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07 April 2011

Dear Urban Cyclists: Go Play in Traffic "From Dublin to Bogotá, bicycles are taking over city streets. What's next, lanes for hopscotch and pogo sticks?" [Amazing satire on the spreading threat of bicycles in the roadways]
[More:]
Then there is the notorious case of New York City. Not long ago the only people who braved New York on bicycles were maniacal bike messengers and children heeding an abusive parent's command to "go play in traffic." Now New York has 670 miles of bike lanes—rather more than it has miles of decently paved streets.

The proliferation of New York's bike lanes is the work of the city's indomitable transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-(Genghis)-Khan. Her department has a horde of 4,500 employees and a budget nearing a billion dollars. The transportation commissioner's job is—judging by rush-hour cab and subway rides and last December's blizzard—to prevent the transportation of anybody or anything to anywhere in New York. Bicycles are the perfect way to go nowhere while carrying nothing.


There are too many fantastic quotes to pull, so I'll stop there.
OK, it's probably not satire, but it's delightfully absurd.
posted by filthy light thief 07 April | 16:29
Not satire at all. . .and, as witty as he is, I do not want to live in a world in which he runs things (especially since I commute to work on a bike).
posted by danf 07 April | 16:57
Ditto, danf.

I have to admit that where I live is pretty bike friendly, despite having few bike lanes.
posted by Doohickie 07 April | 21:42
I was never a PJ O'Rourke fan and now I remember why.
posted by Obscure Reference 08 April | 06:40
Perhaps after all the grar in the news, this seemed absurd enough that I could laugh and not be covering up rage or sorrow. And I agree, PJ should never be in charge of anything.
posted by filthy light thief 08 April | 18:11
I want things! || Paying for Dinner--What?

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