You know what is really a shame in this day and time?

[silvercreek]

I think about this every time I'm out driving around or riding my bike in my small town. Not only are there no decent safe places to ride a bicycle, (no sidewalks) I see handicapped people having to ride their scooters and wheelchairs in the street. There was an elderly handycapped man killed here last year trying to cross a 4 lane road on his electric scooter. I realize there are lots of budget limitations in these economic times but come on folks, have we not more considerations for at least the physically impaired?

I know this is falling on deaf ears but I just had to vent. Thanks for reading.

 

[MR D]

I hear ya on the handicapped predicament. I live in an area where it's not always easy for these folks to simply get around (The grocery store and such). And, when they do manage to get to their destination they face curbs and barriers that make it even tougher to keep mobile.

As far as riding bikes on the sidewalks, it's my assumption that it's still illegal to do so...just not enforced. Little kids seem to have no choice seeing that many drivers in smaller neighborhoods treat the streets as highways! They are not looking for people (children) on bikes in the roadway...very dangerous.

When we ride at night, we use the streets and all bikes have illumination of some sort. We stay close together and abide by the rules of the road. WE have the same rights as motorized vehicles do. Sure it may become dangerous at times, but if we stay to the right and don't blow through yield and stop signs we are just fine. Most times we are given the right of way by motorists.

 

[Lawrence Ruskin]

There are lots of towns where it's fairly safe to get around because there are plenty of bike lanes.

Vancouver, Canada would be one.

Gosh, the key to it is electing a decent city government. We got rid of a bad, corrupt government here and had bike lanes in the first term, and it's improved every year.

So get rid of the right wing governments; works in Seattle and Portland...

 

[Larmo63]

"So get rid of the right wing governments.....?"

What? Only liberals ride bicycles?

What an effing stupid comment.

 

[slick]

This should have been in the break room i think.......A whole new war of words is going to begin on our government. Commencing countdown in 3...2...

 

[MagicRat]

Dont get me started on left wing loon tree hugging hypocrite liberals...

Occupiers.

 

[Boris]

This should have been in the break room i think.......A whole new war of words is going to begin on our government. Commencing countdown in 3...2...

...and why not? We've always been so successful in the past about changing each others minds about political and personal beliefs here on the CABE.

 

[MagicRat]

Critical Mass...

A Very Well deserved run over...

Get out the way you self important dopes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF7uY9ydMYc

 

[jwm]

No money for curb cuts? Interesting. I see you're in red-state OK. Here in deep blue CA, the state is stone broke, yet somehow, gazillions of dollars in federal stimulus funding appeared to put curb cuts in EVERY intersection in EVERY neighborhood, EVERYwhere. And not just curb cuts- These things are also fitted with rain grooves, and soft rubber bumpy pads just in case- just in case- a blind man without a seeing eye dog might happen along. They all have to be made ADA compliant. It doesn't matter how remote the intersection.
I've done my share of concrete work. These handicap cuts are not easily made, and they would run into five serious figures a piece if an individual wished to install one on his own. Millions of them have been built, and they are still at it. Who do you suppose pays for all this?
For cryin' out loud the lifeguard stations at some beaches here are equipped with wheelchair ramps. They don't want to discriminate, just in case a paraplegic with good swimming skills may someday wish to be a lifeguard at a heavy surf beach. I am not kidding.
Compassion is all well and good. But the Buddhists caution against what they deem "idiot compassion"- well meaning efforts that ultimately do far more harm than good.

JWM

 

[Waterland]

It's not "compassion," it's making sure everyone has equal access to the same public services. Imagine how you would feel if you couldn't reach a public drinking fountain, or use a public toilet, or use public sidewalks, or go through a doorway to an establishment. It doesn't matter what the cost to provide these services, peoplenin wheelchairs deserve to be treated wuth equal respect, and that means that accomodations need to be made.