On Thursday, May 29, 2014, the city council voted 10 to 1 to remove the bicycle lanes, man talk about a vote to Keep San Antonio LAME. People in the Cycling Community feel anger at those who voted for the removal which is every council person and the mayor except one Shirley Gonzales, District 5 Council Woman. After pleas from the us, they still voted to remove them. I have a funny feeling this is not the last one, and we're going to be having this fight again sometime soon. I don't know why our mayor wanted to become Rob Ford, but he did because this crack smoking mayor did the same thing back in 2012.
The people who came out and spoke against the bike lanes were old people from COPS Metro Alliance. Take a good look at these people, and notice, not one of these people are under the age of 50. What I found very ironic is that these same people just an hour before where complaining about the sprawl and were asking the city council to vote for the SAWS recommendation of fee hikes. I guess these people didn't get the memo that cars are the thing that is causing the sprawl and not the bicycle, but they simply don't see it that way.
What I also found infuriating was the fact that this guy, Ruben Sauceda brought in another person to testify against the lanes so he could get more time to speak. You know I was planning to start encouraging my friends to start to visit the grocery store La Fiesta, but since the bicycle lanes are going to be removed, there's simply no need to. I'm not going to go to a store that thinks that bicycle lanes are a safety hazard when the city's own data said otherwise. I have better places to give my hard earn money to and this store is simply ain't one of them. I would like to encourage my readers not to visit the La Fiesta on S Flores or any other store but that choice is yours. Just remember, it was this store that wanted them removed in the first place and where Ruben had people sign his petition.
The last nail in the coffin was a letter from the Harlandale ISD claiming that the bike lanes caused children to run between the cars after school.
Now we lost and yet I have a funny feeling we're going to be facing this all over again pretty soon. Jim Forsyth of WOAI said it best, "that people who ride the the bus are considered losers" and you can bet that includes people who rides bicycles too. The cycling community is disorganized and fractured. We really have no central source to go to or to rally behind. There's a reason why Austin has all those bicycle lanes, it is because they organized pushed for candidates that supported bicycle lanes and infrastructure. It's a long road, and I don't think San Antonio has it in us. I'm not your leader, I'm simply the messenger and you can bet you'll not find any support from BikeTexas.org. Whether Union de Chicas Ciclistas (UCC) comes through and becomes a voice for the community here is up in the air, but I do have hope. Look below and see about attending their meeting on Thursday, June 5th.
Also if your hoping to run off District 3 Rebecca J Viagran on her bicycle, then your wasting your time. Look how round that belly of her's is. I doubt it that she rides at all and when she's does, chances are she puts her bicycles on her car and goes to a park. She like the rest of the council will not admit it in public, but I believe they consider bicycling a nuisance, something to say they support, but boy they want you to wear a helmet and have the cars share the road and from the looks of the share the road campaign for motorcycles, I don' t think it's working. I bring it up because I heard from a person or two about this awful ideal. Although this act cause the former mayor of Los Angele, Antonio Villaraigosa to become more serious about bicycling, I think it's simply two late to change the mind of this council lady. Although having her actually ride her bicycle would be a start, but I don't think she has the courage to deal with the speeding traffic on Pleasanton let alone on the other stroads in her district.
I hate to tell people, but there's is more people going to ride and your not going to stop them and this story from the Alamo Area MPO is simply confirming I'm seeing now when I'm riding. Whether we see a news report similar to this one from Australia here is up in the air, however, we'll definitely see what's happening in Chile in the capital city of Santiago happen here in San Antonio. Actually I already see it downtown especially across the street at the subways after the council's vote. If you don't want to see this stuff, it's up to people like you to register to vote and actually go vote. As the election comes closer for the County election, I'll have a chart up on those who support cycling and those who don't. The only way we'll get to see the infrastructure like they have in Austin, or for that matter, the Netherlands, is that we become a force to recon with like COPS Metro Alliance.
As I heard the only person to vote for the lanes, District 5 Council Lady Shirley Gonzales, I heard the echoes from a Charles Marohn of Strong Towns. And for the record, she does ride a bicycle. He came to town back on May the 7th at the Health and the Built Environment and did a presentation. His presentation starts at 28:30 of the Nowcast video and I urge everyone to watch it. I don't know how long the lanes will remain, but they won't be removed just yet. So go an enjoy them because that's the future all over San Antonio.
P.S.
If you want to tell the League of American Bicyclist to revoke our Bronze status, then click here. Also here's a link to there FB page.
Up Coming Bicycle Events
UCC Union de Chicas Ciclistas
When: Thursday, June 5, 2014 6:30pm
Where: Rosella Coffee Co. 203 E Jones Ave #101 78215
Cycle In-Cinema .
When: Every Thursday, June-August at Dusk, 8:45pm
Where: Main Plaza, 115 N Main Ave, 78205
Description: Out Door Movie.
Every Lane is a Bike Lane
When: June 4, 2014, 6:00pm
Where: La Tuna Bar and Grill. 100 Probandt St San Antonio, TX 78204
Description: We will be riding next first Wednsday to show the city the power of the cyclist and we will be doing it on SOUTH FLORES. IT IS OUR SOLIDARITY!!!!!
6:00pm at La Tuna- South Flores and then to ALAMO BIKE SHOP for a celebration with them at first Wednesday.
Join us for a protest, a ride and beer.
Yoga For Cyclist and Sports
When: Saturday June 7, 2014 9am
Where: Rosella Coffee Co. 203 E Jone
Five Points Block Party
When: Wednesday June 5, 6:30pm
Where: Alamo Bike Shop, 1016 N Flores, 78212
Friday The 13th Alleycat Race
When: Friday June 13, 2014 7pm
Where: Bottom Bracket Social Club, 1603 N Colorado, 78201
Description: A bike race. Facebook
Tour De Tube 2014
When: Sunday June 29, 2014
Where: The Slab, 414 W Cevallos, across the street from La Tuna
Description: Facebook
Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Grand Opening
When: Saturday, June 14, 3pm-5pm
Where: 2619 Guadalupe St, 78207\
Description:
Join us of the grand opening of the Guadalupe St. Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Food, music, give aways, bikes and more bikes. Earn-A-Bike Co-op.
If you have any event you want me to post about, please email me.
Up Coming Important Meetings
If you want to make a difference, please attend.
Bandera & Eckhert and Bandera & Tezel/Prue Public Meeting
When: June 5, 2014 6:30 PM
Where: Maverick Branch Library, 8700 Mystic Park, San Antonio, TX
What Should you Say? Demand that the city follows the guidelines that were lay down in the Bicycle Master plan. Also demand that they build the "Protected Intersections" at protectedintersections.com so this area can become safe for all road users. https://vimeo.com/86721046 And ask for sidewalks too. contact: Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154
The people who came out and spoke against the bike lanes were old people from COPS Metro Alliance. Take a good look at these people, and notice, not one of these people are under the age of 50. What I found very ironic is that these same people just an hour before where complaining about the sprawl and were asking the city council to vote for the SAWS recommendation of fee hikes. I guess these people didn't get the memo that cars are the thing that is causing the sprawl and not the bicycle, but they simply don't see it that way.
What I also found infuriating was the fact that this guy, Ruben Sauceda brought in another person to testify against the lanes so he could get more time to speak. You know I was planning to start encouraging my friends to start to visit the grocery store La Fiesta, but since the bicycle lanes are going to be removed, there's simply no need to. I'm not going to go to a store that thinks that bicycle lanes are a safety hazard when the city's own data said otherwise. I have better places to give my hard earn money to and this store is simply ain't one of them. I would like to encourage my readers not to visit the La Fiesta on S Flores or any other store but that choice is yours. Just remember, it was this store that wanted them removed in the first place and where Ruben had people sign his petition.
The last nail in the coffin was a letter from the Harlandale ISD claiming that the bike lanes caused children to run between the cars after school.
Now we lost and yet I have a funny feeling we're going to be facing this all over again pretty soon. Jim Forsyth of WOAI said it best, "that people who ride the the bus are considered losers" and you can bet that includes people who rides bicycles too. The cycling community is disorganized and fractured. We really have no central source to go to or to rally behind. There's a reason why Austin has all those bicycle lanes, it is because they organized pushed for candidates that supported bicycle lanes and infrastructure. It's a long road, and I don't think San Antonio has it in us. I'm not your leader, I'm simply the messenger and you can bet you'll not find any support from BikeTexas.org. Whether Union de Chicas Ciclistas (UCC) comes through and becomes a voice for the community here is up in the air, but I do have hope. Look below and see about attending their meeting on Thursday, June 5th.
Also if your hoping to run off District 3 Rebecca J Viagran on her bicycle, then your wasting your time. Look how round that belly of her's is. I doubt it that she rides at all and when she's does, chances are she puts her bicycles on her car and goes to a park. She like the rest of the council will not admit it in public, but I believe they consider bicycling a nuisance, something to say they support, but boy they want you to wear a helmet and have the cars share the road and from the looks of the share the road campaign for motorcycles, I don' t think it's working. I bring it up because I heard from a person or two about this awful ideal. Although this act cause the former mayor of Los Angele, Antonio Villaraigosa to become more serious about bicycling, I think it's simply two late to change the mind of this council lady. Although having her actually ride her bicycle would be a start, but I don't think she has the courage to deal with the speeding traffic on Pleasanton let alone on the other stroads in her district.
I hate to tell people, but there's is more people going to ride and your not going to stop them and this story from the Alamo Area MPO is simply confirming I'm seeing now when I'm riding. Whether we see a news report similar to this one from Australia here is up in the air, however, we'll definitely see what's happening in Chile in the capital city of Santiago happen here in San Antonio. Actually I already see it downtown especially across the street at the subways after the council's vote. If you don't want to see this stuff, it's up to people like you to register to vote and actually go vote. As the election comes closer for the County election, I'll have a chart up on those who support cycling and those who don't. The only way we'll get to see the infrastructure like they have in Austin, or for that matter, the Netherlands, is that we become a force to recon with like COPS Metro Alliance.
As I heard the only person to vote for the lanes, District 5 Council Lady Shirley Gonzales, I heard the echoes from a Charles Marohn of Strong Towns. And for the record, she does ride a bicycle. He came to town back on May the 7th at the Health and the Built Environment and did a presentation. His presentation starts at 28:30 of the Nowcast video and I urge everyone to watch it. I don't know how long the lanes will remain, but they won't be removed just yet. So go an enjoy them because that's the future all over San Antonio.
P.S.
If you want to tell the League of American Bicyclist to revoke our Bronze status, then click here. Also here's a link to there FB page.
Up Coming Bicycle Events
When: Thursday, June 5, 2014 6:30pm
Where: Rosella Coffee Co. 203 E Jones Ave #101 78215
Cycle In-Cinema .
When: Every Thursday, June-August at Dusk, 8:45pm
Where: Main Plaza, 115 N Main Ave, 78205
Description: Out Door Movie.
Every Lane is a Bike Lane
When: June 4, 2014, 6:00pm
Where: La Tuna Bar and Grill. 100 Probandt St San Antonio, TX 78204
Description: We will be riding next first Wednsday to show the city the power of the cyclist and we will be doing it on SOUTH FLORES. IT IS OUR SOLIDARITY!!!!!
6:00pm at La Tuna- South Flores and then to ALAMO BIKE SHOP for a celebration with them at first Wednesday.
Join us for a protest, a ride and beer.
Yoga For Cyclist and Sports
When: Saturday June 7, 2014 9am
Where: Rosella Coffee Co. 203 E Jone
Five Points Block Party
When: Wednesday June 5, 6:30pm
Where: Alamo Bike Shop, 1016 N Flores, 78212
Friday The 13th Alleycat Race
When: Friday June 13, 2014 7pm
Where: Bottom Bracket Social Club, 1603 N Colorado, 78201
Description: A bike race. Facebook
Tour De Tube 2014
When: Sunday June 29, 2014
Where: The Slab, 414 W Cevallos, across the street from La Tuna
Description: Facebook
Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Grand Opening
When: Saturday, June 14, 3pm-5pm
Where: 2619 Guadalupe St, 78207\
Description:
Join us of the grand opening of the Guadalupe St. Earn-A-Bike Co-op. Food, music, give aways, bikes and more bikes. Earn-A-Bike Co-op.
If you have any event you want me to post about, please email me.
Up Coming Important Meetings
If you want to make a difference, please attend.
Bandera & Eckhert and Bandera & Tezel/Prue Public Meeting
When: June 5, 2014 6:30 PM
Where: Maverick Branch Library, 8700 Mystic Park, San Antonio, TX
What Should you Say? Demand that the city follows the guidelines that were lay down in the Bicycle Master plan. Also demand that they build the "Protected Intersections" at protectedintersections.com so this area can become safe for all road users. https://vimeo.com/86721046 And ask for sidewalks too. contact: Peter Rodriguez at 207-8154
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