Additional to Thursday’s publish, Tom Boonen has apologized for his Colnago feedback:
Really, he didn’t a lot apologize as he did repent and genuflect:
Although he additionally included this extremely ironic picture, so maybe his “apology” is extra subversive than it appears at first look:
When you think about how a lot dope they had been on, attributing any of this outcome to the bike is like saying Charles III acquired to the place he’s at present by advantage of his work ethic.
The results of that race would almost certainly have been the identical if they’d no bikes in any respect and determined to run the course–or journey one-legged, which in fact he did a couple of years later:
Ah, sure, wanton doping and helmetless stunt-riding. These had been the times.
In the meantime, additional to the video I appended to the top of Friday’s publish, e-whatever batteries maintain exploding in New York Metropolis, however don’t fear as a result of the Streetsblog pundoscenti have the reply:
And that reply is distance-based cost on meals supply apps, set by town, that can one way or the other repair every thing;
Now, by the use of disclosure, I ought to level out I’ve by no means used a meals supply app. If I would like somebody to carry meals to my house, I simply name the restaurant. Or, if I wish to eat meals in my house from a restaurant that both doesn’t have supply individuals or gained’t carry it to me as a result of I’m too far, I am going and get it myself. This isn’t an ideological alternative. Principally I function this manner as a result of it has has labored for me my complete life and I don’t see why I want to include an app into the method–like, how far more handy does meals supply should be than calling somebody and telling them what I would like for dinner? Nonetheless, I’ll say that, as a bicyclist, after I see individuals tearing across the metropolis on all method of e-whatevers and unregistered gasoline-powered motor scooters, I’m even much less inclined to order meals that approach. That is certainly not as a result of I’ve any subject with individuals making an attempt to make a dwelling, or as a result of I one way or the other assume that the stoned child driving for the pizzeria and utilizing a takeout menu as a parking placard contributes extra to the “livability” of town than the man with the Seamless bag piloting a moped on the sidewalk. Nonetheless, as an outdated fuddy-duddy, app supply simply looks as if extra Web craziness to me–craziness I can see throughout me–and I do really feel bizarre placing my meals order on the market within the ether so individuals on scooters can run a bunch of lights and compete with one another to see how briskly they will get it to me.
However, clearly loads of individuals need to have the ability to eat completely something their coronary heart needs within the privateness of their very own properties, and most of these individuals couldn’t care much less the way it will get to them, so it’s foolish to assume these apps will ever go away. It’s even sillier to assume a $2 payment goes to encourage somebody to order for a restaurant that’s barely nearer to them, or that supply riders will go for non-electric bikes, particularly when, along with delivering on them, in addition they commute on them. (I see them driving into town from as far-off as north Yonkers, as a result of guess what? It’s costly to reside in locations the place individuals order in rather a lot.) However actually, we predict the Metropolis of New York–the identical metropolis that may barely construct a useful bike lane–might be trusted to drag off one thing like this?
And even when they may, ought to they? If town doesn’t like the way in which the supply apps function–and it shouldn’t–why not make them meet sure necessities and allow them to go that price onto their lazy-ass prospects themselves? I couldn’t care much less what individuals should pay to get their meals delivered, however I do care concerning the metropolis beginning yet one more racket and getting concerned within the meals supply enterprise. A “city-chartered entity” working “safe-charging depots?” These companies can’t stroll and scratch their balls on the identical time, so the very last thing we’d like is to present them an excuse to cease strolling altogether and go digging round in their very own ass cracks. Possibly in the event that they handle to complete repainting the fucking bike lane in my neighborhood they resurfaced like two years in the past I’ll begin to assume otherwise. I imply, positive, town’s public housing is falling aside, its buses barely transfer, it’s choked with visitors, its bike lane community is totally disjointed, and town companies themselves are the largest perpetrators of the unlawful parking that so maddens the smuggies, however yeah, let’s create a Division of Industrial Bicycle Supply Charging full with a well-compensated “Deliverista Czar” to do the apps’ job for them.
Like, these apps are exploitative:
So why the hell would you advocate for underwriting them?
We’re bailing out their financial institution, for chrissakes, isn’t that sufficient?
In a approach although I suppose the scenario with supply riders at present shouldn’t be so completely different from the scenario with the pushcarts of yesteryear, which town addressed by constructing public markets:
A few of these markets nonetheless function at present, although mockingly eliminating the final of the pushcarts was executed a minimum of partially to alleviate visitors congestion, and as such was little doubt fairly a boon for the car:
In any case, I’ve lengthy marveled at how the “livable streets” set all the time appears to push for the pursuits of the apps, even when their enterprise pursuits run inherently counter to their targets of getting extra vehicles off the streets. Hilariously, they couldn’t have been extra enthusiastic about Uber and Lyft. Like, did anybody truly consider this might occur?
I positive didn’t:
Granted, I used to be extremely short-sighted. I imply, everybody knew Ubers could be each self-driving and filth low-cost by 2022:
However yeah, in these days, Uber was completely going to cut back automobile possession:
Not solely that, however in response to “specialists” it was additionally going to resolve the housing disaster and revitalize public transportation:
And everyone knows this completely occurred:
That’s why it is best to all the time hearken to the specialists.
