in a position where his efforts can make an enormous difference. Whether he rides or not doesn't make a difference. I assume he does at least some riding, or did in his past.

He was recently speaking about the importance of safety for urban cyclists. Someone said that he sounded like a "run-of-the-mill hipster." LaHood replied that he doesn't even know what the term means. In the end, I'd rather have a Secretary of Transportation who doesn't know what a hipster is but is a solid bike advocate than the other way around.

Granted, there are a few vocal bike critics in the Republican Party (including the so-called spokesperson of the Arlington Republican Party) but that seems to be just a vocal minority. Former president George W. Bush is also a mountain biking enthusiast, though bike infrastructure was not a main focus during his time in office.

As someone pointed out, cycling does not automatically need to be a partisan issue. Bike enthusiasts and advocates don't help themselves by making it a Democrat-only issue. Large numbers of both Republicans and Democrats ride bikes, but for some reason, bike infrastructure has come to be seen by a certain segment as threatening the transportation system and the economy. Fans of everyday cycling need as many political supporters as they can get.

[Hitting the Like button]

I don't care if you are a member of the National Orangutan Party, if you advocate on behalf of the cycling community, you are terrific.

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Originally Posted by acc

I don't care if you are a member of the National Orangutan Party, if you advocate on behalf of the cycling community, you are terrific.

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Speaking as a card carrying member of the Orangutan Party, I can only say Amen, sista!

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Originally Posted by acc

[Hitting the Like button]

I don't care if you are a member of the National Orangutan Party, if you advocate on behalf of the cycling community, you are terrific.

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Dr. Zaius approves of this message.

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/332/drzaius.th.jpg

Woot, he'd look great on a bike!
Ann

Let me paint you a picture...

After 35 miles on the wad this past Saturday. We were coming back to the Vienna community center. A rec center class was letting out and there was a childrens' birthday party so traffic was very thick and slow moving. The pace was maybe 7mph.

I called "turning left" loud enough for my partner to hear about 10' ahead. I checked my mirror and everyone was maintaining pace. I began to decelerate and turn to the left. At the same time the worlds greatest cyclist tells me I should have signaled...he was the one passing me over a solid line in traffic against traffic.

That was one of those moments where if you where behind me you would grit your teeth and get ready to stop.

After that I realized I want to try to help.

Please, a little more information. This is my neighborhood, the Vienna Community Center and I wish I understood your post better. I agree, that section of the path along the building can be tricky. The intersection at Park can be deceiving too.

Best wishes,
Ann

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.901...ed=0CBcQ8gEwAA


I tend to run on a bit so I was trying to keep it short. :)

Vienna has a beautiful section of the trail, but there is no way the racers can maintain cruising speed there.

We happened to be there at 9 am and 1 pm. When we where getting started we saw that there was a children's' exercise class going on when within feet of the trail a team flew past us heading East at speeds that were dangerous no matter what their skill level.