Bicycle Board Members,
I've gathered together for your reading entertainment the article Same Roads, Same Right, Same Rules and the letters to the editor that it spawned. (See attached.) You should also be able to get to them by the links below.
1. The article, Same Roads, Same Rights, Same Rules: http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMC8wNS8yMCNBcjA...
2. Dennis Bolyard's 5/26 letter saying that cyclists can't have rights unless we pay property tax, license tax and buy mandatory insurance: http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMC8wNS8yNiNBcjA...
3. My response (that DP didn't publish) to Bolyard's 5/26 letter. See 20100527FGRespnseToBolyard in attached. I say the law, not Bolyard gives us rights and that the cost of collecting property tax, license fee and mandatory insurance would probably exceed revenue.
4. Ballard's excellent 6/7 response to Bolyard's 5/26 letter. Ballard says that following Bolyard's logic, people who spend more should have more rights than people who spend less. http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMC8wNi8wNiNBcjA...
5. Today's (6/27) letter by Mary Smith says bikes should only ride on the rail trail: http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMC8wNi8yNyNBcjA...
How about we meet at a local rathskeller some evening and discuss why non-cyclists have such hostility toward cyclists and what we, the BB can do about it? I'll buy the first round. Enjoy!
Frank
Begin forwarded message:
From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Date: June 27, 2010 10:37:00 AM EDT To: editor@dominionpost.com Bcc: bikeboard@cheat.org, Bill Austin baustin@moncpc.org, Ryan Post rpostwvu@gmail.com Subject: Fwd: Anti-bicycling policy?
Geri,
Just after hitting the Send button, I realized an error in my message below. When I saw this morning's letter to the editor, I thought it was in response to Dennis Bolyard's May 26 letter. Then, after sending my message below, I noticed that today's letter was responding to a June 6 letter from Jeff Ballard (Bolyard, Ballard:( . I did not see Jeff Ballard's June 6 letter. Could you please send me a link to it? (I am a 30+ year subscriber. I do not have an electronic version subscription.)
Now I'm wondering if perhaps you published my May 27 letter?
Sorry for my confusion!
Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Begin forwarded message:
From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Date: June 27, 2010 10:25:02 AM EDT To: editor@dominionpost.com Bcc: bikeboard@cheat.org, Bill Austin baustin@moncpc.org, Ryan Post rpostwvu@gmail.com Subject: Anti-bicycling policy?
Geri,
Did you receive the May 27 message below and its attachment? The attachment is a response to Dennnis Bolyard's May 26 letter to the editor. I do not know your policy for deciding which letters to publish and which letters not to publish. Since my response wasn't published, I assumed you didn't want to publish it. Today, Sunday June 27, I see a letter to the editor (Sharing the road starts with paying your share by Mary Smith) that supports Mr. Bolyard's position so I wonder: did you even receive my May 27 letter? If so, why are you publishing anti-bicycling letters and stifling pro-bicycling letters? Both Mr. Bolyard's and Ms. Smith's letters suggest taking away from cyclists rights that law explicitly gives them. Worse, they may tend to increase the already alarming hostility that many cyclists endure.
Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Begin forwarded message:
From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Date: May 27, 2010 5:12:16 PM EDT To: editor@dominionpost.com Subject: Letter
Geri,
Please consider publishing the attached letter. Please contact me at frank.gmeindl@comcast.net or at the contact info below if you need to.
Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Frank Gmeindl Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles