There's a discussion going on here about the Cit of Portland's 'controversial' decision to convert 8 parking spaces downtown into bike corrals that can accommodate up to two dozen bicycles each. I've never understood how Portland can be so bike-friendly and so bike-homicidal at the same time, but I was hardly surprised to see the debate devolve into an argument over why those pesky cyclists don't have to pay for parking (because parking fees help pay for road damage, and bikes don't damage the roads?) -- and after stealing prime parking spots, too! The nerve.
pmichaels, who I'm sure is a very nice person, had this to say:
My next question would be why should the bicyclists not have to pay parking? Why are they getting a free ride all the way around? They don't have to buy a license...I do. They don't have to take a test....I do. They don't have to buy insurance....I do. They don't seem to have to obey the rules of the road.....I do. They don't have to pay for parking.....I do. It seems to me the scale is tilted just a little too far toward the cyclists.
mrdennmann responded thusly:
I have to disagree with your statement. you CHOOSE to drive, get insurance, licensed and use gasoline. you have the choice, just as the bicyclists do. Perhaps your lifestyle choices have hemmed you into the automobile lifestyle? That doesn't mean that bicyclists should have to support your use of an automobile.
I have a better suggestion: get a bike, join us. perhaps not everyday, but maybe once every two weeks to start with. I think you'll be surprised how different you feel.
To which pmichaels could only reply:
to mrdennmann - You are right, I probably would feel better on a bike. Now are you going to get my right leg back for me so I can peddle???? How totally insensitive can you be? This just shows how selfish you are and are probably the same riding your bike.
Oh dear.
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