Jeff Preston, a fine fella at UWO, is wheelchairing to Ottawa to make a point at how poor civilization is at doing what it says it will. If transportation is "equally accessible", why are the disabled beholden to poorly formed taxis, and why are the totally abled (cyclers) beholden to cars? Forgive the poor phrasing above, but the meaning is there. This is Jeff's website for his march http://www.getmobilized.ca/index2.html He's also meeting at Up on Carling Jan Thurs 10 at 9pm. What follows is a bit of our facebook correspondance. Chad O'Neill
2:49pm Jan 1st Heya pal, I've spoken to you a few times, most notably while junking in the Physics/Astonomy dumpster.

I read your challenge in the mitZine a while back, and am glad to see the strength of intent in you. Mine own intent is bottomless. I spoke with Sam Burton about bicycling to Ottawa with you. Did she mention?
I feel that not only does the transportation system not accomodate people of "the wrong shape," it also works to dis-accomodate those of us who are perfectly able. The system (the algorithm, civilization) disables us by forcing us to use cars that we will never pay off in our entire lives.
The roads are built for people, not cars. QED

Chad O'Neill
Evil Wizard
Alchemist
Hons BA CyberCulturalConstruction   Jeff Preston
11:39pm Jan 7th Hey dude it was good seeing you again today. I really appreciate your offer to support the March and coming along, but I currently have a really strong (and large) team working on this project. While I completely agree with what you are saying about the flaws of the transportation system, this movement really needs to just focus on the lack of accessible transportation. So often the voice of the disabled gets marginalized and lost in the clutter of other issues--this march is an opportunity to put those needs center stage. I totally encourage you to keep working toward improving public transportation through your various actions, but this is really something I need to do for myself by myself.

In solidarity,

Jeff   Chad O'Neill
Today at 9:25am A bit of a burn, but sure..

We're really on two sides of the same coin here.
My movement focuses on civilization's hegemony on the types of transportation, and the lack of affordable and comfortable transportation.

So often the voice of the ABLED gets marginalized and lost in the clutter of other issues.

My point is that even if I can get around under my own power, I will be proscribed against.

Perhaps we'll chat about a sympathy critical mass bike ride from London to Ottawa. I know I'd prove a better point on the highway, pick a good week for 401 traffic snarls, and show all the people sitting still in their cars thats its faster to bike.
People are such chickens about the highway though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxPMQLsmB_A Here is a video of some idiot cops chasing a cyclist simply because he's daring to bike down the road (highway), and doesn't fit the cop's daily pattern recognition algorithms.