Activism
OUR GOAL: SAFER, MORE INCLUSIVE ROADWAYS IN SETX.
SeTx is inches away from having a Bicycle Master Plan. The Engineering Firm doing the presentation at the Elegante in Beaumont 20 May 2022 (Bicycle Month) said, this is about accommodation more than People who Ride Bicycles. Bicycles are the largest part, so we are going to refer to this as the Bicycle Master Plan.
Texans Rebel against Destructive Super HighWays
Eric Bender addresses City Council regarding Signs & Sharrows on Magnolia Street in Beaumont, Texas. KFDM
Perhaps the most ridiculously striped intersection in our community. On one hand, the narrow lanes slowed traffic on Gladys, a Neighborhood Street. On the other hand, absolutely NO. EFFORT was made to accommodate Active Transportation IN-ANY-WAY !
On one hand, City Leaders have invited so much Public Housing to our area that we have TWICE the Texas Average, per capita.
On the other hand, City Leadership goes out of their way to DO- NOTHING to accommodate their Independent Transportation needs.
On one hand City Leadership wants to discontinue Bus Service due to expense & lack of participation.
On the other hand, they appear to sabotage any opportunity they have to create an equitable Transportation System when a roadway is redone. Major Dr, Lucas, Folsom, MLK, Eleventh St, Dowlen Rd & Washington have all been re-worked with not a hint of an inkling of accommodation for Active Transportation.
Cognitive Dissonance at its finest.
Active Transportation is not a happy topic at the Elite Cocktail Parties our leadership enjoy.
Active Transportation is not convenient to Race Car Drivers- Indy, NASCAR or otherwise. Accommodating Active Transportation means motorist folks will have to slow down just a little.
Accommodating Active Transportation means engineers have to think differently.
As far as costs go, if we don’t have to re-do & re-do stripes, Accommodating Active Transportation only costs pennies per mile.
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For a few cents extra per mile, we get a healthier (bodily & air quality) community.
Accommodating Active Transportation makes BeaumontTexas.gov a more inviting place to live.
In a town this size, in the bicycle shop, we hear about MANY of the infractions committed by motorists against People who ride Bicycles.
In a town this size, as leaders, we can be known as caring & compassionate or NOT.
As leaders, try seeing changes in the roadway as building a community. Building a petter place for everyone including People who WANT to ride Bicycles as well as People who HAVE to ride Bicycles.
When you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
I see the bicycle in traffic problem through the humanity of it all.
A cardiologist would see the need for walking, running, longer wheel chair excursions.
A sociologist would see the need to get out from behind the computers, TVs & phones- outside to play.
Intelligent, enlightened Traffic Engineers would see a need / opportunity to accommodate more people, in the same space, with greater harmony & increased safety.
As a spiritual person, accommodating Active Transportation creates harmony in traffic.
The comptroller would see the very low cost of those accommodations in relation to the many, varied benefits and cautiously sign, yes.
As leaders, What’s your “hammer” / perspective?
In a town this size, you must realize the need.
Be good stewards.
Do something about bringing safe, Active Transportation to BeaumontTexas.gov as part of a community building effort.
A town this size will appreciate what you’ve done for them, once they figure it out.
In a town this size, I send you much love.
It's all about the stripes! In this video we are proposing Modern Street designs including a Skinny Travel Lane, Signs and Sharrows in the wider outside lane on major thorough fare's in SouthEast Texas. Let's include Bicycles in plans for our Transportation System.
Interview with Heather Chaisson regarding the potential convenience of bicycle racks on BeaumontTexas.gov City busses. We also discusses bus usage. She agrees, inter-modal transportation would be a huge PLUS for our community. If you agree with Heather, please, contact City Council: http://beaumonttexas.gov/city-council/contact-city-council/ use the drop down menu to "contact ALL City Council Members.
SETX HIT-N-RUN STORIES
Kevin Bell was riding his Electra Beach Cruiser on Dowlen Road when an automobile struck him, knocking him into the grass. The motorist didn't bother to stop and check on him. Hit & Run !!! Thankfully He was not badly injured; however, his bicycle was--- disabling his mode of transportation. Sadly, this happens all too often. This is why BeaumontTexas.gov needs Hybrid Streets including Signs & Sharrows. 9.13.17
Thomas Ardoin- another bicycle hit-n-run victim. Riding on the sidewalk, with traffic, a female driver turned in and over him. His rear wheel was utterly destroyed! Thomas has a sweet spirit. He said, The woman stopped, rolled down her window, asked if he was hurt. Thomas said, she was obviously terrified. His rear wheel was in pieces. When he said, I'm OK, she quickly left him standing there with his disabled bicycle.
Chad Edwards of Groves, Texas was riding his Adult Three Wheeler to a park two blocks from his home when he was hit by an elderly female driver. Thankfully he was not injured, but his three wheeler, his mode of transportation, was not so fortunate. One of his wheels was crushed by the bumper of her car. Witnesses recorded her license plate, but Police evidently did not understand that a bicycle, by Texas State Law, is a VEHICLE. when they visited her at her home, She admitted not having seen him & having hit him. This whole potentially deadly incident played out within 100 yards of the Groves Police Station. Technically, the driver should have been ticketed, but no action was taken. She did not offer to pay for the repairs to Chad's three wheeler.