A shower and locker facility downtown for people who bike to work. A bike path along the Merrimack River. Traffic lights that change for bicyclists.
These are a few of the ideas a city committee has considered as it envisions a more bike-friendly Concord. The group is trying to ground those ideas in a formal "bicycle master plan" - but the first task, members say, is figuring out what the community wants. At a meeting tonight, they'll kick off that push for public input.
"If you have a goal, and a vision, that vision needs to come from the bicyclists," said Craig Tufts of the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission, a member of the bike committee. "These routes need to be verified by people. . . . We can't just draw lines."
Developing a comprehensive system of bike routes that span the city is one of the group's primary goals. While the city master plan had a "strong policy on improvements for bicycle travel, during the whole lifespan of that master plan, there was nothing really done," said City Councilor Dick Lemieux.
With a plan devoted to bicycling, "we plan to put some meat on the bones," said Lemieux, chairman of the city's Transportation Policy Advisory Committee.
Work toward that goal has already begun. If the city council says yes, Concord will soon get its first official bike route - a north-south route starting on South Street near Conant and Rundlett schools and running up to Fisherville Road, where repaved roads will get new bike lane markings.
Putting in that route - a project that involves signs and markings - would cost about $7,500, Lemieux said. He said citizens group Concord 2020, which received federal money to pay for the bike master plan project, would foot the bill.
The committee hopes to identify east-west routes running to the Heights, Tufts said.
Lemieux acknowledged certain limits. "There are obviously barriers with funding infrastructure improvements, of any type," he said.
And in Concord, old, narrow streets present engineering challenges, he said. That means creative solutions are needed, he said - another reason for soliciting public involvement in the planning process.
While the goal is to make Concord better for bicyclists, doing so also would benefit the community, Tufts said. More bicycling means cleaner air, less traffic in neighborhoods, and less wear and tear on roads.
"We feel it makes the city more livable," he said.
Lemieux, a longtime bicyclist, said he considers Concord "in pretty good condition" for bicyclists, compared with other communities throughout the state.
Compared with cities in other states, however, "we're way behind," he said. He pointed to the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington, Mass. - "one of the most popular bike paths in the country," he said. "Go down on a nice spring day, you see hundreds of people using it."
His dream, he said, is something similar: a bike path running from Bow Junction up to Boscawen, along the river.
With this series of public meetings, "I'm looking to find out how widespread my dream is," Lemieux said. "How bike-friendly should we be, and how willing are we to pay for it?"
Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 in the city council chambers on Green Street.
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Comments
"bike friendly" politicians and committees...
By LIAMD2 - 12/09/2009 - 12:51 pm...scare the hell out of me. These people tend to be the same far-left conservationists that want to FORCE others to think like them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy nature and wildlife and I despise litter and pollution but the hoax known as global warming was started by tree-hugging nutjobs that want to FORCE their views onto all of us. Once they spend the tax money on making Concord a bike-friendly place, what's next? I'll tell you - they will push to institute ways to force people to ride bikes instead of driving vehicles.
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LIAMD2, Another thing they
By Waltham Watch - 12/10/2009 - 6:34 amLIAMD2,
Another thing they will need is more police, to investigate the crimes, that will happen along the trails, where the beautiful people, of tent city live.
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Stop the Insanity!!
By watching - 12/08/2009 - 1:52 pmTypical Liberals - If it makes you feel better and makes you a good person, do it. The problem is we can not afford it. We can not plow off the skating ponds and you want to put in a heated building for people to take showers in and build additional paths that need additional maintenance. Where are you going to cut so that we can afford the ponds and this.
Wow - You people are out of your minds. I would like to put in a pool in the backyard with a heated Spa but guess what - I can not afford it right now!!
Freedom - Not Slavery by Taxation
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By watching, you need to get
By Waltham Watch - 12/09/2009 - 7:50 amBy watching, you need to get yourself some Obama money. It's not fair, that some people have backyard pools, and others don't. Backyard pools for everyone, now that's a change, I can believe in.
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MAKE SURE THERE IS A TOLL BOOTH ON IT!
By jcote7 - 12/08/2009 - 8:20 amMAKE SURE THERE IS A TOLL BOOTH ON IT!
I have no problem paying for it if I use it. Make me register my bikes (7 total) or put up a toll booth with EZ-Pass or union toll worker BUT STOP THINKING THAT THE CITIZENS OF CONCORD DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THOSE OF US THAT WORK FOR A LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD MAKE UP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE FORM OF "TAXES"! The rest of the non-productive members of society should stop asking for more handouts.
Ah heck, lets just print more money and return to the days of Jimmy Carter and double digit interest rates & inflation.
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Build a shower, and a locker
By Waltham Watch - 12/08/2009 - 6:01 amBuild a shower, and a locker room facilty for biycycle people? Is this the same city that can't afford to plow the ice, for skating, at White's Pond?
Someone said earlier, seems like a lot of money, for something that would be used for a few summer months. Heck, no way, build a heated building. There's loads of money still out there, that taxpayer's can come up with.
Like I said before, put this to a vote of the people, and you will see, just how foolish this idea is.
How about parking meters for bikes?
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An Excellent Meeting
By corrigannh - 12/07/2009 - 10:23 pmI want to publicly thank all of the people who organized this evening's meeting on Concord's bicycle plan. It was a well-run session that gave everyone in the large crowd an opportunity speak out.
Concord is making good progress toward becoming a bicycle-friendly community.
I am a year-round bicycling commuter. I am a firm believer that all travelers should know the rules of the road and follow them. Motorists and cyclists need to learn mutual respect.
I own both a pickup truck and bicycles. I'm also a Penacook homeowner and property taxpayer. My tax dollars support local roads, so I am encouraged to see a more comprehensive, healthier and cleaner mix in our transportation system.
This has nothing to do with an elite attidude as some commentators have suggested. Many people cannot or should not be behind the wheel of a car. Walking and cycling are their best means for traveling short distances.
It has been pointed out that as a nation, we spend more on one interchange on Interstate highways that we spend on bicycle infrastructure nationwide. It's time we had some balance.
John Corrigan
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Does this mean that bikes
By Hillbilly - 12/08/2009 - 6:58 amDoes this mean that bikes will have to be registered like I do my truck? The more your bike cost the higher the registration rate? My pick up cost me over 600.00 and I am a tax payer in Merrimack Co., If I paid taxes in concord and they were not forcing a registration fee on bikes I would be beyond outraged.
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Year Round?
By Ebert Clackson - 12/08/2009 - 6:27 amIt's people like you that cause accidents. I see people like you during snow storms and after snow storms. Yep, year-round.. Brother do yourself a favor and others, put the bike up for the winter.. We don't need diehards like you trying to prove something...
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In reference to the safety comments posted earlier
By SouthEndKid - 12/07/2009 - 6:36 pmThe problem with the crosswalk lights not functioning is because the city has cut the division that maintains these and most of the traffic lights within the city is down to ONE person! (There are some lights within the city that are maintained by the state DOT)
This lone person is also responsible for the red fire alarm boxes affixed to utility poles and on many buildings as well as the traffic lights and many other tasks.
The city has literally miles of wires. Some aerial, some underground, and even one run under the Merrimack river!
There is only so much this very capable person can do. He takes great pride in what he does, and does a damn good job for what he has to work with.
The city does not even maintain the traffic signals according to the MUTCD manual as it suggests that we should. The lenses on every signal head should be cleaned annually I think it is, and there are specifications as to when a bulb should be changed out...before it burns out. The traffic control cabinets need to be maintained as well, but sadly, this lone man is not superman, things are fixed as they fail.
The city HAD 2 people in the fire alarm/traffic division, but due to budget cuts, they are down to one. There was a time that the city actually had 3 people slated to be in that division, but it never happened.
So....like many things within our City, we have to decide how important some things are to us. I for one travel the city streets on a daily basis, one would think we could easily justify manning the traffic bureau properly.
I think this program has merit, but I think we are a long way from it. And I am for it, as long as there are no city taxpayer dollars spent on it yet, we have many other holes in the ship that need to be plugged first.
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Whats funny about all of
By AlexK - 12/07/2009 - 4:59 pmWhats funny about all of this is that Concord is predominately a Q-tip city. Building a glamourous bike path will lead to more congestion on the local roads as out of towners will want to be part of this also.
The best quote of this article is the following:" Putting in that route - a project that involves signs and markings - would cost about $7,500, Lemieux said. He said citizens group Concord 2020, which received federal money to pay for the bike master plan project, would foot the bill."
Someone please remind Mr. Lemieux that Concord 2020 won't be paying squat as government welfare will be taking care of the tab.
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A bike path along the Merrimack River
By fiddlingglassblower - 12/07/2009 - 3:57 pmWould also be great for walkers, joggers, even xc skiers. I would guess most bicycling is for recreation, so increased bicycling wouldn't really have much impact one way or the other on air pollution or wear and tear on roads. The advantage to making any community more bike and/or walker friendly is that it makes it more liveable.
As always though, the key sticking point is the cost.
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A bike path along the
By Waltham Watch - 12/08/2009 - 5:41 amA bike path along the Merrimack? Would this mean the city would have to take the land, from the people of Tent City, by eminent domain?
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It would appear that
By Hunter Dan - 12/08/2009 - 6:23 amthey've already taken it. On the way home from work I made a point to slow down and glance over there and tent city was gone!
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Oh boy, that's too bad.
By Waltham Watch - 12/09/2009 - 7:39 amOh boy, that's too bad. That's just what we need, more homeless people.
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Re: and tent city was gone
By Robert Frypp - 12/08/2009 - 10:04 amYeah, I was looking across the river (exit 14, I-93 n.b.) for those same camps too back when the leaves started falling. I believe they have just moved (whether by choice or not) upstream. I'm sure the c.o.c. appreciates that they are not so visible to our tourist crowd wherever they've moved to. Most have migrated into areas behind Shaws & Lowes plaza and the F.E. Everett arena.
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Are these the Obamavilles I have been hearing about?
By ArmyVet_72 - 12/09/2009 - 1:14 pmall these tents cities popping up all over the Country, while we continue to bailout the Wall Street Barons along with more Corporate Welfare?
From what I hear there is no recovery coming. Look at this from Timmy the Tax Cheat Geithner in this mornings news. Might be more financial shocks coming!
Geithner Extends $700 Billion Bank-Bailout Program
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aefv9Bq7aMvo
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration extended the $700 billion financial-rescue program until October, arguing that the U.S. must hold on to the money in case of new financial shocks.
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Peter Schiff realist economist
Stimulus Bill Will Lead to Unmitigated Disaster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3jBUVPCQik
More Peter Schiff
http://twitter.com/peterschiff
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You are so right!!!!
By Meow meow - 12/07/2009 - 6:05 pmI think it would be so wonderful if they made a great big long trail. Fun,fun,fun it would be perfect for xc skiers and snowshoeing!!!
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Great idea
By jameskeywallace - 12/07/2009 - 2:35 pmI think having a public forum to gather input into this process is a great idea. That way all the diverse opinion's can be heard.
I don't have a bike myself, but still think this would be a great idea if done correctly. For the basic reason of not having to be as freaked out while avoiding cyclists on the roadways while I'm driving! Not to mention all the other community livability and environmental benefits that come from less cars on the road.
To be honest, I would strongly consider buying a bike if there were more bike paths, right now I'm too intimidated to ride in traffic after having seen a friend of mine have to head to the hospital after a collision with a car at fairly slow speeds.
I can't make it tonight, but when they were trying to increase the bicycle infrastructure in Peterborough, businesses who took the proactive step of putting bike racks in front of their businesses saw an immediate pop in business, as customers who parked their bikes sometimes stopped in and bought items. This was especially true for coffee shops etc (I'm thinking Bagel Works perhaps?).
Plus, those bike racks could be made by the local school system as an art project. Not only would they look cool and funky, to bring some character to downtown, but it's a way to involve the broader community, as well as cutting down on costs since you're killing two birds with one stone (school project and community infrastructure).
Wish I could make it tonight!
James Key-Wallace
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YES!!!
By waldengirl - 12/07/2009 - 1:14 pmI am all for making Concord a more bike-friendly place. I am glad that this issue is being looked at. Concord is getting so congested with traffic, this would be one way to reduce that problem. Thanks to all of those working on this issue!
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super idea
By sailmaker - 12/08/2009 - 6:05 am"Concord is getting so congested with traffic"....so lets add a bunch of bicycles divided by a cute white line ....that should increase traffic flow and safety a whole bunch!!!!
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The Homeless?
By Ebert Clackson - 12/07/2009 - 1:10 pmWhat will become of all the Homeless that live down by the river? You are going to displace them and us taxpayers will have to pay for them to live somewhere other than down by the River.. Maybe you do gooders can pick up the cost of relocating them,
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We have Heard This Line Before
By Ebert Clackson - 12/07/2009 - 1:01 pm4) We are not going to force anything on the city, taxpayers, etc
Why is it, we don't beiieve you. The City Council does it, the School Board does it ect ect.
You doo gooders are no different. This is for only 20 to 30 elite people. 40,000 people will not, Nough Said!!
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If your going to....
By onrhodes - 12/07/2009 - 1:05 pmIf you're going to speak like that, then you better be there tonight, otherwise your comments will only come across as meaningless.
YOU have a chance to make a difference tonight. You have a forum to voice your opinion, concerns, etc.
If YOU are not there, then you have nothing to complain about down the road.
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YOU have a chance to make a difference tonight
By Ebert Clackson - 12/07/2009 - 1:15 pmBeen there, done that. It does not matter what the taxpying public thinks. You people will do whatever you want. The meetings are only for show , and to mae beleive the taxpayer has a voice..Please do not insult our intelligence. We know how politics work in Concord...
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I am the taxpaying public
By onrhodes - 12/07/2009 - 1:38 pmIt's too bad you think that way.
I'm just some one who decided to get involved 18 months ago and I'm seeing positive things happen. I see people's input being taken into account and I see the city trying to reach out and get the opinion of it's citizens.
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Part of the Elite
By Ebert Clackson - 12/07/2009 - 2:14 pmOk, then, just what I thought, the reason that you are being treated the way you are, is due to the fact, you must be like them, the Elitist and Well Heeled in this City, if you are not like them, you do not have a chance.. Good Luck, since you are part of the "IN CROWD", you requests will approved. Just don't forget, you are only doing this for about 20-30 people who will benefit from this, there are 40,000 who will not. Don't forget that the Reaching out and peoples input is only a show, no more no less..
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Speaking of Heels,
By Loveburger-Toas... - 12/07/2009 - 3:45 pmsee above
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no reply
By onrhodes - 12/07/2009 - 2:33 pmI've got no reply to your obviously misguided thought process. I really do hope you show up tonight.
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The N.H.T.I. solution.
By JosephSHaas - 12/07/2009 - 11:58 amReference: " a bike path running from Bow Junction up to Boscawen, along the river. "
Yeah, let's do that first before getting involved with bike paths withIN the City. Do a North-South corridor and then some East-West Bike Path later.
WHERE to locate this bath house*? WHY not use the current facilities over there at the N.H.T.I. on the first floor off the hallway to the east between the gym and the Planetarium?
When the bikers get to Concord at THAT central location, then if they're running too late for to walk to work, or car-pool, then run a bus, trolley or Amy Surplus D.U.C.K. around the City pack full of customers to their work places.
* Plus: if the current NHTI facilities be over-crowded, then maybe to build such a "shower and locker facility" over there on that SW corner of their land that they took those houses from that used to be there with old sewer pipes already in place, or were they septic?
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I Don't Get What People Are So Worked Up About???
By BlueBird - 12/07/2009 - 10:50 amI don't see any big money giveaways here. Nobody is talking about converting entire streets to bicycle only routes. No traffic lights will be ripped out and replaced with bicycle friendly lights. In fact, in this era of increasing waistlines and overdependence on gasoline, making it safer and more convenient to use alternate transportation seems responsible as long as it's done wisely.
The $7,500 cited here for an entire cross city bike route is less than the emergency treatment of just one bicycle versus car accident. And the law already requires that cars give 3 feet or more of clearance when passing a bicycle, so why wouldn
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some information for you
By onrhodes - 12/07/2009 - 10:49 amFirst let me introduce myself. I am the Chair of the TPAC - Bicycle committee. I will be one of the people helping to run tonight's meeting.
There are many incorrect statements already being made here on the postings.
1) Bicycles already have to follow ALL the "rules of the road". None of us advocate blowing stops signs, running red lights, riding on the sidewalk, going the wrong way down one way streets. All of this is illegal and those people should be fined for their infractions just as an automobile would be. Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there today who just don't know the rules. Education is going to be a large part of what we are focusing on in the coming months.
2) NH MV registrations are based on cost and weight of your vehicle. While I already pay my fees to register my cars, I choose to use my bike for trips often. However if I did have to register my bikes, based on the current registration structure, it would probably cost me about $5.
3) If you come to tonight's meeting you can see that we are not asking for funding for a bunch of "pipe dream" projects. What we want is for the people whoe live and work in this city to tell us (the representatives of the city) what do they want? What should the priorties be? Better bike parking? More shoulder width? Separate bike paths? Everything is fine as is?
4) We are not going to force anything on the city, taxpayers, etc. If however people speak up and want something specific, then we need are going to look into how viable those options are.
Please don't think for a minute that our goal is just to spend taxpayer money. Our group was born out of the Master Plan and a desire by the Mayor himself. TPAC exists to make Concord a better city fot ALL transportation users. Car, bike, pedestrian, public transportation, etc.
For those of you posting here, I urge you to come tonight and learn what we are doing. Don't be the Monday morning quarterback. You'll have the chance tonight to hear about our thoughts and speak about what you want. Your input tonight will directly affect our mission and development of the master plan.
Thank you
-Pete Rhodes
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NO NO NO
By Ebert Clackson - 12/07/2009 - 10:05 amPlease direct your efforts to solve more important things.. If you don;t know of any, then I would suggest that you look into what the School Board is spending and how they are going to impact us. We don't need your bike trails. What we need is to have you focus on the giant issues that face us and will bury all of us.. Put your Pipe Dream on the back burner right now. The taxpayers need solutions to other problems... Bikes are not a problem,, Pleae don't do this to us, put your energy and expertise into solving the problems tha affect everyone, not just 20 or 30 people out of 40,000.
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ATTENTION: THIS IS NOT A P***ING OR MOANING COMMENT
By Hunter Dan - 12/07/2009 - 9:36 amIt's just one based on the facts and the notion of fair play.
FACT: bicyclists don't have to register their two-wheeled vehicles.
FACT: bicyclists don't have to be licensed.
Therefore, we have a situation similar to the one fish and game is dealing with regarding users of our wild places. You have a group of individuals (hunters/anglers/trappers and motor vehicle owners) who are putting their money where there mouth is and footing the bill for others ("non-consumptive" wildlife users and bicyclists.)
This is not fair. I'm all for folks biking to work if they want to. I'm all for getting rid of some of the gridlock on Concord area roads. I'm all for a little less pollution in the air.
BUT . . . if we are going to go so far as to design our city around the interests of one group of people (bicyclists) then this group should be willing to put it's money where it's mouth is and accept the fact that they will need to be licenses and have their two-wheeled vehicles registered. The proceeds from these two actions alone would go a long way towards funding the type of "bike-friendly" infrastucture that is mentioned in this article.
Bikers, you are not the enemy. Just like non-consumptive wildlife users are not the enemy.
UNLESS . . . you think that you should not be made to pay your way like the rest of us.
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Re: be made to pay your way like the rest of us
By Robert Frypp - 12/07/2009 - 10:00 amDan, while I typically agree with you about half the time on these boards, I will continue to disagree with your jaded perspective on this until the end of time.
You seem to want to treat cyclists as some separate entity from everyone else on the road...as if there is no way they ALSO contribute to the infrastructure support system (i.e., reg. fees, gas taxes, etc.).
And 98.5% of the time, this scenario does no apply and there is no one I know, who also enjoys cycling, that does not "pay their way" just like the rest of us because they also own motorized vehicles, which require registrations, fuel, etc. Just because not everyone take advantage (or wants to) of bike riding opportunites, does not mean cyclists should be penalized for the lack of desire of others to participate as well.
I realize you are probably thinking about this from a hunter's perspective, with hunting license fees are paying for F&G's contributions, wildlife stocking, etc. But that ideal just cannot apply in this situation because the two systems don't match one another as 98.5% of cyclists have alrady paid for what they use because they also drive vehicles.
If you can come up with a fair, sensible way to accomplish this pipe dream of yours without singling out (or sparing for that matter) a particualr group of people, then I'll give your idea second thought. Until then, it is complete nonsense to me because we ALL pay our way, regardless.
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You're missing my point
By Hunter Dan - 12/07/2009 - 10:03 amIt's not about the people or their "desires" - it's about the vehicles.
Let's say I own a car and a truck. Should I then only be forced to register one of them? After all, I registered one, why should I have to register both?
It's the same thing for a person who uses a motor vehicle and a bicycle on our roads. They have two vehicles which they use on our roads and therefore, BOTH should be registered. How is that not fair?
And it's not like we have to reinvent the wheel here. As has already been said in this topic thread - Concord used to register them. The town I'm from in Vermont used to register them too. I'm sure if I looked through my parent's garage long enough I could find my little version of the VT state plate that used to be affixed underneath the seat of my Univega.
But enough. Let's say I agree with you. Let's apply your logic to my favorite pastimes - hunting and fishing. Just because not everyone takes advantage (or wants to) of hunting and fishing opportunites, does not mean I should be penalized for the lack of desire of others to participate as well. Therefore, I should be able to hunt and fish whenever I want to without being licensed!
But seriously, even though it is in line with your way of thinking - I would never ask to be allowed to hunt and fish without a license, because I believe in PAYING MY WAY!
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Re: I'm not missing your point
By Robert Frypp - 12/07/2009 - 12:33 pmI understand your point, it's just that your point makes no sense to me from the perspective I see it from.
HD said: It's not about the people or their "desires" - it's about the vehicles.
If that's all that it's about, then people who choose to cycle on a routine basis should get a tax credit of some type for using one of the least infrastructure/environmental impacting vehicles known to man.
HD said: Let's say I own a car and a truck. Should I then only be forced to register one of them? After all, I registered one, why should I have to register both?
Because they are all heavy, impacting motor vehicles. They require roads, which cost money. They require large trucks to use those same roads to bring fuel within close proximity of them. And motor vehicles (and what is required to keep them running) impact the environment, condition of roads, etc. The costs of the by-products motor vehicles can contribute to are endless.
HD said: It's the same thing for a person who uses a motor vehicle and a bicycle on our roads. They have two vehicles which they use on our roads and therefore, BOTH should be registered. How is that not fair?
It's not the same thing because one does not create even a measurable amount of impact compared to the other, or vice versa. What if someone is using roller blades or street skis? Do you think those should be registered too? I mean, where does it end, or start, with the scenario you propose?
HD said: Let's say I agree with you. Let's apply your logic to my favorite pastimes - hunting and fishing. Just because not everyone takes advantage (or wants to) of hunting and fishing opportunites, does not mean I should be penalized for the lack of desire of others to participate as well. Therefore, I should be able to hunt and fish whenever I want to without being licensed!
This comparison does not apply. What you propose (bike regs/fees) is a double dipping type of scenario. For example, if you went hunting without a proper license (registration), you would have not paid for squat and would be stealing if you bagged something to take home. I live 500 yards from the Contoocook river, I fish there on occasion with my kayak. I would not dream of fishing without purchasing a license to enjoy this passtime. Because that is how I pay for the fish I'm trying to catch...even though I don't eat freshwater fish and I throw them all back. I'm paying for F&G's efforts and contributions to state's waterways.
If I go cycling, I am using something (the road) I have already paid for in full, by the costs incurred upon me from all my heavy, fast moving, infrastructure/enironmentally impacting motor vehicles. In fact, in choosing my bicycle, I am now using the infrastructre while putting little to no measurable impact on it in return. So I would think, from the infrastructure's viewpoint, I'm even a preferred customer. The way I see it, my cycling on roads would be much like if you went and bought a hunting license, knowing full well you had no desire to kill anything that season because you had no more space in your freezer. You just wanted to hang out in a tree with your bow and watch the occasional wildlife walk by and then go home.
p.s. I remember registering my bike too. It is an unenforceable folly and a waste of resources these days. It's not 1965 anymore.
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You just prove my point that
By Hillbilly - 12/08/2009 - 7:11 amYou just prove my point that common sense is not that common anymore. If your past time cost money to improve, the people that use it should help foot the bill. You must be a paddler too that thinks that Dan and I should continue to put in cartop launches for you and your buddies. If you are not a paddler than maybe the fact that fisherman and hunters have been getting screwed forever with this situation and we just dont think it should come to the main stream taxpayer. Our hobby of hunting is and will continue to be the most green thing on the planet and we pay for it and have no problem doing it. Yet it is frowned on, then we become ignorant cavemen when we think that you should have to pay your way on something that you believe in? C'MON!!!!
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So you have been brainwashed into thinking . . .
By Hunter Dan - 12/07/2009 - 1:48 pmthat YOUR particular pastimes have no impact on the environment. I would argue to the contrary.
Have you ever been in places where mountain biking takes place? Mountain bikes have wide, knobby tires that do far more damage to trails and trailside vegetation than my hunting boots do. Don't think that you're so "green" that nothing you do has any impact on the environment. If I go into a wilderness area hunting I've paid for my license and 90% of the time when I go hunting (deer hunting anyway) I do not kill anything. It's not about whether you bag game or not. I mountain biker riding on trails has a heck of a lot more impact than I do with boots.
And while I'm at it . . . what's so bad about "having an impact" on the environment. You seem to equate the word "impact" with "bad" - when there are ways that a person can have a "positive impact" on the environment. We've all become so far removed from death that we've forgotten that it's part of life. People go around thinking if you kill one blade of grass you've had a "negative impact" on the environment. This is not true.
So let me ask you this . . . if the state mandated registering canoes and kayaks, would you protest?
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Noway!!!
By Meow meow - 12/07/2009 - 6:00 pmListen I pay for my fishing license every year and have no problem at all. I pay for parking fees when I hike and fish. I have no gripe at all. As for having to register my kayak. Uh uh,noway!! It's bad enough every time I go out on the lake marine patrol is up my bum.I most certainly would protest that. As for bikes, nah no need to register.
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Re: registering canoes and kayaks, would you protest?
By Robert Frypp - 12/07/2009 - 2:53 pmYes, I would. I'm not going to get into the reasons why though because you'd counterpoint all those reasons from your alternate perspective and we'd be in another mobius strip of a debate about that as well.
HD said: Have you ever been in places where mountain biking takes place? Mountain bikes have wide, knobby tires that do far more damage to trails and trailside vegetation than my hunting boots do. Don't think that you're so "green" that nothing you do has any impact on the environment. If I go into a wilderness area hunting I've paid for my license and 90% of the time when I go hunting (deer hunting anyway) I do not kill anything.
Yes, I also mountain bike in those places as well as hike and cross country ski. As a member of FOMBA, I've also volunteered my time and effort in trail maintenance efforts as well when I can. Also, these are trails ANYBODY can use, hikers, equestrians, cc skiers, etc.
Also, nobody has been 'brainwashed' here. We choose to have a firm opinion about something and it's brainwashing? Let's just agree to never agree on this topic because our perspectives on these topics come from two different worlds of thought and logic.
Lastly, I'm not sure I would refer to my choice to pedal to work instead of driving as a 'pastime'.
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Well, ok then. If it's not a pastime
By Hunter Dan - 12/07/2009 - 6:31 pmthen what is it?
And please don't say something self-important and patronizing like "it's an informed decision to save the planet."
I'm fine agreeing to disagree on this one because I know that we see eye to eye on some issues, which tells me that at least your fair-minded(more or less) and not an ideologue.
I hope they get something constructive (and equitable) started at the meeting tonight. I myself will not be in attendance.
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Re: If it's not a pastime then what is it?
By Robert Frypp - 12/08/2009 - 10:34 amWell, it would be my means of getting to work. I'm not out there to stop and see the sights or stop and smell the flowers, it's a point A to point B mission in the most efficient way possible, just like if I was driving. If I took my motorcycle to work, that would not be a pastime either.
Would you refer to your drive to work as a pastime?
And yes, it is also an informed decision...to be less fat than I would be otherwise.
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Please come tonight
By onrhodes - 12/07/2009 - 3:37 pmI sure hope you both come tonight.
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Sorry
By Hunter Dan - 12/07/2009 - 6:32 pmI've got other things on my plate.
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Oh my...
By love2swim - 12/07/2009 - 9:27 amIs this going to turn into a disaster like the cross town buses or the trolly's Could we take as survey to see how many people would use this? Also we do have winter???? Is it worth it to spend this money on something that will not be used in the winters? Just a thought. I am all for biking to work and less cars on the road but not sure this is it?
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Safety
By nanners - 12/07/2009 - 8:05 amSome of the crosswalk lights need to be repaired..for anyone needing to use them. Saw a man trying to use the crosswalk at the end of 293/Main St. No go. In that area I would get off my bike and walk it across...if the light was working as it is dangerous enough there. There are a number of these not working lights.
We need to get more young people involved. This fall I saw 6 to 8 young men from Concord HS riding as a group to school!! They had all their safety equipment etc! At my grand daughter's middle school in Nashua biking is promoted. On Monday's after school their is a clinic to learn to fix their bikes and make minor adjustments. Wednesdays are a group ride right after school. These type of activities need to be promoted also. Not everyone plays football and soccer.
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Registering bikes
By Espie - 12/07/2009 - 7:48 amThe police department in Concord used to do this when I was a kid... in fact, I still have the same bike I had in junior high school and it still has its bright green 1980 registration sticker affixed. The police officer would check your lights, brakes and bell or horn... just like a safety inspection on a car. The fee, if any, was minimal. I don't know if it was mandated or voluntary... I'm not aware of any of my playmates getting "run in" for having an unlicensed bike.
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We can't just draw lines
By war205 - 12/07/2009 - 7:30 amI agree, so let's expand the vision.
Bicycles and their riders should be regulated same a motor vehicles. Riders licensed, bikes inspected at the same intervals as MV's. This action would benefit the public with a self supporting funds for bike trails, public bath houses and the ability of law enforcement to identify offenders of traffic laws. It will also provide more jobs to the community, MV department would have to beefed up, bath houses cleaned and patrolled on a regular bases. Next, expand the the bath houses to mini homeless shelters, stocked with food by the food banks.
This program will be so popular Concord will benefit from reduced car traffic, the city will be able redesign the parking spaces, to accommodate only the Smart or Half cars, increasing the parking revenue, which will provide more funds for soap and towels at the bath houses.
Put it on the next ballot
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war205, I agree with you
By Waltham Watch - 12/07/2009 - 7:55 amwar205,
I agree with you 100%. Put this idea on the next ballot, so the sponsors can see how foolish, this really is.
The older I get, the more I worry, about the nut jobs,at the State House.
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