Those of us who have the ability to post to this list have a responsibility to gather and report the stories of the people who are suffering the most from this bus strike who don't have access to this technology.
These are the people who don't have cars, who can't find a ride, who can't get to work or to school or to the grocery store or the doctor... They don't have a computer and can't use a carpooling database that's designed to benefit only the people who own cars. Those who said that this strike has had no impact on the "traffic flow" spoke too quickly. Carpools will start to disintegrate, promised rides will evaporate, schedules will change and more people will start driving alone. Then we'll see a difference. People who are stranded are walking too long and too far. Soon they won't be able to walk any further. Jobs will be lost. Students and others who resolved to ride their bikes have found that the dangers of the street and the physical challenges are too great. Soon they will stop riding those bicycles. Classes will be missed and their jobs will be lost. Stories of this strike ... The photo of Jon Youngdahl of Minneapolis in the 3/5/2004 Star Tribune, standing at a bus stop on University Avenue with a sign saying "Minneapolis." He stood there two hours before someone gave him a ride and when he arrived at work he was told he was not needed. How did Jon Youngdahl get home? Will he have a job on Monday? This same section of Friday's paper has many other stories from students, workers, and bus drivers, all of whom felt an immediate negative impact from the strike. For them the traffic didn't "flow" anywhere. It came to a complete halt. The Minnesota Public Radio website has several good stories of the people who are suffering from this strike... Riders feel impact of bus strike March 5, 2004 http://news.mpr.org/features/2004/03/05_randolpht_busriders/ This story... is about kids who can't get to their English language classes, jobseekers unable to get to interviews and clients of St. Stephen's Human Services who can't get anywhere. Day 1 of bus strike: Union defiant, traffic runs smoothly March 4, 2004 This story... Is about Muhammad Bilal rode his bike in weather that felt too cold. How did Muhammad get to work on Friday? http://news.mpr.org/features/2004/03/04_hughesa_strikeday1/ This story also says that carpools were successful. Few carpools last for long. Madeline Douglass Kingfield (Mpls) REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
