What American Cities are Missing: Bikes by the Thousands

On May 22, 1:56 am, "Sancho Panza" wrote:
"Amy Blankenship" wrote in message

.. .





"Pat" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 21, 11:46 am, "Amy Blankenship"
wrote:
"donquijote1954" wrote in message

groups.com...

On May 20, 8:42 pm, "george conklin" wrote:
wrote in message

st.net...

In article .net,
says...

Yes, just as the third world is getting rid of such
exploitation of
workers, NYC is starting up with its hazy visions of great the
past
used
to
be.

Having ridden pedicabs in New Delhi and in Vancouver, B.C., among
other
cities, I wouldn't compare the two labor environments.

If a country doesn't have effective enforcement of worker's rights,
and
even still has pockets of indentured servitude and slavery, it
could be
that banning a particular occupation might be the only way to
eliminate
a particular form of exploitation.

I'd have no qualms about "exploiting" a U.S. or Canadian pedicab
operator.

In the third world they view the entire industry as exploiting. We
should
be ashamed of ourselves bringing the pedicab back. It shows how
morally
bankrupt the New Urbanism is.-

Are you also concerned about the "Made in China" label? I guess we got
to drop the dollar store then. By the way, some union representative
was in Asia recently trying to organize labor in China. Free unions in
a communist country? I believe it when I see it.

He said something that makes sense: "If capitals are globalized, why
not labor?"

He loves Wal-Mart's low prices. Of _course_ no one is ever exploited so
we
can have those low prices ;-).

But if I can get a $3.00 product for $2.00; then I have $1.00 to
invest or save or buy something else.

Are you then going to use it to sponsor a Chinese child with World Vision?
;-)

Nope. I'm going to contribute it to Hillary Clinton's campaign funds. After
all, she invented the whole legal justification for the Wal-Mart system.


I was at a political even and someone said "this year, you might have
Clinton v. Guilliani v. Bloomburg" (all are from NY). Then the person
said "... and you thought the rest of the country hated New York
before ...."

"Pat" wrote in message
ps.com...
On May 22, 1:56 am, "Sancho Panza" wrote:
"Amy Blankenship" wrote in message
Nope. I'm going to contribute it to Hillary Clinton's campaign funds.
After
all, she invented the whole legal justification for the Wal-Mart system.


I was at a political even and someone said "this year, you might have
Clinton v. Guilliani v. Bloomburg" (all are from NY). Then the person
said "... and you thought the rest of the country hated New York
before ...."

Man, she's really got you guys snowed. I didn't realize that it was so bad
you actually _believe_ she's from New York. No wonder she found it so easy
to waltz in from Arkansas and get elected.

-Amy

"Amy Blankenship" wrote in message
...

"Pat" wrote in message
ps.com...
On May 22, 1:56 am, "Sancho Panza" wrote:
"Amy Blankenship" wrote in message
Nope. I'm going to contribute it to Hillary Clinton's campaign funds.
After
all, she invented the whole legal justification for the Wal-Mart system.


I was at a political even and someone said "this year, you might have
Clinton v. Guilliani v. Bloomburg" (all are from NY). Then the person
said "... and you thought the rest of the country hated New York
before ...."

Man, she's really got you guys snowed. I didn't realize that it was so
bad you actually _believe_ she's from New York. No wonder she found it so
easy to waltz in from Arkansas and get elected.

Nah. She's a copycat of Robert Kennedy.

On May 21, 1:12 pm, wrote:

Pedicabs are not manual labor.
It is considered to be abusive labor.

By whom?

When educated cyclists in developed economies work to develop modern
bicycle taxis and choose to operate those taxis rather than work in
offices, you'll have to come up with some pretty convincing evidence
that they are abusing themsevles. Something that will outweigh their
own enlightened self-interest and free will.

Your mere assertion does not make it so.

Of course, you don't need to go back into pedicab taxis to help the
environment. Now New York City is moving into hybrid taxis. I guess
pedicabs is more of tourist attraction than anything else in developed
countries. No need for the Pedicab Liberation Army, we just need to
make room for individuals who want to bike.

On May 21, 7:06 pm, John Kane wrote:
On May 21, 11:15 am, donquijote1954
wrote:





On May 20, 8:42 pm, "george conklin" wrote:

wrote in message

t.net...

In article .net,
says...

Yes, just as the third world is getting rid of such exploitation of
workers, NYC is starting up with its hazy visions of great the past used
to
be.

Having ridden pedicabs in New Delhi and in Vancouver, B.C., among other
cities, I wouldn't compare the two labor environments.

If a country doesn't have effective enforcement of worker's rights, and
even still has pockets of indentured servitude and slavery, it could be
that banning a particular occupation might be the only way to eliminate
a particular form of exploitation.

I'd have no qualms about "exploiting" a U.S. or Canadian pedicab
operator.

In the third world they view the entire industry as exploiting. We should
be ashamed of ourselves bringing the pedicab back. It shows how morally
bankrupt the New Urbanism is.-

Are you also concerned about the "Made in China" label? I guess we got
to drop the dollar store then. By the way, some union representative
was in Asia recently trying to organize labor in China. Free unions in
a communist country? I believe it when I see it.

I take it you're quite young ? I seem to remember Solidarity.
However you have a good point. OTOH free or not Wal-Mart has a union
in China.

In communist countries EVERYBODY is unionized, just not free.

On May 21, 7:19 pm, John Kane wrote:
On May 21, 10:32 am, donquijote1954
wrote:





On May 19, 11:02 am, "george conklin" wrote:

"John Mara" wrote in message

.. .

george conklin wrote:

As Calcutta outlaws pedicabs, they are now fashionable with the New
Urbanist crowd. You can take home some stuff on one, if you agree to
walk next to it. That ought to please those who want to go back in time.

Pedicabs are popular enough in New York that the city council has enacted
regulations for them.

http://www.newsday.com/search/sns-ap...,2759553.story

--
John Mara

Yes, just as the third world is getting rid of such exploitation of
workers, NYC is starting up with its hazy visions of great the past used to
be.-

You know what you "oil addiction" is forcing the Nigereans into?
Untold exploitation and misery. That's why they came up with a Niger
Liberation Front, or something to the effect.

I think you need to check the name. Niger and Nigeria are two
different countries. I cannot remember what the Nigerian group is
called but I am pretty sure that Niger LF would mess up the mailing
address something terrible.

The name is not related to the country of Niger, but the Niger Delta.
Anyway I made up the rest of the name, which truly is...

"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta"

On 21 May 2007 16:06:10 -0700, John Kane wrote:

I take it you're quite young ? I seem to remember Solidarity.

You may also remember how it ended up first time around, then.

However you have a good point. OTOH free or not Wal-Mart has a union
in China.

The question is, are those unions are just for show or do they really
protect rights of fhe worker.

Tarhimdugurth
--
[S1 - za sygnaturkê]

"Pat" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 21, 7:09 pm, "Amy Blankenship"
wrote:
"Pat" wrote in message

ups.com...



On May 21, 11:46 am, "Amy Blankenship"
wrote:
"donquijote1954" wrote in message

roups.com...

On May 20, 8:42 pm, "george conklin" wrote:
wrote in message

st.net...

In article
.net,
says...

Yes, just as the third world is getting rid of such
exploitation
of
workers, NYC is starting up with its hazy visions of great the
past
used
to
be.

Having ridden pedicabs in New Delhi and in Vancouver, B.C., among
other
cities, I wouldn't compare the two labor environments.

If a country doesn't have effective enforcement of worker's
rights,
and
even still has pockets of indentured servitude and slavery, it
could
be
that banning a particular occupation might be the only way to
eliminate
a particular form of exploitation.

I'd have no qualms about "exploiting" a U.S. or Canadian pedicab
operator.

In the third world they view the entire industry as exploiting.
We
should
be ashamed of ourselves bringing the pedicab back. It shows how
morally
bankrupt the New Urbanism is.-

Are you also concerned about the "Made in China" label? I guess we
got
to drop the dollar store then. By the way, some union representative
was in Asia recently trying to organize labor in China. Free unions
in
a communist country? I believe it when I see it.

He said something that makes sense: "If capitals are globalized, why
not labor?"

He loves Wal-Mart's low prices. Of _course_ no one is ever exploited
so
we
can have those low prices ;-).

But if I can get a $3.00 product for $2.00; then I have $1.00 to
invest or save or buy something else.

Are you then going to use it to sponsor a Chinese child with World
Vision?
;-)

I have no problem with exported labor. Better to have them working
than wanting to fight us. But I also have no problem with leveling
the playing field. If the US, for example, said that all labor on
goods imported into the US had to pay the equivelent of US minimum
wage, I would have a problem with that. It wouldn't bring too many
jobs back here because few people will work for minimum wage, but it
would level the playing field quite a bit. But until that happens,
the world is what the world is.

Welp, you better hope they don't want to fight us after we've exported all
our technology and wealth to them.

On Wed, 16 May 2007 19:23:50 -0700, (Tom Keats)
wrote:

In article ,
Nobody writes:
On Wed, 16 May 2007 19:08:13 GMT, "George Conklin"
wrote:


"donquijote1954" wrote in message
egroups.com...
Will we ever see the day when American cities have thousands of
cyclists going up and down the street without unnecessary risks?

Go to India to fulfill your dream. They do that now. You can even lock
your bicycle up at the train station and let it sit in the rain all day for
a few cents.


And for the obverse: come visit cities of the like of Vancouver BC,
Seattle WA, and Portland OR in the fall, winter, and spring.

Why the Bloody Hell would anyone ride a bicycle, and risk getting
drowned in any month from October to April?

As a lifelong cycling car-free Vancouverite, I avow bicycling
is my best option in wet weather. My inexpensive but effective
rain gear keeps me nice & dry -- drier than if I hoof it.
Fenders, and turning the bike lights on (even in the gloomy/
overcast/stormy/rainy daytime) complete my wet weather
defense system.

And cycling in the rain is much more pleasant than riding on
some steamy, crowded, jerky, disease-ridden, slow public
transit bus.

Vancouver drivers and cyclists are becoming quite well
habituated to the presence of each other. From what
I've read and heard, the same seems to be in effect in
Seattle and Portland (OR). I do know for sure that
each of these cities enjoy thriving bicycling cultures.

The Bicycle Lobby lives in a Dream World.

I note many drivers experience a false sense of privacy
as they sit in their cars, whistfully picking their noses.
Dream world indeed!

Anyways, we're not big enough to have a "Lobby" (despite
the grandiose affectations of such as the League of
American Bicyclists.) At best we have a bunch of
hat-in-hand advocates who can't even agree on what's
best for the bicycling community.

I think it's because there are at least /two/ major
bicycling communities (probably more,) each with
their respective needs & wants, and the advocates
unsuccessfully try to generalize what's best for all,
and end up competing against each other. So we're
also too fragmented to have a Lobby.

I used to have inclinations toward cycling advocacy.
Now I have inclinations toward what's good for the
City in which I live -- and citizens' mobility within
the City is a big part of "what's good". It doesn't
matter to the property-tax-paying businesses in the
City how their clienteles get there, as long as they
and their money get there.

I guess this is where some driver might pipe up and
say: "I can't get there soon enough with all these
bikes in my way!"

And some cycling advocate might say: "I can't get there
at all with all these cars in my way!"

And then there'll be those who hold their peace, and
quietly, safely get to where they want to be, regardless
of their transport of choice. No fuss, no muss, in all
kinds of weather.

A pleasant urban environment that doesn't get its citizens
anxiously grinding their teeth in their sleep or coming down
with athsma is also good.

Your personal intentions and aspirations are admirable.. but to expect
two million plus other citizens in Greater Vancouver to follow those
weather-related flagellations is, well, quirky at best.

Let's all abandon Mister Ford's automobile, and ride the current
street car ("SkyTrain") and autobus! Hurrah!

Fine, but don't expect the Great Majority to hitch their pinnies and
hoops, and clasp a hand on baseball cap while peddling a two-wheeler
across 25km of up hill and down dale in rain and shine amd sleet and
snow and wind and gust.. well, you get the message.

It simply is not practicable (note the use of adjective), either by
wish or function.

In article ,
Nobody writes:

A pleasant urban environment that doesn't get its citizens
anxiously grinding their teeth in their sleep or coming down
with athsma is also good.

Your personal intentions and aspirations are admirable.. but to expect
two million plus other citizens in Greater Vancouver to follow those
weather-related flagellations is, well, quirky at best.

I don't expect them all to follow those "weather-related
flagellations." I'm just saying: those who wanna ... can.
And it's not that bad. It could be better. It can be
/made/ better. But practical bicycle transportation is
quite do-able right now.

Let's all abandon Mister Ford's automobile, and ride the current
street car ("SkyTrain") and autobus! Hurrah!

Alternative transportation is not regressive.

Fine, but don't expect the Great Majority to hitch their pinnies and
hoops, and clasp a hand on baseball cap while peddling a two-wheeler
across 25km of up hill and down dale in rain and shine amd sleet and
snow and wind and gust.. well, you get the message.

What about the folks who only need to go 10 km or 5 km?

It simply is not practicable (note the use of adjective), either by
wish or function.

It is for me, and for many others.

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca