— Mitch Berg posting on the death of cyclist Dennis Dumm
Mitch covers a fair amount of what I had left to say on this topic and has provided the flypaper for many of the commenters who hobby will be disrupted when Anti-Strib folds.
To the armchair experts who insist bicycling is a hobby: A bicycle can be that, but for some it is a primary transportation choice. Because they live in a city where it's a practical way to get around. Because they can't afford a car. Because they've lost their drivers license. Because they enjoy it. Because they want to consume less. Because it packs commuting, fun and fitness into one activity. Because they are not old enough to drive.
For those who think cars own the road, Mitch has part of the answer — about how roads are actually paid for. And the historical reality is that the adoption of the car happened more quickly in America because a populist mode of personal transportation — the bicycle — created broad public support for building good roads.
