#!markdown
I don't think the approach I was suggesting would be easy. I think I come at
this from a very different perspective, and I appreciate you describing these
details from yours. My perspective is that of a constituent who expects fair
representation by government and the public service. I'm guessing yours, in
this case, is from a group who has lobbied for access to a resource, while
those institutions weighed the costs to that resource representing the public
interests. While acknowledging the shortcomings of our governmental systems,
it strikes me that there are few options outside those that I outlined above,
sacrifice the detail. And if I'm roughly correct with my guess of your
perspective, with respect I think you're on the wrong track. The only reasons
I can think as to why you'd say the trail organisations can't compartmentalise
is that perspective, and because e-bikes superficially look like regular
bikes. If real motos started tearing up the trails I don't think you'd be
saying that. It would have to be dealt with by talking to authorities about a
different user group, requesting protection of a public resource. Not in the
sense of how that affects the permission MTBs have to use that resource. It's
not absolutely black and white of course, but the contexts would differ
substantially.
I sympathise with your disappointment in the manufacturers, but I'd be very
surprised if they step in. Is there any precedent for that? I have low
expectations of the manufacturers who push these things, and I am not one to
be won over by them making awesome regular bikes. Their interests are
financial, and fall off sharply after that. I won't go on.
The only truly sustainable solution is the development of an accurate
understanding of what these things are, and how they affect the environment.
The former because authorities need to know how to recognize them, including
that they can't be differentiated at a distance. The latter so that they are
judged appropriately. Motor or human powered is a tenuous way to look at it.
I'm actually disappointed to read from you elsewhere here that MTBs were
granted access in BC on that basis. No wonder people are concerned about our
access - we have no means to justify it based on environmental impact.
Jan. 11, 2017, 11:17 p.m. - Nat Brown
#!markdown I don't think the approach I was suggesting would be easy. I think I come at this from a very different perspective, and I appreciate you describing these details from yours. My perspective is that of a constituent who expects fair representation by government and the public service. I'm guessing yours, in this case, is from a group who has lobbied for access to a resource, while those institutions weighed the costs to that resource representing the public interests. While acknowledging the shortcomings of our governmental systems, it strikes me that there are few options outside those that I outlined above, sacrifice the detail. And if I'm roughly correct with my guess of your perspective, with respect I think you're on the wrong track. The only reasons I can think as to why you'd say the trail organisations can't compartmentalise is that perspective, and because e-bikes superficially look like regular bikes. If real motos started tearing up the trails I don't think you'd be saying that. It would have to be dealt with by talking to authorities about a different user group, requesting protection of a public resource. Not in the sense of how that affects the permission MTBs have to use that resource. It's not absolutely black and white of course, but the contexts would differ substantially. I sympathise with your disappointment in the manufacturers, but I'd be very surprised if they step in. Is there any precedent for that? I have low expectations of the manufacturers who push these things, and I am not one to be won over by them making awesome regular bikes. Their interests are financial, and fall off sharply after that. I won't go on. The only truly sustainable solution is the development of an accurate understanding of what these things are, and how they affect the environment. The former because authorities need to know how to recognize them, including that they can't be differentiated at a distance. The latter so that they are judged appropriately. Motor or human powered is a tenuous way to look at it. I'm actually disappointed to read from you elsewhere here that MTBs were granted access in BC on that basis. No wonder people are concerned about our access - we have no means to justify it based on environmental impact.