i bike pass?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0822-2012...

is all this for real? 

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 22, 2012 at 2:52am

Nothing like a suburbanite making comments about how us city folks design our public spaces.

From the Tribune's website:

"Kass lives in the western suburbs with his wife and twin sons."

 

Permalink Reply by rb on August 22, 2012 at 2:58am

Kass is really STRETCHING to find some enemy to attack with his "wit."


He is no Royko, and he seems to be trying to find a cause to replace Daley (shortshanks?) to fill his column.

There is plenty of other areas that Kass could be attacking- he must be bored as Cameron stated above.

I wlll bet that Kass will get a lot of comments from the anti bike crowd, that equals Trib pageviews and registrations, so the ultimate goal was achieved.

I refuse to sign up for the Trib site, but if you use their mobile site, you can access the walled content w/o registering.

Now back to work.

Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on August 22, 2012 at 3:39am

This is exactly the kind of shotty journalism that holds this city back.  I expect a letter to the editor from Active Trans Executive Director Burke or CDOT commissioner Klien.  The Tribune embarrasses itself by way of Kass's article, and it ought to be called out.

Permalink Reply by globalguy on August 22, 2012 at 3:49am

As a newly minted suburbanite from Chicago, I take offense. Most of us work in the city and being denizens of Cook County we pay both the taxes and fees that support OUR public spaces.  Having screed that, I think Kass is an idiot; but a useful idiot. While we may think his "suggestions" insane, a lot of our fellow citizens will not - including revenue-hungry politicos and bureaucrats. As I've said before (and before and before) stuff like this is coming and it's time to stop being shocked by it and start organizing against it!

Duppie said:

Nothing like a suburbanite making comments about how us city folks design our public spaces.

From the Tribune's website:

"Kass lives in the western suburbs with his wife and twin sons."

 

Permalink Reply by Nexus7 on August 22, 2012 at 4:34am

I definitely would like stop sign cameras, but for cars. Let's start there. There's nothing like the feeling of living in Somalia when I (in a car) come to a stop and some MFFY zooms by it. Apologies to Somalians.

For bikes, stupidity should be ticketed, but how do you pick it out from the sea of stupidity around you?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 22, 2012 at 4:43am

It's hard to read that garbage legacy media "news"paper behind the paywall.  

Why bother?  It's just garbage, written by garbage.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 22, 2012 at 4:56am

Yep, it's coming and we need to stop saying it will never happen or discounting how stupid an idea it is and get ready to fight it.

da' Square Wheelman (aka garth) said:

As a newly minted suburbanite from Chicago, I take offense. Most of us work in the city and being denizens of Cook County we pay both the taxes and fees that support OUR public spaces.  Having screed that, I think Kass is an idiot; but a useful idiot. While we may think his "suggestions" insane, a lot of our fellow citizens will not - including revenue-hungry politicos and bureaucrats. As I've said before (and before and before) stuff like this is coming and it's time to stop being shocked by it and start organizing against it!

Duppie said:

Nothing like a suburbanite making comments about how us city folks design our public spaces.

From the Tribune's website:

"Kass lives in the western suburbs with his wife and twin sons."

 

Permalink Reply by Charlie Short 2.9 on August 22, 2012 at 5:10am

It will never come. Licencing is administered by the state and they will never think of bikes as anything but toys. The city can't enforce the registration ordinance it already has in place, and with bike share, getting riders to use the system is going to take precedence or licencing.  


notoriousDUG said:

Yep, it's coming and we need to stop saying it will never happen or discounting how stupid an idea it is and get ready to fight it.

da' Square Wheelman (aka garth) said:

As a newly minted suburbanite from Chicago, I take offense. Most of us work in the city and being denizens of Cook County we pay both the taxes and fees that support OUR public spaces.  Having screed that, I think Kass is an idiot; but a useful idiot. While we may think his "suggestions" insane, a lot of our fellow citizens will not - including revenue-hungry politicos and bureaucrats. As I've said before (and before and before) stuff like this is coming and it's time to stop being shocked by it and start organizing against it!

Duppie said:

Nothing like a suburbanite making comments about how us city folks design our public spaces.

From the Tribune's website:

"Kass lives in the western suburbs with his wife and twin sons."

 

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on August 22, 2012 at 5:20am

Excited to see what happens when and if the Dearborn corridor gets put in...

Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on August 22, 2012 at 5:36am

This is what folks such as Kass conveniently forget. There are really good, objective societal (and governmental) interests in increasing bicycling and decreasing automobiling. As a result, government has an interest in increasing participation. 

This may not always be the case. Or legislators who don't understand these interests may interfere. In the meantime, I think the best thing we can do is to continue to promote a greater understanding of why there's an interest (for all citizens, including those who will always drive) in bicycle infrastructure.

It's funny. For folks who won't ever bicycle, the best thing that could ever happen would be for 25% of the other cars on the road to convert their trips to bicycle... there'd be enough less traffic to make a real difference in the remaining drivers' lives. But those drivers have a hard time understanding why they should be promoting (and funding) bicycle infrastructure.

-jbn


Charlie Short said:

It will never come. Licencing is administered by the state and they will never think of bikes as anything but toys. The city can't enforce the registration ordinance it already has in place, and with bike share, getting riders to use the system is going to take precedence or licencing.  

Permalink Reply by Charlie Short 2.9 on August 22, 2012 at 5:39am

I wasn't being facetious. ATV's and Boats are motorized, and generally, high-ticket, high sales tax items. Canoes and Kayaks are limited use, and can both use waterways equally. Bikes are currently not an intended road user in Illinois and don't use the road in the same way that cars do. Illinois law enforcement could not keep up with regulating bikes.

It was suggested to me that bikes get licensed like dogs, in that you renew yearly and only pay a fine (for non-compliance) when you break the law. My impression is that CPD (and other districts) don't want to waste their time with this kind of piece-meal ticketing.

Cameron Puetz said:

There are enough toys (boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, etc) that require licensing (if only for fee collection) that I wouldn't rule it out. I could see the state attempt to start a licensing system for bikes similar to the one for canoes and kayaks.



Charlie Short said:

It will never come. Licencing is administered by the state and they will never think of bikes as anything but toys. The city can't enforce the registration ordinance it already has in place, and with bike share, getting riders to use the system is going to take precedence or licencing.  

Permalink Reply by David Barish on August 22, 2012 at 5:47am

I think city licensing may be a possibiity in a world where municipalities are starved for cash and looking to tax users any way they can.  It would be no different from dog or peddler's licenses. (the pun hit me after I saw it in print.) Get $25 or $50 a year from each bike that is used in the city. Give cops another reason for pulling people over.  its win win for them. They really don't have to enforce it.  Put it out there and money will come in.  Some will refuse to get the license and run the risk of getting caught.  I am not certain whether the city could force me (a suburbanite- I am no better than Kass) to have a license.  I suspect they can.  If all municipalities started to require these would we only have to have one alike vehicle stickers?  Kass's ideas were a columnist riffing on an idea.  I don't pay much heed to them. However, the notion of a license or bicycle tag could become a reality.  I think Rahm knows that in general you can't squeeze too much from cyclists but you could probably squeeze this. The only thing that may hold back such licensing is the question of whether it would make us "intended users" In that sense could it possibly be a good thing? We are licensed. We are a reality. We are part of the roadway.  Hmm...I stopped after typing this and wondered if this is done over the pond.  Apparently not.  I googled and this was one of the first hits I got. http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/03/folly-of-bicycle-licences.html

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