Watchung News 12/9/2016

TheLonerider

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
The executive session at the end involved possible legal action against contractor CME. Not sure why. If u file an opra request you could get any relevant complaints filed in court though nothing to do with details of active litigation according to a lawyer i talked to about it. In short what this means is anybody’s guess but it can’t be good for timely trail access. I understand legal things happen but it should not be a reason to delay trail access. Cyclists should not be further penalized and delayed because of some legal shenanigans we had nothing to do with.
 
bigtwin100

bigtwin100

Active Member
Xler8 said:
Cyclist are and will continue to be penalized regardless if it's on-road, off-road, or leasure cycling until officials stop treating cycling as a crime or an injustice/inconvenience to the general public.
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This is not really accurate. We know you're upset but remember this forum is viewed by all and posts like this do not help the cause
 
Xler8

Xler8

Well-Known Member
bigtwin100 said:
This is not really accurate. We know you're upset but remember this forum is viewed by all and posts like this do not help the cause
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It's somewhat accurate if you think about the big picture.

Let's start with the person who chooses to take to the streets. We have roads that are in poor condition, both from a structural point of view and from a debris point of view. The roads do not take into account a cyclist at any point during the design or construction phase. That person has to battle not only the road conditions, but the big metal boxes as well. So this person gets penalized when they have an accident due to poor road conditions and/or a person driving their car. Or they get penalized because they realize the roads are too dangerous and give up cycling all together.

Now for off-road. The places to go off-road are limited in NJ and require a lot of effort to actually do. We all know the effort required because we do it for the love of the activity and because it's way safer than the road. And we are penalized by having to spend less time on the bike because we have to set time aside to get to a location which allows us to ride in a safe manner. Furthermore, occur more costs in gas, wear and tear, tolls, etc.. At the same time have a negative impact on the environment from driving to our location and an additional burden to the already problematic issue of traffic within NJ.

And if you want to ride for leasure, where would that be? Most likely the road... my town doesn't have sidewalks so there is no other choice. Would you feel ok if your son, daughter, or spouse wanted to ride their bike on the street? In case anyone hasn't realized, texting and driving has overtaken the number one spot for people getting hurt or killed. Not just with car accidents between cars themselves but with pedestrians and cyclists. It has surpassed drunk driving.

To most, a cyclist is nothing more than an inconvenience. I even hear it from people who I've know for a long time - " people on bikes need to get off the road, roads are for cars" or "can't people on bikes ride elsewhere". I'm sure you heard it too. So what is one suppose to do?

It's not about being upset. It's about people realizing that cycling is an environmentaly friendly, clean, effective, human powered, silent mode of transportation and activity that has a tremendous amount of positives for mankind and the environment. Would you agree?

BTW - happy birthday! :)
 
bigtwin100

bigtwin100

Active Member
Again this is not entirely accurate. There is alot to say about it but this is not the thread to do it in. It will do nothing to help Watchung except make us sound like self entitled Brats.
 
TheLonerider

TheLonerider

Well-Known Member
Well, I had to go for jury duty today. Not picked but lost a day's pay. Then stuck in stop and go traffic for an hour going home (this might not be big for some but i plan my routes specifically to avoid stop and go, often arriving half an hour early for work to do so) by which time it was starting to rain so couldn't even get in a decent ride after -- in addition to using up half the gas i'd alotted for going to work for the rest of the week in one friggin day (which means I won't have $ for something or other this week).

and yeh the whole time I was thinking; I'm required to do this as a Union Co. resident -- but I get nothing but grief from the gov't re mt bike riding.

There is something to be said for considering the watchung issue to be not just abut biking but about fair gov't policy.
 
thegock

thegock

Well-Known Member
Bumping this for the next FH meeting Thursday 4/27/17 7pm.

We need more and different people at the Freeholder meetings. Union County residents, especially, should circle the date on their calendar, when there is a Freeholders meeting. They are all held in the same place on the 6th floor of 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ at 7pm on a Thursday night. The public comment part of the meeting is after the "regular business" and usually begins between 8pm and 9pm.

Here's the schedule:

http://ucnj.org/departments/clerk-of-the-board/schedule-of-meetings/

The next two regular meetings are April 27 and May 18 . Circle the dates on your calendars if you want access to the Watchung Reservation for those of us who don't own horses.


#freeWatchung
 
kdebello

kdebello

Well-Known Member
My daughter and I have been working on a short statement that she wants to read at the meeting. We're pretty sure we're going tonight. We'd rather not wait until the next meeting.

If there are any other NICA members or any other kids that want to go, I think it would be great to have them there, just to show a face of a younger member of the MTB community.

Katie could also use the support and it would help her a ton to see other kids, as she is a little nervous about getting up there, but wants to do it for the cause.
 
S

Shorepoints

Well-Known Member
kdebello said:
My daughter and I have been working on a short statement that she wants to read at the meeting. We're pretty sure we're going tonight. We'd rather not wait until the next meeting.

If there are any other NICA members or any other kids that want to go, I think it would be great to have them there, just to show a face of a younger member of the MTB community.

Katie could also use the support and it would help her a ton to see other kids, as she is a little nervous about getting up there, but wants to do it for the cause.
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Thanks so much for motivating Kevin and Katie. I am not going tonight as I've been so many times I want the freeholders to see new faces. Also I have an event to attend for good friend/mountain biker Mike Dardia who is running for Westfield Town Council in my ward. Knock-em dead Katie!
 
MadisonDan

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
kdebello said:
My daughter and I have been working on a short statement that she wants to read at the meeting. We're pretty sure we're going tonight. We'd rather not wait until the next meeting.

If there are any other NICA members or any other kids that want to go, I think it would be great to have them there, just to show a face of a younger member of the MTB community.

Katie could also use the support and it would help her a ton to see other kids, as she is a little nervous about getting up there, but wants to do it for the cause.
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Katie's a rockstar. She'll do great!
 
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