Earl Blumenauer in Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal did a profile on Congressman Earl Blumenauer and his "obsession with bicycling." First of all, it turns out he's a foot dropper.

Though he was alone on the road, and despite the downpour, he stopped at every red traffic signal.

And other great little tidbits

His congressional office is one of the few -- if not the only one -- that didn't even apply for a parking permit. On occasion, Mr. Blumenauer has cycled to the White House. On Mr. Blumenauer's first visit, the Secret Service, more accustomed to limousines, was flummoxed at the sight of his bike.

"I leaned it up against the portico," Mr. Blumenauer says.

And more serious facts

He launched the Congressional Bike Caucus, a bipartisan group that promotes public investment in cycling. In his early days, he tracked down Speaker Newt Gingrich in the House gym to pitch transit-fare subsidies for House workers. He got them. As the ranks of the Bicycle Caucus have grown -- there are now more than 170 members -- money for bike projects has grown, more than doubling during his time in office.

With Democrats in the majority for the first time since he came to Washington, Mr. Blumenauer snagged a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, and has had some success peddling a proposal to encourage bike commuting. The tax code already encourages employers to subsidize parking spots for workers who drive or fare cards for those who use mass transit. But it is silent on bikes.

"You can't provide a benefit for people who burn calories instead of petroleum," says Mr. Blumenauer, in disbelief. "It just seemed outrageous that somebody who cycles got zip."

The provision would encourage employers to provide fringe benefits to bicycle commuters -- such as for repairs and annual upkeep -- at a cost to American taxpayers of $1 million a year.

Mr. Blumenauer found a home for the proposal in the massive energy bill crafted by Democratic leaders in the House over the summer. When the measure first hit the floor, Republican critics derided it as an attempt "to tell the American people, stop driving, ride a bike," as Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina put it. The measure was later dropped, and has a ways to go before becoming law.

I took umbrage with this line though

Washington isn't particularly bicycle friendly. The summers are swampy. The winters are cold. And if you aren't careful, you could get flattened by a motorcade.

I think the city is pretty bicycle friendly - by American standards at least. The article includes a good little video too.

BTW, here's an update on Patrick McHenry (#8) and his re-election campaign.

Patrick McHenry now holds the seat but some have already said they will challenge him.

Lance Sigmon, 48, a retired Air Force officer, is exploring the possibility of a challenge, while Daniel Johnson, 31, a Hickory native who has served as a district attorney in Raleigh, has kicked off his campaign. Steve Ivester, a retired Hickory businessman who ran for Hickory City Council in 2005, also will run.

Comments

[me]

Uh, Dc is not bike friendly. the kiddie trails dont support real bicycling; you cant get on the Metro at rush hour; the road surface is atrocious!; DC is rascist and practices economic apartheid, and this is relfected in the fact that no bicycling of any significance or infrastructure is oucrring among african americans or in NE or Anacostia (the trail around the RFK stadium will be a glass filled largely used distaer IF its ever built....vis a vis the Metroplitan trail!!; police cant enforce the cell phone ban let alone advance sane transportation alternatives ; the road surfaces themselves are substandard for sure (compare Philly or even NYC is this reagrd)!...etc ewc -- geez, compare DC to Portland or Boulder or Madison or Seattle or
San Diego or San luis Obispo or Santa Cruz or Davis or even Minneapolis...

[washcycle]

OK.

According to LAB:

Portland - Gold
Boulder - Gold
Madison - Gold
Seattle - unranked
San Diego - unranked
SLO - Silver
Santa Cruz - unranked
Davis - Platinum

D.C. - Bronze

So better than 3, not as good as 5. Bronze isn't easy to achieve. I stand by my claim.