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that's right. Bike lanes are kind of an amenity you offer people to get them to settle into areas that need to develop. Generally new bike lanes are under utilized until the word gets out through the various bicycle associations. Having bicycled frequently in Manhattan, I can tell you that a bike lane is a welcome thing. Now all NY has to do is to keep pedestrians and pedicabs out of them!
" Gentrification is the desired outcome."
OK, we all know you are a bright man, robr, but flaunting long words like "gentrification" causes most of us to go to a dictionary to figure out what you are attempting to communicate to us.
Play fair, robr, and define words like that in parentheses so we don't develop apoplexy! Thanks!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
gentrification is something of a dirty word in certain parts of the country. Here's an interesting article on the "war against $4 pieces of toast".
http://www.sfgate.com/living/article/Tips-on-how-to-survive-S-F-s-gentrification-war-5298303.php
I don't mind waiting to see what the new C Class looks like. I appreciate your very kind offer.
Richard
Post me in about 5 years and let's see if that's still working for you.
Richard
"gentrification is something of a dirty word in certain parts of the country. Here's an interesting article on the "war against $4 pieces of toast"."
Good read, Shift. They are trying to "gentrify" the areas around the Univ. of Miami in old Coral Gables. 50 tears ago Coral Gables was the epitome of wealthy living in the heart of Miami. Miracle Mile (outdoor shopping strip with diagonal metered parking) was a tremendous success for locals and tourists alike. That area has been blighted for the past 30+ years, but now it is coming to life once again.
Certain parts of the Gables are still quite nice with 7 figure estates in pockets of salvaged neighborhoods. But the city, state and private sources have rejuvenated more adjacent neighborhoods.
The same is true for the south coastal areas. I visited my grandparents 2-3 times a year when they owned a home in the Gables. That time (1945-1960) was the tail end of the Golden Age of Miami. Lincoln Road on Miami Beach (outdoor shopping street 8 blocks long closed to vehicular traffic) was the shopping haven of many tourists who walked from their Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive hotels to Lincoln Road.
South Beach (Ocean Drive from 1st Street to Lincoln Road along the ocean) is an example of gentrification of what South Beach used to be when I was a kid. The problem remains the neighborhoods surrounding these areas - true urban blight.
I personally would not want to live in those areas because of the heavy crime encircling these rebuilt vestiges of what Art Deco Miami used to be.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Well we stopped going to that gym and started to go to the park district gym which is walking distance from my house (but then again any place is walking distance if you have the time). So I won't be able to tell you how it's working in 5 years.
I am planning on doing a century ride this year (that's 100 miles in one day), so wish me luck.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
"I don't mind waiting to see what the new C Class looks like. I appreciate your very kind offer."
It is definitely worth the wait, Richard. They have increased the wheelbase and all other dimensions. It will be well situated between the CLA and the E Class.
The 2016 E Class is also being totally redesigned with longer wheel base and all other dimensions, along with a new inline 6 twin turbo developing 350 hp. I don't know if that engine will be available in the new C Class right away.
I can't wait to see the new C and E Classes.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Really not seeing a big increase of bike commuters in Cincinnati, regardless of the availability of bike lanes. Again, it's too easy and cheap to get into and around the city/park in the city.
The Central Parkway bike lanes? I'd wager that the first bike mugging happens on Central Parkway, stifling one of the big reasons people might use them.
I'll try to play fair but look on the bright side - I was able to get you to learn a new word and you've already used it!!
I suspect the folks doing the survey are using the same techniques that will be in the census survey next on healthcare usage--the questions asked and of whom they were asked were controlled to invoke the outcome the polling wanted. Easy enough to do. I really, really doubt there are as many bike-to-work folks in Cincy as the survey indicates. And especially moreover the ones who could benefit from appropriating public funds for a narrow interest project will be much smaller than projected. My guess is some folks answered a survey as bike-to-work interested but not in a place to benefit nor to make use of bike-to-work. Cincinnati has hills. They used to have trolleys called inclines which took people up the hills directed from the downtown center.
Cincinnati also has cold weather and has that white stuff called snow.
But the city spreads in 3 directions. Most people who are working live remote from the center city. Perhaps two people who live near Mason might be willing to bike-to-work at P&G near Mason, but that is 15 miles from center. There might be a couple already in the city who would bike, some days, to P&G headquarters. I am suspicious of the data involved in the surveys.
Interestingly the gentrification is related to the new useless trolley in Cincy. The gentrification folks bought up lots of the old buildings in the rundown German near center city area which is the crime center. They were mad as wet cats when the trolley nearly got canceled because of the huge amount of money it will spend, Fed & local. It's the same small group of people benefiting from public money spent to benefit a single area who encourage things like bike ways taking away traffic lanes and parking--as long as it's not their business in the building they bought in the gentrification area.
It's sort of like the federal government passing out money to solar panel makers and battery makers who donate to the right campaigns. Global warming is in there too!
Where else could money be spent? The Cincinnati pension funds for their workers are far underfunded because Cincinnati skipped their annual contributions so they can spend money they don't have on things like trolleys and bike ways. They need to spend less on bike ways and work on getting federal monies for the replacement I-75/I-71 bridge over the Ohio river used by folks from Canada to Florida otherwise it's going to be a toll bridge.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You missed your chance to get a good Mustang.
Ford assembled a 50-Anniversary Mustang on the observation deck of the Empire State Bldg.
as part of the NY auto show.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
100 miles in a day?! Wow! I do wish you luck and I admire you for doing it.
Richard
Yeah, just ask Spike Lee.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Imid...your post nails it. Some of the more left thinking cities (not besmirching anyone's political leanings, btw) would be more accepting of bike lanes. Portland, Seattle, SanFrancisco, New York City, etc come to mind. Cincinnati ain't that. We're not the home of Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc. We're the home of the Proctrer & Gambles, GE Aircraft, Macy's, Krogers, etc. These are not liberal companies who would reward someone for riding their bike to work.
I've lived in and around Cincinnati nearly all my life. I've met thousands of people who live here. No one I have ever met used a bike to commute, not their kids, not their nieces, not their nephews, not any neighbors, not any of my fellow parishioners....NADA, ZILCH, ZERO, NONE! No one I've ever talked to here has ever expressed a desire to ride a bike to commute....regardless of age group, or socio-economic status.
I'm not anti-bike. I used to do a lot of long distance riding as a hobby. Not once did I desire to commute with my bike.
We also don't like having public works shoved down our throats, particularly something that so few would use (like bike lanes).
In short, it's a big waste of money to put bike lanes in.
The city is at least $680 million in debt because that's the amount they owe to their public employees pension fund. These are payments they skipped to spend the money elsewhere. They recently floated the idea of peddling (no pun intended) the shortage to the People of the State of Ohio by having one of the Ohio public pension funds pick up the workers and the shortfall from the money the city didn't pay in during the last many years while they spent money like a drunken sailor during a poor economy.
When I heard that suggestion I was on the phone to my Ohio representative faster than speeding bicycle to save our tax money from subsidizing Cincinnati's failure.
Ride your bike to work in winter?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The Mustang assembled on the Empire State Building has no running gear installed (engine, transmission), so it might make a perfect car for Fred Flintstone, if he's going through some male-oriented mid-life crisis...
Yep - although it was printed in the NY Post, it's from Boston:
People might not bike the day of a storm - just like people will hunker down at home and not drive - but as soon as the roads have cleared, the ones that do it are right back out there.
Richard, I think you will be happier with the C class rather than the CLA. One review summarized the CLA as a luxury car that rides rough. Of course, you should compare them yourself --- you may like a firm ride. My aging frame doesn't do well with sport suspensions. To each his/her own.
I sat in the CLA at the NE Auto Show, quite tight in the rear seats. Some hard (and sharp!) plastics, especially on the center console. Dislike the tacked-on look of the infotainment screen, but MB is not alone in this design miscue...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
This could be of interest for you MUSTANG LOVERS!
The article talks about how the 64 Mustang with serial #1 off the assembly line was accidentally sold to a Canadian in 1989. The car was on display at a dealer showroom in Canada and a salesman accidentally sold the car (bet that guy was fired). The new owner wouldn't give it back to Ford, he said you cashed my check, so I am keeping the car.
Eventually he gave the car to Ford in exchange for the one millionth Mustang, a 1966 convertible.
There is also a video of how they got the 2015 Mustang to the top of the Empire State Building. .
Ford Mustang turns 50
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
"I'll try to play fair but look on the bright side - I was able to get you to learn a new word and you've already used it!!"
You did a better job of increasing my vocabulary than any of my teachers and professors ever did!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Good to see you're back on the forums!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
"This could be of interest for you MUSTANG LOVERS!"
Good to see you posting again driver. I really missed you! OMG, did I just say that? I must be softening in my old age!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
@sterlingdog
Edmunds has a long term CLA and it's in the middle of a long road trip, so you can read about it here: edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/cla-class/2014/long-term-road-test/2014-mercedes-benz-cla250-redwood-road-trip-part-1.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-23/u-s-crude-supply-climbs-to-highest-level-since-1931.html
Regardless of input costs, gasoline prices are ultimately a matter of what people are willing to pay. Gas companies learned something very important over the last half a dozen years, which is that US consumers are willing to pay more, much more. Many consumers are making choices to reduce consumption, but the F-150 is still the best selling vehicle, and other trucks, SUVs and less-efficient vehicle options are flying off lots. How high will prices have to go before the majority of consumers signal that prices are too high via a drastic reduction in consumption? $6/gallon, $9/gallon, $12/gallon?
re: Bike Commuting---Mark Twain used to tell this story about how wonderful it was to walk up a mountain on a spring day---how glorious! And yet, he said, if someone paid you to walk up and down it every day as a job, you'd come to hate doing it.
If the bike lanes are dedicated paths with no cars around, that can be pretty sweet, but anytime you have to duke it out with cars on busy streets, it's extremely risky. I do it in Manhattan, but I'm like....totally amped up, as if I were threading through a jungle looking out for an ambush. It is in no way relaxing. The only nice part is not having to suffer the subways or a crowded crosstown bus at rush hour. When I'm in Sonoma, the landscape allows you to really enjoy bike riding. But Sonoma is a toy town, it's not like living in the teaming chaos of a large city.
Bikes are great IN a city, but not so great GETTING INTO a city.
My nonscientific test for when gas prices are high is that the cars sitting along the curb to pick up kids at the elementary school turn off the engines instead of idling like they do most of the time.
Same for turning off the engine at the quick market. Many people leave their car running at the 7-11 type markets.
When gas is too high, they turn those puppies off to save pennies.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thanks guys...much appreciated. I don't know for about a week a notice came up Edmunds was working on the site. Then I got in using Chrome instead of Firefox. Then I had to read over a weeks worth of posts. Loved Snakes Higher Temp in line with fewer Pirates chart. I sent a copy of the chart to people on my email list...some will appreciate it I am sure!.
Nice to be back again and I was worried I would never see I mean hear from youz guys again!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
FOR THE RECORD:
>
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Saying the BMW 535i was boring in the MSN article wasn't quite accurate. They said the boring model is the 535 Grand Tourismo which I would agree with 100%. That is the one that kind of looks like a cross between a 535 hatchback and a station wagon and it is just plain ugly, and the guy who suggested this model should be looking for a new job.
This is what the article actually said:
Nowhere near as boring as some of the other gems on this list, the 535i Gran Turismo cannot escape our wrath because — well, it's from BMW, for crying out loud, and this is the company that promises "The Ultimate Driving Machine"! If you love the feel of a new BMW, there's a perfectly good 535i sedan, and it costs a maddening $5,100 less than the bulky, confused "luxury hatchback" you see here. One editor quipped, "Is it boring — or offensive?"
That article was interesting and well written in my opinion. And, btw, the Buick Lacrosse they thought was boring was only the basic 4 cylinder model, which makes sense.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
"Saying the BMW 535i was boring in the MSN article wasn't quite accurate."
I don't know what is boring or what is not boring. I know ugly from gorgeous! Maybe boring is a cross between ugly and uninteresting. But, boring is an opinion of the observer or one experiencing the interaction between the object and the senses!
Opinions are always welcome but rarely does everyone agree with an opinion. Opinions are formed as a result of acquired attitudes. Taking that one step further, what I think is ugly another will think is dead gorgeous. "BEAUTY AND UGLINESS AS WELL AS WHAT IS BORING IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER!"
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
It doesn't seem to be an issue for folks waiting in line at the McDonalds drive through. Waiting to munch on an order of fries must short out the neurons in the part of the brain responsible for frugal behavior. Probably brought on by excessive salivating.
Reliability Surveys? Toyota Still Seems to be on Top:
https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/a-car-dealer-s-guide-to-the-10-most-reliable-brands-213610506.html
Demand is down, supply is up. Yet, prices are rising? Sounds like collusion to me.
The excuses keep on coming and disproved. Sounds like the excuse that OPEC controls the majority of oil coming to the U.S. Isn't a valid excuse anymore.
Yeh, but no one could argue this is UGLY;
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Speaking of Snakes great chart regarding Global Climate Change and number of Pirates, I found this chart;
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I thought this increase was because the refineries had to convert to more costly summer grade gasoline. In the winter the price goes up because we use more fuel. They must have a book with 1000 reasons for raising the price of fuel.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
It's not that simple. There are many inter-related causes for sea level rise.
Current sea level rise is about 3 mm/year worldwide. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), "this is a significantly larger rate than the sea-level rise averaged over the last several thousand years".
Between 1870 and 2004, global average sea levels rose 195 mm (7.7 in), 1.46 mm (0.057 in) per year. From 1950 to 2009, measurements show an average annual rise in sea level of 1.7 ± 0.3 mm per year, with satellite data showing a rise of 3.3 ± 0.4 mm per year from 1993 to 2009, a faster rate of increase than previously estimated. It is unclear whether the increased rate reflects an increase in the underlying long-term trend.
In addition to the addition of melted ice water from glaciers and ice sheets, recent sea level changes are also affected by the thermal expansion of sea water due to global warming, sea level change due to deglaciation of the last Ice Age (postglacial sea level change), deformation of the land and ocean floor and other factors. Thus, to understand global warming from sea level change, one must be able to separate all these factors, especially postglacial rebound, since it is one of the leading factors.
PS: A piece of ice the size of Guam just broke off from Antarctica. -- 278 square miles
I owned a 1989 Lincoln Town Car which was my favorite car. That should tell you the type of ride that I enjoy.
Richard
Hard and sharp plastic? VERY disappointing since that is one thing that I dislike about my convertible. Thanks for the input.
Richard
You pop back in here with a casual post after worrying us half to death? We demand a clear and concise explanation for your absence. I know. I'm really one to talk. Though you "drive" me crazy at times, I can't hold this place together without you.
Glad you're back.
Richard
@laurasdada
I saw a gorgeous Jaguar XF @ the NY Auto Show. WHite with black wheels & a black grill. Very sharp.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Thanks so much for that link. It was a help. So far, I'm not feeling good things about the CLA. Also, my wife reminded me today that the nearest MB dealer is 40 miles from here. That could also prove to be an inconvenience.
Richard
I really feel kind of stupid. About the middle of last week I would try to go on Sales Frontlines and a sign would come up the site was under construction. I use Firefox and and I assumed SFLs was shut down, I was trying several times a day For some unknown reason I decided to go on using Google Chrome (I barely understand what I am trying to explain that I did), and I can go on again. So, I missed about a week of posts. I thought I would lose my virtual friends. Chrome is slower and is clunky compared to Firefox. When my IT friend has a chance I'll try to get him to fix it up so I can go on using Firefox. I felt like I did a Richard! (or is it a Sterlingdog).
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Speaking of Buick, what is GM's fascination with French sounding names for various Buick models? to name a few: LaCrosse, Encore, LeSabre, Riviera, Lucerne, Rendezvous and Enclave(?)
Not sure if this is what you saw. Just me, but not too many cars can pull off this mean look;
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
It is the bicyclists equivalent of a marathon.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I would agree, I would advocate bile lanes only if there is an excess of money to do so. The percentage of people that actually bike to work is very low. Many suburbanites commute to far to make biking feasible and urban dwellers have a lot more options in public transportation.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that that photo was staged. First he isn't wearing gloves and no serious biker would ride in the winter without something to cover their hands (wind chill does exist when you are moving on a bike). Plus he is riding holding a coffee cup, no rider worth anything would be doing that.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D