Just received my brochure for the Discover Long Island ride. Nassau County, one of the worse and
expensive places to reside, is charging $30 dollars a person. How can the politicians justify this
price for a family day of fun?

That is pretty steep, but I wouldn't go blaming it on "politicians" so quickly. As the director
of a Long Island not-for-profit group that restored almost 1000 bicycles for disadvantaged
children between 1997 and 2003, I've come to understand that many of the escalated costs for
things here in Nassau County are the result of a ridiculously litigious attitude, which leads to
very high liability premiums. I wouldn't doubt that at least half your 30 bucks is going to the
insurance company.

"GoCycle" <Gocycle@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:cdde9293.0310011750.1a9db2e@posting.google.com...
> Just received my brochure for the Discover Long Island ride. Nassau County, one of the worse and
> expensive places to reside, is charging $30 dollars a person. How can the politicians justify this
> price for a family day of fun?

From the Discover Long Island website:

"The ride is a fund-raiser for Nassau County Parks - your ride fee helps keep Nassau County Parks
great! Thanks to our sponsors for making it all happen:........

Nassau County Parks should be supported by the average $8,000 to $12,000 dollars a year property tax
the Nassau residents and homeowners "shell-out." This cycling fee obviously goes to the Nassau
County Treasury along with the rest of the highest taxes in the United States. If the fee was lower
for this event, MORE people would participate thus creating the extra funding needed to support
recreation.

Cyclists from all over the area should not be reuired to pay such a high entry fee to bail out the
politicians mistakes.

Glad I do not live in Nassau. I will be cycling up 9W for free that day.

"NYRides" <NewYorkRides@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:<DIXeb.5392$E95.1563661@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>...
> That is pretty steep, but I wouldn't go blaming it on "politicians" so quickly. As the director of
> a Long Island not-for-profit group that restored almost 1000 bicycles for disadvantaged children
> between 1997 and 2003, I've come to understand that many of the escalated costs for things here in
> Nassau County are the result of a ridiculously litigious attitude, which leads to very high
> liability premiums. I wouldn't doubt that at least half your 30 bucks is going to the insurance
> company.
>
> "GoCycle" <Gocycle@optonline.net> wrote in message
> news:cdde9293.0310011750.1a9db2e@posting.google.com...
> > Just received my brochure for the Discover Long Island ride. Nassau County, one of the worse and
> > expensive places to reside, is charging $30 dollars a person. How can the politicians justify
> > this price for a family day of fun?

"GoCycle" <Gocycle@optonline.net> wrote in message
> From the Discover Long Island website:
>
> "The ride is a fund-raiser for Nassau County Parks - your ride fee helps keep Nassau County Parks
> great! Thanks to our sponsors for making it all happen:........
>
> Nassau County Parks should be supported by the average $8,000 to $12,000 dollars a year property
> tax the Nassau residents and homeowners "shell-out." This cycling fee obviously goes to the Nassau
> County Treasury along with the rest of the highest taxes in the United States. If the fee was
> lower for this event, MORE people would participate thus creating the extra funding needed to
> support recreation.
>
> Cyclists from all over the area should not be reuired to pay such a high entry fee to bail out the
> politicians mistakes.
>
> Glad I do not live in Nassau. I will be cycling up 9W for free that day.

FWIW, if you have not yet registered (Oct. 1- early registration cut-off date), the fee is now up to
$40 for adults and $20 for kids. Event day registration has adults going up to $50.

The website (for anyone interested) is http://www.nycbicycleshow.com/discov...and/index.html

It seems to be run by the same folks that put on the NY Bike Show and is most likely going to see
some profit for that group, plus costs for the County and State, plus remaining to charity. I cannot
imagine the actual costs to the county or state to be terribly high. Certainly a LOT less then the
old Discover tour that used the Meadowbrook and closed all parkway access from Hempstead Tpk, SS
Parkway, Babylon Tpk., Sunrise Hwy., Merrick Rd,. and Loop Parkway. This one only closes south of
Merrick Rd. plus access to the Wantagh from Ocean Parkway.

What I don't get is the distance. They say the basic ride is 30 miles, which means 15 RT. It's only
5 miles one way from Cedar Creek Park to the beach, unless they extend on the north access parkway
that runs from lot 5 out to west end, which adds maybe 3-4 miles. I still only come up with 10 one
way. The website isn't exactly clear....

A second comment is that the website mentions "plenty of free parking". If they get anything like
the 4,000 that used to do the Meadowbrook ride, there ain't 4,000 spaces at Cedar Creek !. There
ain't 1,000, spaces at Cedar Creek unless they park on the grass.

I do know that I'm working that day, so am un-interested and would certainly have snuck on to the
route in any case, if only to ride the car-less roadway. No way I'm coughing up $50, much less $30.
And how many families want to pay-out $100 or more for a family of 4 ?. Hell, the route's got a nice
bike lane, do it on another weekend for free....

SB

On 3 Oct 2003 13:58:09 -0700, Gocycle@optonline.net (GoCycle) wrote:

>From the Discover Long Island website:
>
>"The ride is a fund-raiser for Nassau County Parks - your ride fee helps keep Nassau County Parks
>great! Thanks to our sponsors for making it all happen:........
>
>Nassau County Parks should be supported by the average $8,000 to $12,000 dollars a year property
>tax the Nassau residents and homeowners "shell-out." This cycling fee obviously goes to the Nassau
>County Treasury along with the rest of the highest taxes in the United States. If the fee was lower
>for this event, MORE people would participate thus creating the extra funding needed to support
>recreation.
>
>Cyclists from all over the area should not be reuired to pay such a high entry fee to bail out the
>politicians mistakes.
>
>Glad I do not live in Nassau. I will be cycling up 9W for free that day.
>
>
>
>"NYRides" <NewYorkRides@optonline.net> wrote in message
>news:<DIXeb.5392$E95.1563661@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>...
>> That is pretty steep, but I wouldn't go blaming it on "politicians" so quickly. As the director
>> of a Long Island not-for-profit group that restored almost 1000 bicycles for disadvantaged
>> children between 1997 and 2003, I've come to understand that many of the escalated costs for
>> things here in Nassau County are the result of a ridiculously litigious attitude, which leads to
>> very high liability premiums. I wouldn't doubt that at least half your 30 bucks is going to the
>> insurance company.
>>
>> "GoCycle" <Gocycle@optonline.net> wrote in message
>> news:cdde9293.0310011750.1a9db2e@posting.google.com...
>> > Just received my brochure for the Discover Long Island ride. Nassau County, one of the worse
>> > and expensive places to reside, is charging $30 dollars a person. How can the politicians
>> > justify this price for a family day of fun?

I'm assuming this ride takes place on 'Public' roadways, therefore why pay them anything. Just go
for the ride and don't use any services they put out. They can't stop you from using a public
roadway and they can't charge you either.
---
Joe REMOVE "Adds" before e-mailing

Steve Wrote: FWIW, if you have not yet registered (Oct. 1- early registration cut-off date), the fee
is now up to $40 for adults and $20 for kids. Event day registration has adults going up to
$50.......

Event day 50 dollars!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No wonder people from around the country laugh at us.

"Joe" <jkshopAdds@optonline.net> wrote in message
>
> I'm assuming this ride takes place on 'Public' roadways, therefore why pay them anything. Just go
> for the ride and don't use any services they put out. They can't stop you from using a public
> roadway and they can't charge you either.

The route is on a NY State owned and operated parkway - I.E., limited access highway that only
allows non-commercial vehicles, that is closed exclusively for this ride. The parkway is not
normally open to bicycles. Thus it's likely for the State to claim that only registered riders may
use the route.

There's also the problem of access. The parkway travels south from the mainland of Long Island, thru
the bay's and marshes to the barrier beach state park complex. Except for two access ramps from
local streets at the north end - which are blocked off by state vehicles and unlikely to allow bikes
access, the only other way onto the route is thru a county park, where access also can be tightly
controlled. Access to the state park complex at the beach usually requires paying a fee (for auto's)
and it is certainly possible for the state to claim that they are charging a fee for the event to
gain access to the park.

SB - playing the devil's advocate

I agree-parking will be a problem but maybe not-50 dollars a person.

"Steve" <sbmtbike@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:<qppfb.29984$E95.8730047@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>...
> "GoCycle" <Gocycle@optonline.net> wrote in message
> > From the Discover Long Island website:
> >
> > "The ride is a fund-raiser for Nassau County Parks - your ride fee helps keep Nassau County
> > Parks great! Thanks to our sponsors for making it all happen:........
> >
> > Nassau County Parks should be supported by the average $8,000 to $12,000 dollars a year property
> > tax the Nassau residents and homeowners "shell-out." This cycling fee obviously goes to the
> > Nassau County Treasury along with the rest of the highest taxes in the United States. If the fee
> > was lower for this event, MORE people would participate thus creating the extra funding needed
> > to support recreation.
> >
> > Cyclists from all over the area should not be reuired to pay such a high entry fee to bail out
> > the politicians mistakes.
> >
> > Glad I do not live in Nassau. I will be cycling up 9W for free that day.
>
>
> FWIW, if you have not yet registered (Oct. 1- early registration cut-off date), the fee is now up
> to $40 for adults and $20 for kids. Event day registration has adults going up to $50.
>
> The website (for anyone interested) is http://www.nycbicycleshow.com/discov...and/index.html
>
> It seems to be run by the same folks that put on the NY Bike Show and is most likely going to see
> some profit for that group, plus costs for the County and State, plus remaining to charity. I
> cannot imagine the actual costs to the county or state to be terribly high. Certainly a LOT less
> then the old Discover tour that used the Meadowbrook and closed all parkway access from Hempstead
> Tpk, SS Parkway, Babylon Tpk., Sunrise Hwy., Merrick Rd,. and Loop Parkway. This one only closes
> south of Merrick Rd. plus access to the Wantagh from Ocean Parkway.
>
> What I don't get is the distance. They say the basic ride is 30 miles, which means 15 RT. It's
> only 5 miles one way from Cedar Creek Park to the beach, unless they extend on the north access
> parkway that runs from lot 5 out to west end, which adds maybe 3-4 miles. I still only come up
> with 10 one way. The website isn't exactly clear....
>
> A second comment is that the website mentions "plenty of free parking". If they get anything like
> the 4,000 that used to do the Meadowbrook ride, there ain't 4,000 spaces at Cedar Creek !. There
> ain't 1,000, spaces at Cedar Creek unless they park on the grass.
>
> I do know that I'm working that day, so am un-interested and would certainly have snuck on to the
> route in any case, if only to ride the car-less roadway. No way I'm coughing up $50, much less
> $30. And how many families want to pay-out $100 or more for a family of 4 ?. Hell, the route's got
> a nice bike lane, do it on another weekend for free....
>
>
> SB

Thanks for the information!!! "Steve" <sbmtbike@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:SiIfb.38695$E95.14965686@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
>
> "Joe" <jkshopAdds@optonline.net> wrote in message
> >
> > I'm assuming this ride takes place on 'Public' roadways, therefore why pay them anything. Just
> > go for the ride and don't use any services they put out. They can't stop you from using a public
> > roadway and they can't charge you either.
>
>
> The route is on a NY State owned and operated parkway - I.E., limited
access
> highway that only allows non-commercial vehicles, that is closed
exclusively
> for this ride. The parkway is not normally open to bicycles. Thus it's likely for the State to
> claim that only registered riders may use the
route.
>
> There's also the problem of access. The parkway travels south from the mainland of Long Island,
> thru the bay's and marshes to the barrier beach state park complex. Except for two access ramps
> from local streets at the north end - which are blocked off by state vehicles and unlikely to
> allow bikes access, the only other way onto the route is thru a county park,
where
> access also can be tightly controlled. Access to the state park complex
at
> the beach usually requires paying a fee (for auto's) and it is certainly possible for the state to
> claim that they are charging a fee for the event to gain access to the park.
>
> SB - playing the devil's advocate