Shot in the Dark

Doakes Sunday: Priorities

Joe Doakes from Como Park emails:

I saw the article in the pie-pan (Pioneer Press) about the new bicycle boondoggle.  The estimate for the loop downtown is $18 million.  Which means the true estimate that they had is $30 million, and the actual cost will be $45 million.

The story quotes the City of St. Paul’s Sustainable-Transportation Engineer and also the Environmental Policy Director.  St Paul only has two director-level positions for bicycle ideas.  Now that, truly, is a bare-bones operation.

If only the wicked Republicans would give St. Paul more LGA, then they could plow the streets.  Meanwhile, what can we do with the cupboards being bare and the offices empty.

Joe Doakes

I love biking to work.

I just wish government spent less time and money making sure tax-paying drivers hated me while I was riding down the street (that I already paid for).

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8 responses to “Doakes Sunday: Priorities”

  1. Bulgarian Goat Rodeo Clown Avatar
    Bulgarian Goat Rodeo Clown

    When they say ‘sustainable’ the mean ‘controlled’. If they called it ‘controlled transportation’ people would start to wonder what self-interested person was controlling their transportation options.
    Why are all the pro ‘sustainability’ people in favor of the unsustainable growth of public debt?

  2. Emery Avatar
    Emery

    I may have to turn my avatar into a goat roper. ;^)

  3. Bulgarian Goat Rodeo Clown Avatar
    Bulgarian Goat Rodeo Clown

    Oh yeah! Ha! exactly what medical school did you graduate from, “Doctor” Strangelove?
    Speaking of which, I recently pondered the strange, unlovely idea that visionary figures began many of the advanced nation’s space programs — Korelev in the old USSR, Sarabhai in India, Qian Xuesen in China . . .
    Only the U.S. has no space visionary we can be proud of. Paperclip wasn’t meant to fool the Soviets, but the British, who would have hung von Braun if they had gotten their hands on him.
    Also we deported Qian Xuesen at the same time we welcomed von Braun. Kind of creepy.

  4. Emery Avatar
    Emery

    M.I.T. frats are a little… different. One time someone put up survey sheets on the bathroom stalls. For Science.

    SpaceX is as much a normal capitalist company as Boeing is. A large part of their earnings, particularly early on, will come from government contracts. That’s no different than any defense contractor.

  5. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    This AM I was driving in MPLS during one of the most bitterly cold, windy days I can remember. The roadway was glare ice and the crosswinds produced frequent whiteout visibility. Vehicles routinely slid through intersections and even pedestrians seemed unable to keep upright due to ice and wind.

    Then, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

    It was a young woman wearing only a helmet, Spandex biking shorts, and a hoodie, riding her bicycle down the street in the middle of traffic, barely keeping upright due to wind and ice. When she reached the stop sign, she stopped and yielded.

    How often to you see something like that? A bicyclist stopping at a stop sign.

  6. Loren Avatar
    Loren

    Joe: If there is traffic on the road controlled by the stop sign, you can follow me (when it is warmer and the roads are clear of ice) and see me stop. But if there is no traffic, you can watch me slow and go, just like about 60% of the cars.

  7. bikebubba Avatar
    bikebubba

    Being allergic to sheet metal, I stop at stop signs while cycling. Like Loren says, I do better at stopping at stop signs than do most motorists.

    That said, I don’t wear Spandex pants at 15 below. No.Way.

  8. Seflores Avatar
    Seflores

    Joe – FWIW, heh.

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