Friday Morning Commute - Shut it down

I hope the government doesn't shut down, I'm trying to get my passport renewed.

• But fear not, Capital Bikeshare will open tomorrow regardless of what happens (or doesn't happen) by midnight.
• More coverage of the criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle bill. Frosh keeps pushing this "going to jail for changing the radio station" story. But no one else is saying that is how it will be used, and there is no precedent for that. There isn't even a case like that out there that I know of. Why is it better to kill someone because you heard a Phil Collins song and you hate Phil Collins - except for the cover of You Can't Hurry Love, which you grudgingly like - than it is to have been texting? The only think I can come up with is, it's a little bit illegal to text, but not to tune the radio. Still, If everyone would just put it on NPR and leave it the problem would be solved. Honestly, I almost never tune the radio unless the car is stopped (I don't really tune it anymore, I just push buttons now).
• Other troubled legislation: House Bill 948, which would have created walkable, bikeable communities around Maryland's rail stations died in the Environmental Matters Committee. "By encouraging development geared to mass transit and pedestrians, it promises to begin a long-overdue move away from the rule of the automobile over the planning of America's townscapes."
• DC's plan to put advertising on CaBi stations could be in trouble for the same reasons the plan to put ads on parking meters was. The FHWA may not allow it. "If the Mayor, or the Director of DDOT, receives notice from the United States Secretary of Transportation that the future operation of the advertisement agreement may result in a reduction of the District's share of federal highway funds … the advertiser or advertiser agency will remove the advertisement within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice by the District." Of course, since that money won't be dedicated to bike sharing, it isn't that much of a loss for cyclists.
• WABA needs Volunteers
• Something I missed with the Bike DC announcement (today is the last day to get the reduced rate). Somehow they got a permit from NPS to use the GW parkway, even though it was earlier denied. It's at times like these that I'm reminded about how much I'll miss the federal government when it's gone. [And when my flight leaves without me on it because I have no passport].

Comments

[Purple Eagle]

I just sent in a passport renewal form too . . but I'm not sweating too much because I won't be travelling until late in the summer.

[Jacques]

Looks like CaBi should be getting an uptick in membership fees (even at a significantly discounted rate) from this weekend's Living Social Deal.
http://livingsocial.com/deals/24082-bikeshare-month-12-or-year-37-membership

The deal is open for three days, and in the first 2 hours, they've already had 1,200 purchases.

This will:
a) potentially put a strain on the system in the short term, as new riders (especially during the commute) jam up the demand, but
b) hopefully lead to a faster expansion of the system, in terms of bikes, stations, and station size, increasing capacity and usefulness of CaBi.

[shane]

Yes, BikeDC registration is open. The route is fully permitted. And it's capped at 10,000 riders--so sign up soon.

It was quite a fight to get that permit appealed. Everyone who rides should thank top folks in Arlington, Rep. Moran's office, and some good people at NPS who saw that their rules produced a silly result and did something about it.

If you want the full scoop, maybe we'll host a WABA Fundraiser Lecture entitled "How the Sausage is Made: Permitting Events Across Dozens of Jurisdictions within the Same Ten Miles."
-- "You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll be forced to leave early and find a new location when the hosts decide to shut it down because they can't reach a last minute agreement to fund the venue."

[Blue-eyed Devil]

"Of course, since that money won't be dedicated to bike sharing, it isn't that much of a loss for cyclists."

I'd call it a huge gain for cyclists (and anyone else with eyes and an appreciation for esthetics). Have you seen the insides of metro stations lately? Every column is wrapped with some meaningless marketing dreck, and every hallway is bedecked with same. In at least one case (Courthouse?), both walls of one hallway had a horizontal row made up of the exact same ad repeated at least a dozen times. I can do without the visual pollution and the assualt (insult) that comes with it.

I think the city and its 'burbs look better when they appear as the city and its 'burbs and not as one huge advertisement for Adobe or Capital One, for example.

Just sayin'...

[oboe]

God, what an ass this man Frosh is. That is all.

@Blue-eyed Devil:

Every been on the London Tube? :)

[jeff]

I'd rather look at advertising on buses, bus shelters and bikeshare bikes than those things not exist.

Even if the advertising dollars don't go towards bikeshare, it will be harder (but I'm sure they'll still do it)for critics to say cyclists don't pay their way.

[SJE]

Does Frosh have any serious opponents, either in the elections or for his spot on the Judiciary comittee? Do they want some $.

[Blue-eyed Devil]

@jeff, this isn't an "either/or" case, clearly. And if it were, then something else is wrong that needs fixing. Metrorail is the perfect example of that.

As for critics, well, your parenthetical statement is my response. Critics of publicly funded cycling programs--and cycling in general--rarely worry about accuracy in expressing their opposition.

@oboe, haven't had the pleasure, ha.