What I take exception to is that you said “it’s utterly idiotic to split a lane”. Period. I was trying to point out that that is not necessarily true. If it is legal in state “X” and the rider is paying attention (car drivers are not expected to pay attention), then it is not only not idiotic, but also safe and practical.
It might be “idiotic” to share lanes in some cases, but it is not in others.
Also, inattentive people do not belong on motorcycles.
I have no problem admitting my yuppie roots. (It’s very fashionable in Colorado to sneer at Boulderites. Because after all, we ARE all the same. Either souless three-piece-suit yuppies who drive Beemers, or else trustafarian pot-smoking College students with SUVs.)
And yes, the traffic is BAD here - that’s the price we’re paying for our “road-control” policies. And as I said before, I like it that way. Boulder has quite a good grasp on what is ruining this place, and we’re doing something about it - even if it means that car-addicts like yourself might have to sit at a traffic light. Ohhh, cry me a river!
Now, the Pearl St. thing is a trajedy. And unfortunatly Boulder is doing a very, very bad job of making affordable housing available. This really pisses me off. But I guess all the rich scumfucks here can’t stand the idea of a Hispanic family living next door. It would be so, so, so… gauche! Meanwhile, a local couple murder their 6 year old and aren’t even brought to trial because they’re millionaires and buddy-buddy with the DA. Pretentious, snooby, closet-racist dog-fuckers. This is a nice place, but it’s got big problems underneath the silver fascade. Don’t get me wrong, I live here, but I’m not blind to its flaws - which are far more numerous than anyone will admit. I am big behind “no new roads.” But I am massively opposed to the building restrictions that we have in place. All they’re doing is ensuring that I (and people like me) will never be able to afford a house here.
Anyway, Athena, sounds like you’re one of those people who is wedded to their car and can’t stand the idea of not using it. I’m just the opposite - I think cars should be reduced to nothing more than machines used for recreation. They should not be useful in day-to-day life. This idea probably scares you deeply - even offends you. That’s fine, you’re definitely in the vast majority with that feeling. For you, your car is a source of freedom and mobility. For me, that’s how I feel about my bicycle. My bike is what allows me to cruise past you in your car, laughing like a hyena. As you said, I don’t expect agreement on this point. I don’t think the vast majority of Americans are even capable of considering this idea rationally - it goes against too much of their accumulated life experience. The’ve used cars for everything since they were 15 years old. They are incapable of breaking their automotive addiction. They can’t even see it as an addiction. It’s really funny, actually. Yes, Exxon loves that average American…
-Ben
[quote]
Pretentious, snooby, closet-racist dog-fuckers quote.
Hey now, a canine animal companion might take offense that you included their sexual procivities in that insult. To prevent further insult to legimate Canine-canine relations you should amend that statement to "pretentious, snoby, closet-racist non-canine-species-dog-fuckers.
Sorry, never can pass on a Boulder Joke. 
Or souless three-pice suit yuppies who drive SUVs … wait, that’s Denver.
Still, the Boulder Trustifarians and Yuppies have one thing in common. Their common love for the Tibetan liberation movement. Politics as fashion … a Boulder tradition.
No, actually, I am NOT wedded to my car. Back 5-10 years ago, I used to ride my bike to work quite a bit, do errands on bike or on foot, etc. etc. Once I moved to Longmont because there was no way I could afford a house in Boulder, I took the bus to work almost every day. However, since then, a number of things have happened that make it impossible for anyone but a few lucky souls to do the “no-car” thing in Boulder, and Boulder does NOT seem to be addressing it.
I live in Longmont. Despite my efforts to find work close to where I live, I always end up working in Boulder or (like now) Gunbarrel. I rode my bike down the Diagonal a lot, until about 3.5 years ago. At that point, the Diagonal during rush hour had gotten so dangerous that I reluctantly gave up my biking. It was a result of too much traffic on the road. I will not risk my life to ride my bike.
As far as I know, Boulder County continually talks about extending the bike path to Longmont, but it hasn’t happened yet. The alternate routes - 95th St., Lookout, Valmont, have no shoulder, and are at least as dangerous as the Diagonal during rush hour. So I can’t bike to work anymore.
OK, so there’s the bus. I took the bus quite a bit, when I worked on the Pearl St. Mall and lived near a bus stop. Now, though, I live about 2 miles from the nearest bus stop, and 5 from the nearest park-n-ride. Once I get on the bus, I would have to take it to the Boulder station, then transfer to another bus back to Gunbarrel. All told, I’m talking an hour and a half on a bus, in order to get 9 miles from my house to my workplace. Sorry, not for me.
If you can afford to both live and work in Boulder, and are young and healthy, and have no children nor special needs, biking is great. However, you are a SMALL percent of the population. What’s going to happen when and if you have a child? What happens if your health takes a turn for the worse and it becomes uncomfortable for you to ride your bike? What happens if you happen to find a job in Longmont, Denver, or another community?
Biking and mass transportation is great. I’m all for it. I’ve lived in many places where it made more sense to NOT use a car, and I loved it. But Boulder continually bills itself as one of those communities, and it’s just NOT. The infrastructure is not there, and the city/county is not working on getting it. Nor are they working on expanding the roads, or (as you mentioned) putting in more lower income housing (or hell! Middle income housing!) so that more people can live within walking distance to their workplace. Biking and mass transport works for a select few citizens of Boulder, and the vast majority are relegated to their cars whether they like it or not.
Don’t assume that all of us are in our cars because we’re some sort of car Nazi. We simply have different situations from yours, and despite our best efforts, cannot find a way around being in a car. Trust me - I’m continually trying to find time for exercise in my schedule, and I’d MUCH rather do the bike commute that try to fit it in at lunch or after work. But not if it means risking my life to do it, which it does. Sorry.
About the only good thing with living in Colorado Springs is that when we head to the mountains (well a few of us anyway) to the I-70 mountain towns, we head up 24 through South Park. It’s two lanes and pretty much pedal to the floor unless you run into some truck or RV, but there are lots of passing lanes which get your adrenaline pumping.
Yep, it can get crowded on a holiday but on the average weekend it’s a lot easy to get up there.