There’s a load of great stuff going on elsewhere. A Minnesota ceosresgmnn, Jim Oberstar who spearheaded the original federally-funded rails-to-trails program has just gotten a major highway funds allocation for bike lanes, paths and trails. Let’s hope Wichita gets its fair share and uses it intelligently to make bike commuting and better recreational riding happen. (He and other like-minded Minnesotans have made Minnesota the top-rated cycling-friendly state.)One of the really interesting things is his and others’ observations on kids’ biking, as in riding to school most days. It’s been noted that in the old days when kids rode bikes and walked to school, rather than being driven and bused, obesity was rare, but now 30% of kids are obese.This means if Wichita will build a rideable street system, and mount a concerted share the road campaign, all of us from kids to adults can enjoy better health.

Good question, Clark. I guess people drive cars downtown so they can sit all alone in gridlock, search hopelessly for parking, pay through their teeth IF they manage to find parking, gnash their teeth, get old before their time and die … thus depriving the world of yet another stupid person. Mmm … maybe not such a bad thing, after all …

For my part, the most recent time I rode a bike downtown, it was to spend a couple of thousand dollars at the Apple store. It was very amusing to me that I was followed around by a security guard after I came in with my helmet and pannier! I found this almost flattering – usually in my business clothes I am regarded as just another stuffed-shirt old fart who couldn’t possibly harm anybody or steal anything :) But in my cycling clothes, I was transformed into a potential threat – go figure. The best part was that I was able to turn the tables when I suddenly became a high-paying customer … at which point the security guard melted away … and the second best part was that the parking was free :) And the third best part was that I got home feeling exhilirated after yet another great work out on my bike. How I LOVE cycling downtown!

Interesting to hear that happens here too. Many years ago I did a day’s real-life work experience at a newspaper in apartheid South Africa. At the morning news briefing, one of the journalists suggesting doing a news story on the growing union protests. The news chief pulled a face and said, “I don’t want anything depressing.” So that important bit of news just didn’t get reported – no one knew about it apart from those directly involved. Granted that was under a full blown censorship/dicatorship regime, but it did make me realize that the media has incredible power to manipulate reality.

Yep! People getting along isn’t “News”.

I used to work in TV News and got a real insight into what their needs are and how they view things. It was then that I started mistrusting anything I heard them say or saw them show.

Moonbeam? Uh, we’re not 6 years old, fyi.

Ryan, I like your idea of diversifying the services. If paramedics on bikes were dealing with a bleeding person, the firetruck could be ready and waiting at the fire station to go roaring off if someone called in a fire.

Thanks Jo!!! That kind of thing gives me hope that our species may actually survive :)