Comments on: Obama: I’ll Boost Funds for Bike-Ped Projects If Elected

By: Judah

Judah — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:47:49 +0000

Sammy,

Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to... provide for the... general welfare of the United States."

By: Doc Barnett

Doc Barnett — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:07:14 +0000

"Can someone tell me where in the Constitution it authorizes the President to provide funding for cycling and pedestrian projects..."

It's right above the part that authorizes the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:15:56 +0000

Can someone tell me where in the Constitution it authorizes the President to provide funding for cycling and pedestrian projects because I've looked real hard and I can't seem to find it anywhere?

Seriously, is there no limit to what we want the imperial federal government to provide for us by first taking from us?

By: Marshall Perrin

Marshall Perrin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:25:45 +0000

In plenty of areas, riding on the sidewalk is perfectly legal. (This is true throughout Los Angeles, for instance.) I'm not saying this is a good idea - bikes are best in the street, and streets are best when they're designed for bikes as well as cars - but there's no reason to criticize Obama for his choice of biking paths. I suspect that riding on the sidewalk was perfectly legal where he was. (And furthermore I suspect that there are usually few to no pedestrians on those sidewalks, anyway. Another effect of car-oriented development...)

By: john the bicyclist

john the bicyclist — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:07:21 +0000

Is he another politician who will say anything to get elected? Possibly. The real force to change will come from everyday issues(high oil prices, wars dragging on ad infinatum, car traffic), not our politicians / elected officials, typically beholdent to industry (the "military industrial complex" and Detroit).

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:53:39 +0000

He was riding with little kids, I say let him ride on the sidewalk.

By: Urbanis

Urbanis — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:14:32 +0000

He's okay without the lights because it's daytime but the sidewalk is troubling. Is it an off-street bike lane, perhaps? Also, are the Obamas on a tandem bicycle?

By: brodart

brodart — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:50:57 +0000

In NYC, Obama would get beaten up and arrested for riding like that on the sidewalk. He also doesn't look like he's signaling or stopping at that T intersection, both punishable with up to 30 days in jail in bike-friendly New York. It also looks like there's a lot of shade there - I wonder if he has proper front and rear lights? I think those are $150 offenses each. At least he has reflectors, front and rear brakes and a helmet.

On a practical note also, he should have his chain-side pants hiked up - he's going to destroy his stone-washed jeans!

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:26:51 +0000

After Bush, the presidency will be a booby prize. Whoever wins will have to deal with a populace angrily stranded in an obsolete car-dominated landscape and demanding alternatives. Those alternatives will cost a lot to build and can't be built overnight. But building them may be the best thing that ever happened to us. The bad news is that we have to rebuild our country. The good news is that we get to rebuild our country.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:54:18 +0000

As the head of the federal government, there isn't much the President could really do to promote bicycles as a means of transportation.

As the leader of the United States, however, he could do a lot.

After all, when W. said "borrow and spend and don't worry about the consequences for later" in the wake of 9/11, Americans responded!