This is what we're up against

There's an article in the post today about the city of Rock Hill looking to make their city more bike and pedestrian friendly.  Against my better judgement I had to click on the "comments" tab and see what the fine readers of STLToday.com had to say about this.  Here's a small sampling:

"Insanity. A few hippie bike riders are more important than normal people. Cheezzeee. Keep the thugs off the streets first. Nobody wants the crime that is occurring in Rock Hill. Then clean the trash up. After that, if hippies want bike lanes, then charge them for using them."

"If I were Rock Hill politicians, I would concentrate on keeping the growing crime problem from festering. (don't be like Mayor Slay)"

I had no idea Rock Hill was such a warzone.  And that everyone who rides a bike is a hippie.  There were even more egregious comments but I think you get the point.  My point isn't that crazy people post over at STLToday (I think we all are well aware of that by now).  But the fact is that our region is full of backwards thinking such as the above.  The St. Louis area, and probably most of the United States is a place where 40k to improve bike and pedestrian access is considered wasteful and 140 million for an extension of page avenue is considered smart and necessary.  Notice how the first comment I quoted mentions charging cyclists for the constructed bike lanes.  I wonder if he would approve of a toll where the Page extension begins?

Hypocrisy of the American automobile culture aside, how do we build better communities when the majority don't even want them?  Or do they? Maybe I'm just exaggerating how many people think like the above comments.  Judging by the overall lack of accommodation for bikes and pedestrians in the St. Louis region, I am inclined to believe that I am definitely not exaggerating.

I think we have made great strides in the last 10 years in making St. Louis a more bike and pedestrian friendly place.  The Great Rivers Greenway, Bike St. Louis, and Trailnet have made a huge impact.  Earlier this year it was announced that a bike commuter station would open downtown.  This is great stuff, but just imagine what could get done if we had an even bigger base of support for these things across the St. Louis area.