Cycling is not good for the environment

[classic33]

State lawmaker defends bike tax
An old link, I know.
Representative Ed Orcutt (R – Kalama) does not think bicycling is environmentally friendly because the activity causes cyclists to have “an increased heart rate and respiration.”

This is according to comments he made in an email to a constituent who questioned the wisdom of a new bike tax the legislature is considering as part of a large transportation package.

We spoke with Rep. Orcutt to confirm the email’s authenticity and to get further clarification.

“You would be giving off more CO2 if you are riding a bike than driving in a car,” he said. However, he said he had not “done any analysis” of the difference in CO2 from a person on a bike compared to the engine of a car (others have).

“You can’t just say that there’s no pollution as a result of riding a bicycle.”

He said the email, which he had not reviewed since he is away from from his computer for the day, must have come from a constituent who disagrees with him (UPDATE: Cascade hasposted the full exchange, which was with Dale Carlson, owner of BikeTech in Tacoma).

“Somebody doesn’t like me, and that’s fine,” he said.

He also stands by his opinion that people who bike do not pay for roads when they ride.

“When you are riding your bicycle, tell me what taxes are being generated by the act of riding your bicycle,” he said. “Sales tax does not go into roads.”


And his withdrawal of the statement

 

[Drago]

This is some years old, although the ignorance remains breathtaking.

 

[DEFENDER01]

Perhaps pedestrians should pay pavement tax.
Then we could also have a slow lane and a fast lane.

 

[young Ed]

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! i don't think it's worth arguing to people like these that are comparable to a duff spud!
Cheers Ed

 

[classic33]

This is some years old, although the ignorance remains breathtaking.

Said it was an old link.

Car drivers it appears don't appear to breathe though.

 

[summerdays]

So we shouldn't do ANYTHING that increases our breathing and heart rate then.....? Oh dear I may have sinned

 

[Yellow Saddle]

When breathing, one does not generate CO2 from nothing. Respiration simply circulates carbon that is already in the atmosphere and came into our bodies by eating plants, and animals that eat plants, which in turn took the carbon out of the atmosphere. So that argument is moot.
However, cyclists do not pay towards the roads they are using, there he is correct. Thus, the argument that cyclist could be expected to contribute towards building roads for them is a valid topic. The learned senator simply got his premises wrong.

 

[the_mikey]

However, cyclists to not pay towards the roads they are using, there he is correct. Thus, the argument that cyclist could be expected to contribute towards building roads for them is a valid topic. The learned senator simply got his premises wrong.

Although one could argue that unless you live in a tree and don't use anything produced, processed or transported by human society, everyone benefits from the roads in one way or another, so even if you sit on a chair all day and watch TV and eat, you're still in some way using the road to sustain your lifestyle.

 

[Sara_H]

Oh dear I may have sinned

Me too, and I'm not repenting either!

 

[Hitchington]

This is some years old, although the ignorance remains breathtaking.

Don't take too a big breath mind, bad for the environment.

 

[Tin Pot]

In similarly recent news, curry does not increase farting!

Curry spices could hold the key to reducing the enormous greenhouse gas emissions given off by grazing animals such as sheep, cows and goats, scientists have claimed.

Research carried out at Newcastle University has found that coriander and turmeric – spices traditionally used to flavour curries – can reduce by up to 40 per cent the amount of methane that is produced by bacteria in a sheep's stomach and then emitted into the atmosphere when the animal burps.

Working rather like an anti-biotic, the spices were found to kill the methane-producing "bad" bacteria in the animal's gut while allowing the "good" bacteria to flourish. The findings are part of an ongoing study led by Dr Abdul Shakoor Chaudhry at Newcastle University.

 

[raleighnut]

I may also have contributed to greenhouse gasses by emitting a bit of methane every once in a while.

As for the guy who wrote the article I think every breath he took was a waste of oxygen. Nobber

 

[raleighnut]

In similarly recent news, curry does not increase farting!

Great minds think along the same lines
Hadn't read your post when I started trying to type...................................Honest,

 

[Drago]

I like the idea that you're not supposed to benefit from the roads unless you're driving a car upon them.

 

[ufkacbln]

When this first came out, someone brought t up in the pub....

Only took five minutes before joggers, runners, squash players, anyone who went to the Gym, was overweight (pretty much anyone breathing) were also being taxed as they were emitting CO2