Last night the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) voted 10-2-1 in favor of a motion to approve and recommend the Bike Writers Collective’s (BWC) Cyclists’ Bill of Rights (CBoR) to Los Angeles City Council members Eric Garcetti (President of the LA City Council and representative of the Thirteenth District) and Tom LaBonge (representative of the Fourth District).
Only Lenore Solis, Church/Religious Representative and local realty agent, and Luis Lopez, Community Group/Non-profit Representative and owner of Luis Lopez Automotive, voted against the motion. During the member comments section Solis expressed concerned that the CBoR would give cyclists the right to ride on the freeway and she argued that the CBoR was too broad, specifically 5, “the right to routine accommodations in all roadway projects and improvements,” and 9, “the right to full access for themselves and their bicycles on all mass transit with no limitations.” Lopez argued that the CBoR would give cyclists “too much leverage” on future Council decisions and that the Council shouldn’t recommend the CBoR because they don’t know if the people they are representing would approve. WTF? But is it really a surprise that the Catholic and the Capitalist voted against the CBoR. What an explosive failure of a representative democratic plutocracy at the local level.
But the motion still passed. Let’s celebrate our communities success.
Stephen Box, Enci Box, and I (representing the BWC) along with Elson Trinidad (East Hollywood Neighborhood Council (EHNC) member President) and Eduardo Magos (EHNC District 9 Representative) spoke in favor of the CBoR.
The AVNC is the third Neighborhood Council to support the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights after The EHNC (unanimous) and the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council.
Los Angeles Metblogs – More fun with the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” – Sean Bonner
Tags: Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, Bike Writers Collective, Cyclists' Bill of Rights, East Hollywood Neighborhood Council, Elson Trinidad, Enci Box, Eric Garcetti, Lenore Solis, Luis Lopez, Luis Lopez Automotive, Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, Stephen Box, tom labonge
11 July 2008 at 5:23 pm
[...] Mikey Wally was there and has more details… “Only Lenore Solis, Church/Religious Representative and [...]
12 July 2008 at 11:44 am
Hey, this Catholic dude supports the Cyclist’s Bill of Rights 100%!
Actually, having worked in the community trenches as long as I have (over 12 years now…), I’ve discovered it’s really more of a generational divide…most of the baby boomer generation and older see things rather differently, especially in terms of development, transportation and density. Remember, they grew up when the car and suburbia was king, so they’ll always base their lives around those ideals.
Oh yeah, Ed Magos from the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council came along and spoke with us on Thursday as well!
12 July 2008 at 12:23 pm
@Elson, Thanks for the update, I was trying to remember Ed’s name. I’ll add him into the post.
And yeah, I just bust on any religion or religious thing on this blog because I’m an atheist (or an apatheist if you want to get technical), but you’re right. Her decision to not endorse the CBoR did not mostly have to do with her being Catholic, so it was a cheap shot. Religion and predatory capitalism strive on anti-social behavior so I look at them skeptically. The community value of their input to me is very little, so I equated the Religious representative and a local business owner to being backwards and behind the times in respect towards the CBoR.
Responding to your generational divide comment, I grew up when the car and suburbia were king too though, and they still are. Especially in West Michigan, to get to a grocery store was 7 miles, a “trendy” restaurant that wasn’t Sue’s Country Kitchen or Kelly’s Kitchen was a 30 minute drive in to Grand Rapids. Kidz my age ride bikes, but they are still directed by business and society to not think outside of the car box.
12 July 2008 at 3:20 pm
It was great to have Ed ride with us and to hear him speak in support of the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights.
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