The Palo Alto Daily Post recently published a LTE in which the writer claims cyclists are a ‘privileged class.’
A privileged class
Typical of government programs driven by a “cause,” Palo Alto’s focus on bicycle safety promotes a privileged class. One which can behave as
obnoxiously as any other. This may be what concerns Diana Diamond in her much reviled recent column on the subject.[...snippage...]
Establishing a privileged class — bicyclists — there as the City’s traffic department hankers after, and this writer demands will only increase rudeness and discourtesy as it has on Bryant Street, but in this case will do not one whit for anybody’s safety.
Erasing privileged classes is what this country is all about. It’s high time we started thinking about that.
Anybody who looks at the square miles of pavement, budget priorities, and building codes knows the almighty motorist are the truly privileged caste in American society. And when people try to establish even a little parity for people who dare to walk or bike in the public space, some car-addicted motorist whine about the few square inches taken from their government funded throne room.
Toronto’s newly elected mayor Ron Ford was famously congratulated by hockey commentator Don Cherry (annual salary somewhere north of $500K) for rising up against “elite” cycling advocates.
The idea that the majority of people biking to work are society elites or “privileged” is ludicrous. In Palo Alto and any other college town, the majority of bike riders are probably college students. In other cities, they’re likely recent immigrants who can’t afford a car. To marginalize people and give them ridiculous labels that apply to the name caller is just stupid.
And that’s my opinion of that Daily Post LTE.
See also:
- $4.01 per gallon
- Public bikes in Palo Alto?
- Cyclist shot in East Palo Alto
- Memorial bike ride this Saturday
