Winter 2015- who's still riding?
Traffic 'round these parts dropped off pretty dramatically a few weeks ago... hard to tell from the "I rode today" thread who's still riding, as one would have to conclude that Gene is the only one out there most days by reading it....
Who's sticking it out and plans to continue to ride pretty much every day regardless of weather?
(Was winter 2013; 2014 starts on p. 36; 2015 starts on p. 61)
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on
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And doncha know that I looked out my window and it is snowing AGAIN!
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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on
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Is this the first year the City of Chicago has had a budget?
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:Since I only have last year to compare to, I don't think I really know. Pedestrians, public transit riders, auto drivers and passengers do not have the same perspective as those of us on bikes, and I was all of those before last winter.
That being said, given the budget issues, the published fact that the city went over budget last year for snow clearance and expects to do so this year, I am sure you are right. Even though they will not stop clearing main roads even when over budget, they probably won't spend the money to clear them well. And the side streets--fuhgeddaboutit!
h' 1.0 said:Am I the only one posting here who is aware of how the city has dropped off on snow clearing?
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:-)
Last year there was not enough snow to go over the budget. They could spend money clearing everything. I think I remember them even sending a plow down the alley, but that might have been a dream.
Maybe in prior heavier snow years there were not the huge deficits that have put the budget issues in the spotlight.
h' 1.0 said:Is this the first year the City of Chicago has had a budget?
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Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on
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Winter riding is brutal yet does keep you active. I just hate how riding in the snow and wind and sleet causes me to dread riding. I think cold head winds are my nemesis.
Can't wait for 45 degrees and slush free roads!
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The budget issue we were informed of was supposed to "reset" on January 1st.
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said::-)
Last year there was not enough snow to go over the budget. They could spend money clearing everything. I think I remember them even sending a plow down the alley, but that might have been a dream.
Maybe in prior heavier snow years there were not the huge deficits that have put the budget issues in the spotlight.
h' 1.0 said:Is this the first year the City of Chicago has had a budget?
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Permalink Reply by S on
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The snow over new years and the polar vortex apparently chewed through about half of this year's budget. I think the city is already in economize mode.
h' 1.0 said:The budget issue we were informed of was supposed to "reset" on January 1st.
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said::-)
Last year there was not enough snow to go over the budget. They could spend money clearing everything. I think I remember them even sending a plow down the alley, but that might have been a dream.
Maybe in prior heavier snow years there were not the huge deficits that have put the budget issues in the spotlight.
h' 1.0 said:Is this the first year the City of Chicago has had a budget?
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Permalink Reply by Hector Lareau on
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Wimpy here! I ride a seven-mile stretch of the Great River Trail to work when weather permits, but about four of those miles are not plowed (dang city of Rock Island). So it's a big ice sheet suitable only for skating. And the roads are never bike-friendly in town around here; much much scarier when they're cramped with snow banks on either side.
To top it all, it's been too dang cold. Really really cold. Too cold for the likes of me!
But I hate driving my car very much.
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Permalink Reply by Beans on
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Still doin' it. If it weren't for frozen toes for the last 1/2 hour of my ride, everything's going fine.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on
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I'm a strong advocate for studded tires. I haven't had a single fall in several years, which is good because I'm older (63) and need to keep my hands in shape for work (dentist). It's also a lot of fun having better traction than the cars. Imagine standing on the pedals accelerating up over an expressway bridge covered in snow or ice and *not* slipping. Also I feel it gives me better potential for evasive action should that be necessary. While it's good to have graceful falls that don't result in injury, if you should fall in front of a car the results might not be so pleasant. Stay safe!
Steve
Delia Malone said:Studded tires? Oh dear, there is still so much for me to figure out about. Lol, it's my first winter biking. I love it! Fell yesterday, that makes four total falls.
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How could the city have eliminated most of the snow removal effort and still be halfway through this year's budget in 3 weeks? It makes no sense.
The city's total 2014 snow removal budget is about $20 million, but Chicago mayors always spend as much money as they need to in order to deal with snow, regardless of the cost. And this winter could be an expensive one.
Apparently not any more.
I appreciate your posting this info but it just adds to the bafflement.
S said:The snow over new years and the polar vortex apparently chewed through about half of this year's budget. I think the city is already in economize mode.
h' 1.0 said:The budget issue we were informed of was supposed to "reset" on January 1st.
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said::-)
Last year there was not enough snow to go over the budget. They could spend money clearing everything. I think I remember them even sending a plow down the alley, but that might have been a dream.
Maybe in prior heavier snow years there were not the huge deficits that have put the budget issues in the spotlight.
h' 1.0 said:Is this the first year the City of Chicago has had a budget?
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Pure speculation here, but if they budget based upon recent years (maybe not too smart), and if we had 23 inches of snow from January 1 to the date of the story, and if they had to repeatedly plow the same streets because the snow kept falling and covering the streets, and if they put salt down early to try to avoid the freezing, and if they then had to salt the crap out of the streets once the temperature got back to the temperature where salt would work because things did freeze, and if they ended up actually plowing the side streets more than once (which they did on some streets in my neighborhood), maybe they used half the budget. And they might spend as much money as they need to to deal with the snow on the major streets, but I don't believe they are going to do it to clear the not so major streets because the mayor then has to explain an even bigger deficit, and he has to do it when the snow is gone and we Chicagoans have forgotten how miserable we were when the snow was not cleared.
h' 1.0 said:How could the city have eliminated most of the snow removal effort and still be halfway through this year's budget in 3 weeks? It makes no sense.
The city's total 2014 snow removal budget is about $20 million, but Chicago mayors always spend as much money as they need to in order to deal with snow, regardless of the cost. And this winter could be an expensive one.
Apparently not any more.
I appreciate your posting this info but it just adds to the bafflement.
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You make it sound like they have actually been doing all this snow clearing and salting, but they haven't.
They just cut it back to a bare minimum and that's where it's been.
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:Pure speculation here, but if they budget based upon recent years (maybe not too smart), and if we had 23 inches of snow from January 1 to the date of the story, and if they had to repeatedly plow the same streets because the snow kept falling and covering the streets, and if they put salt down early to try to avoid the freezing, and if they then had to salt the crap out of the streets once the temperature got back to the temperature where salt would work because things did freeze, and if they ended up actually plowing the side streets more than once (which they did on some streets in my neighborhood), maybe they used half the budget. And they might spend as much money as they need to to deal with the snow on the major streets, but I don't believe they are going to do it to clear the not so major streets because the mayor then has to explain an even bigger deficit, and he has to do it when the snow is gone and we Chicagoans have forgotten how miserable we were when the snow was not cleared.
h' 1.0 said:How could the city have eliminated most of the snow removal effort and still be halfway through this year's budget in 3 weeks? It makes no sense.
The city's total 2014 snow removal budget is about $20 million, but Chicago mayors always spend as much money as they need to in order to deal with snow, regardless of the cost. And this winter could be an expensive one.
Apparently not any more.
I appreciate your posting this info but it just adds to the bafflement.
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