Saturday Morning Ride - $10,000 reward

Good morning, especially for Iowa State fans

• More bikeshare expansion. This one at 17th and Rhode Island NW.
• If TE funding goes away - as is currently planned - that will be bad for cyclists. [Though I remain hopeful that DC, at least, will still choose to fund bike programs at something similar to what they've been doing.]
• All that new bike parking in Anacostia? It's gone. [Again, not really what this article is about]
• The cyclist who was injured in what they assert was an intentional hit-and-run on the GW Parkway is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the driver. "They [Parkway police] haven't been following up on this at all," said Turner.
• A fight over the Alexandria Waterfront (which would get more trails under the proposed plan)) goes on. 
• Five myths about bike-sharing.

Comments

[Nancy Duley]

I posted a copy of the $10,000 reward flyer here http://twitpic.com/7frg0u

[charlie]

my question on HOW much money we are talking about in terms of TE has finally been answered:

34% of federal funds in 2011. The claim is 800M of total federal funding, so TE is 272 million.

And it isnt that money is being zeroed out, it is being transferred to a new category and shifted around.

I'd suggest rather that aruging about silos, push for a commmitment for bike funding. Say a nice billion a year.

I see about $5 billion in bike are sold every year. I'd suggest a large import duty on imported bikes and parts -- that could easily raise $500M in funding.

Alternatively, a federal bike registration tax of say $10 a bike could easily raise a billion, and cut down on crime.

[washcycle]

Charlie,

1. I'm not sure we can just execute a large import duty. Aren't there all kinds of trade agreements that preclude that kind of effort.
2. The government is actively trying to encourage more people to bike. I don't think adding a 10% tax on bikes and parts will help with that goal. Nor will a $10 a bike registration tax - which will be a nightmare to implement and enforce. Your definition of "easily" and mine must differ. What agency would enforce and execute this national registration? Where else would you recommend raising taxes in 2012? Or are cyclists the only group we need to get more revenue from?
3. Cyclists already pay taxes. So we don't need a user tax to pay for bike programs.
4. I don't know of any evidence that mandatory bike registration cuts down on crime. Crime in DC is down since the bike registration law was removed.

[Nancy Duley]

I wrote to the Mount Vernon District Station of Fairfax County Police with a link to an article about the incident and the $10,000 reward flyer. Lieutenant Michael L. Wall e-mailed me back and let me know he will reach out to U.S. Park Police to see if they have any additional leads or if they can use Fairfax County assistance with their investigation. Once he verifies the details, he can ensure his officers are aware of the vehicle and partial license plate information so they can look out for vehicles matching the description.