tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post2205450273711483215..comments2023-11-05T01:50:47.040-07:00Comments on Bike Commute Tips Blog: Cash for Clunkers: More auto-centric nonsensePaul Dornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03893190816290007375noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-87767266294809788262012-03-19T15:02:14.031-07:002012-03-19T15:02:14.031-07:00I'm in agreeance with the majority of the peop...I'm in agreeance with the majority of the people here. The system seems like a nice one. Getting low MPG cars off the road will definitely help, but not to the point where we need to give them that much money. There's a point where there are more important things to be doing to make ourselves a greener country.Omaha Floristhttp://www.avasflowers.com/nebraska/florist-omaha-ne/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-32450932573057923982011-04-19T07:04:31.255-07:002011-04-19T07:04:31.255-07:00Is that photo real or photoshoped!
Its a difficu...Is that photo real or photoshoped! <br /><br />Its a difficult one with the idea of the program to bring cash into a stale market while potentially ignoring the fact there are already just too many cars about.<br /><br />SamOrbea Bikeshttp://www.triathlontips.org/orbea-bikesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-15422541960786850142011-02-24T06:28:23.494-08:002011-02-24T06:28:23.494-08:00when gas passes $4, get an american flag and ride ...when gas passes $4, get an american flag and ride around local gas stationsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-4829192005830776042010-11-15T10:52:46.296-08:002010-11-15T10:52:46.296-08:00Compared to bikers of Ottawa, people who ride bicy...Compared to bikers of Ottawa, people who ride bicycles on street in Montreal are really lucky. Because in Ottawa, there are no bicycle lanes at all! The appeal of building bicycle lanes were denied. http://www.stockthewarehouse.org/urbanology/montreal-the-bike-haven-of-north-america.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-20655335740485735892010-10-26T13:02:20.132-07:002010-10-26T13:02:20.132-07:00I know this topic can get deep and I have to tell ...I know this topic can get deep and I have to tell you great pic!Darrinhttp://bicyclehound.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-84407633262788991372010-08-25T06:57:05.885-07:002010-08-25T06:57:05.885-07:00Greeting from NYC. Great blog!Greeting from NYC. Great blog!central park bike tourshttp://www.bikerentalcentralpark.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-17377724560780319082010-07-14T19:12:55.760-07:002010-07-14T19:12:55.760-07:00Now that we know more about the morons running the...Now that we know more about the morons running the government, this is much more understandable a year later.Killshotnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-58545401609773987062010-06-09T08:54:16.235-07:002010-06-09T08:54:16.235-07:00I just stumbled on your post and it really struck ...I just stumbled on your post and it really struck a chord with me. Here in the UK we have a similar system where the government is subsidising a scheme which gives you £2000 off the price of a brand new car if you trade in your 10 years+ old model. <br /><br />There are so many flaws with this that it's untrue. As far as the environmental argument goes, surely leaving people running older, smaller cars is more sensible than the MASSIVELY damaging (in terms of carbon emissions) process of making a new car (not to mention getting it to the UK after it's been made).<br /><br />The idea was also to boost our ailing economy, which begs the question, why are we subsidising brands which were designed and manufactured abroad? The benefit to the UK economy of a car that was manufactured by workers in another company isn't so great...<br /><br />Finally, there was so much more they could have spent their cash on. We live in a tiny country. Our cities are so densely packed in that in reality nowhere is very far from anywhere else, so why aren't we cycling. Cash on providing cycling lanes and traffic calming measures to make life safer for cyclists would surely have been better spent. <br /><br />I'd have given the money to these <a href="http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk" rel="nofollow">mountain bike</a> guys- they'd use it more wisely.Mountain Bike Girlhttp://www.allterraincycles.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-80514250585300940432009-11-18T06:29:23.752-08:002009-11-18T06:29:23.752-08:00I really appreciate you for all the valuable infor...I really appreciate you for all the valuable information that you are providing us through your blog.Jacobhttp://www.quickgarage.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-60307204488244978872009-11-12T09:40:16.791-08:002009-11-12T09:40:16.791-08:00the mainstream american love of cars is so sad. i ...the mainstream american love of cars is so sad. i like this blog. being a college student, i don't have a car and i bike or take public transit to get around. i'm also proud to say i have a mom who takes the subway to work and a dad who bikes! so you know, there's hope.hannah, heart cityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17209886812000823841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-34733076930485056712009-10-22T20:07:06.417-07:002009-10-22T20:07:06.417-07:00I completely agree. It is ridiculous to throw mon...I completely agree. It is ridiculous to throw money into cars when we really need to be building livable communities by creating a REAL infastructure (i.e. bike lanes, side walks, mass transit).chococat78https://www.blogger.com/profile/04627221272959259560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-36864835584183571352009-09-29T06:15:45.812-07:002009-09-29T06:15:45.812-07:00thanks for the tipsthanks for the tipshelmetshttp://hubpages.com/hub/helmets1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-7782702845964561522009-09-23T14:21:07.762-07:002009-09-23T14:21:07.762-07:00Love the photo of the clunker poking outta the top...Love the photo of the clunker poking outta the top of the dumpster.<br /><br />If I was the king of the world, I tell you what I'd do. I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the wars and make sweet love to you.<br />Joy to the world.DennisTheBaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04897633362635866507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-51595679555980690482009-08-27T17:49:52.125-07:002009-08-27T17:49:52.125-07:00Wow. Here in Italy the government set up a subsidi...Wow. Here in Italy the government set up a subsidised programme to support the purchase of new bikes. The money flew out the door, to the point that it ran out and they are only starting it up again this fall.<br /><br />I wonder what impact could have been made with a few pennies from the cash for clunkers programme targeted exclusively to bikes?Powerful Petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08456467783332176859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-20872505605654999882009-08-18T07:24:08.555-07:002009-08-18T07:24:08.555-07:00From "Cash for Clunkers didn't boost hybr...From "<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2117337.html" rel="nofollow">Cash for Clunkers didn't boost hybrid sales</a>" in the Sacramento Bee, 08.18.09: It's less clear what the trade-in program has accomplished on the environmental front. Much to the chagrin of public-interest groups, a fair number of U.S. consumers are turning right around and buying new light trucks with their credits from the Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS.<br /><br />"It appears that despite some of these glowing (federal) reports we've seen on the environmental benefits of the program, a lot of light trucks and SUVs are being purchased through the program," said Lena Pons, a policy analyst Public Citizen, the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group.Paul Dornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03893190816290007375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-3908682898508492282009-08-15T17:53:44.525-07:002009-08-15T17:53:44.525-07:00I don't think it's just "this" a...I don't think it's just "this" administration. The bi-partisan consensus has favored and privileged automobiles for more than 60 years. The "cash for clunkers" nonsense is more "consistency" than "change" from this particular administration.Paul Dornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03893190816290007375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-3031246716571835922009-08-15T16:47:38.338-07:002009-08-15T16:47:38.338-07:00delighted to that conservatives and liberals are a...delighted to that conservatives and liberals are agreeing that this administration is out of control.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-22552651916772654782009-08-12T20:47:24.654-07:002009-08-12T20:47:24.654-07:00What you all said and more in the above comments. ...What you all said and more in the above comments. And if you can't beat 'em, join 'em:<br /><br />Portland bike shop offers Cash for Clunkers.<br /><br />http://www.joe-bike.com/cash-for-clunkers/SubComandante Sasquatchhttp://zapatopi.net/bsa/militia/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-36374247693167242462009-08-12T11:25:02.553-07:002009-08-12T11:25:02.553-07:00Interestingly, I just came across this story from ...Interestingly, I just came across this story from the UK: <a href="http://www.eta.co.uk/2009/08/12/government-says-%E2%80%9Cno%E2%80%9D-scrappage-scheme-bicycles" rel="nofollow">Government says 'no' to scrappage scheme for bicycles.</a><br /><br />Apparently the UK's Environmental Transport Association responded to that country's version of Cash for Clunkers by proposing a "Pounds for Pedals" program: consumers would be given £100 for a new bicycle, with the old one being sent for refurbishment in the developing world.<br /><br />The Prime Minister rejected the plan. Same as the old boss, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-42980949798897765462009-08-09T22:13:22.689-07:002009-08-09T22:13:22.689-07:00That was a great post. Thank you.That was a great post. Thank you.RANTWICKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15394479078513545568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-36101938141898081852009-08-05T23:31:25.049-07:002009-08-05T23:31:25.049-07:00I'm so glad to see this! How about a governmen...I'm so glad to see this! How about a government program that gives you money for a bicycle and/or a transit pass???<br /><br />Doesn't anyone in government get the connection between our health care costs and our support of the automobile-centric lifestyle?Tanya Seamanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10396604687086262592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-19256285584330379362009-08-05T19:26:53.380-07:002009-08-05T19:26:53.380-07:00Nice to see a post from you again. This blog has b...Nice to see a post from you again. This blog has been sleeping since the book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-14022333742565135422009-08-05T07:05:06.378-07:002009-08-05T07:05:06.378-07:00Yes, but if 25% of all trips were now on bikes oth...Yes, but if 25% of all trips were now on bikes other indistries would grow, such as clothing indistries, better health care, longer vacations and even higer educations with all the money redirected. So, America would not in any way suffer. And add that America becomming a more friendly country tourism could grow.Paul in Minneapolishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03412734404486332894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-56530111936624698352009-08-04T10:52:35.598-07:002009-08-04T10:52:35.598-07:00and there is a bike Manufacturer that is "too...<i>and there is a bike Manufacturer that is "too big to fail"</i><br /><br />But this would never happen, and this may be an intrinsic problem to bicycling. Bikes are so much cheaper and more efficient than cars, that you could not possibly build a too-big-to-fail industry around them. On the other hand, a big shift to cycling, could hit some existing industries pretty hard. Suppose, hypothetically, that bikes suddenly hit at 25% commute/trip/ride share -- who loses money?<br /><br />- auto manufacturers, because people will buy fewer cars (their cars will last at least 25% longer).<br /><br />- oil industry, because people will burn less gasoline.<br /><br />- drug companies, because there will be a corresponding reduction in medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol. Other meds may be affected, I'm not entirely sure.<br /><br />- other industries dedicated to the care of autos, or fitness/health (gyms, weight loss)<br /><br />We already own the bikes, so the money flowing to the bicycle industry (LBS and QPB, mostly) is smallish. Probably panniers, bags, and trailers. At the limit, people get cargo bikes, that runs you anywhere from about $500 (Xtracycle add-on) to $5000 (custom build Big Dummy, or Bullitt TNT ). When the most extravagant bike alternative is about as expensive as the per-clunker subsidy....<br /><br />Problem we've got is, if we shift to a radically more efficient means of transportation, that all the people who previously supported the inefficient transport, will have to find something else to do. That's hard, they'd much rather lobby their elected representatives to keep the gravy flowing.dr2chasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16320828055999939449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36250316.post-80866375368792531702009-08-04T09:49:54.297-07:002009-08-04T09:49:54.297-07:00KQED's "Forum" program this morning ...KQED's "Forum" program this morning <a href="http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R908040900" rel="nofollow">discussed the Cash for Clunkers</a> program. They had a car dealer lobbyist on one side and economist <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/03/miron.clunkers/" rel="nofollow">Jeff Miron</a> on the other side. I think Miron argued convincingly against Cash for Clunkers, but many callers weighed in on the environmental "benefits" of trading in the 18 mpg clunker for a 24 mpg newer car. <br /><br />@dr2chase: Certainly; I didn't post my entire note to Senators Boxer and Feinstein (who now support the Cash for Clunkers program) here. <br /><br />It's important to remember also that when communicating with politicians and with journalists, it's vital to stay on point, or your message gets diluted and lost.<br /><br />Miron gave his suggested alternative: If people are serious about an environmental benefit, we need to raise the gas tax.Yokota Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04808661100114872654noreply@blogger.com