Rep Patrick McHenry (R-NC) speaks out against bikes

An extreme example of how narrow-minded some republican arguments seem to me.  Representive Patrick McHenry of North Carolina goes on an over-the-top rant about how dumb Democrats are for wanting to spend ~$10 million on improving bike infrastructure.  I know that many people would gladly use their bikes more if it were more convenient and safe - I think we need dedicated bike lanes, more driver awareness, increased rights for cyclists and increased penalties for bad driving, and bike "parking garages" to store your bike safetly, with shower rooms to clean up before hitting the town.  With even a few of those things in place, I think that there could be a measurable decrease in traffic congestion to well more than offset the initial cost.  Especially if we implemented a program like the one in France (uh-oh, I said the Republican F-word) and elsewhere in Europe, where you can cheaply rent a bike at an automated kiosk near your home, ride it to your destination, and drop it off at a different kiosk there.  That lets people bike without having to worry about maintenance, and theft isn't a concern as they never lock the bike - they just move it from one kiosk to another.

McHenry Rant:http://www.examiner.com/x-2429-DC-Bicycle-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m1d27-Boehner-Please-refrain-from-making-any-more-boneheaded-remarks-about-biking

Agressive driver story:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/01/a-brentwood-phy.html

Bike Program: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/world/europe/16paris.html