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Not feeling groovy: TriMet pulls plug on 'sonic bike path' idea for Portland bridge
OregonLive.com ^ | 10/06/2011 | Joseph Rose

Posted on 10/06/2011 5:00:16 PM PDT by MeNeFrego

For Portland bicycle commuters hoping that TriMet would build a “sonic bike path” connecting to the nation’s largest car-free bridge, Thursday was the day the music died.

The idea was for an intricate sequence of concrete grooves on the path that would play Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)” when bicycle tires rolled over them.

But Oregon’s largest transit agency announced a song that goes something like this: Not going to happen.

Citing concerns about cost, safety and design, the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project’s art advisory committee told TriMet and Portland’s Bicycle Advisory Committee today that it has voted to ditch the proposal...[click on link for rest of article]



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; US: Oregon
KEYWORDS: bicycle; boondoggle; hippies; moonbats; oregon; portland
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Yet another example of old Boomer Hippies attempting to memorialize the touchstones of their youth at taxpayer expense.
1 posted on 10/06/2011 5:00:19 PM PDT by MeNeFrego
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To: MeNeFrego
Actually, it's a pretty cool hack, even to the name of the song and how they intended to implement it (with grooves).

I do like puns and good hacks.

Of course, taxpayer dollars should never fund it.

Get some aging hippie to put his trust fund dollars into it, or forgetaboutit.

/johnny

2 posted on 10/06/2011 5:06:14 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (gone Galt)
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To: MeNeFrego

HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA /cartmann

Not gonna happen,

No, not gonna happen - ha-ha,

Not gonna happen,

Ain’t a gonna happen, no no


3 posted on 10/06/2011 5:15:15 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: MeNeFrego

I would not suggest grooving any bike path! Bike tires come in many widths, and trapping a wheel in a groove would likely flip a bike, especially if the rear and front tire were not in the same groove.

A hill and dale design might be safe enough. But what bike speed would be needed to provide a reasonable transcription?
And what process would be used to mold the sound into the cement?


4 posted on 10/06/2011 5:22:14 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (There's gonna be a Redneck Revolution! (See my freep page) [rednecks come in many colors])
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To: MeNeFrego

“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” would be better.


5 posted on 10/06/2011 5:24:59 PM PDT by moovova (Report my sarcastic, fear-mongering lies to www.AttackWatch.com by clicking HERE.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

ummmm the grooves would be perpendicular to the direction you drive

and about a quarter inch deep

spaced millimeters apart


6 posted on 10/06/2011 5:25:38 PM PDT by Mr. K (Sarah you broke my heart~!! Endorse Cain and all is forgiven)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLNfN6-eA0g

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_road


7 posted on 10/06/2011 5:29:18 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT (The best is the enemy of the good!)
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To: MeNeFrego

These are the “live simply that others may simply live” back-to-nature idiots who have no idea what materialistic, luxurious lives they live, often at the expense of others.

When TSHTF, it will be funny to watch these worms devour one another.


8 posted on 10/06/2011 5:31:31 PM PDT by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (Prepare for survival.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

South Korea wanted to keep its drivers alert by having the road play “Mary Had A Little Lamb” over and over and over and over... nice idea, poor execution.


9 posted on 10/06/2011 5:33:12 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (There's gonna be a Redneck Revolution! (See my freep page) [rednecks come in many colors])
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To: Ghost of Philip Marlowe

Word.

Every Lib I know is just a “36 hours without food” away from murder.


10 posted on 10/06/2011 5:40:58 PM PDT by Noamie
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To: MeNeFrego

This has been a kind of private business dream of mine for many years: Construct alternative roads that play music via bumps and grooves, and charge a small toll to enjoy the ride. I understand there is a road or two like this in Asia, possibly China, or South Korea.


11 posted on 10/06/2011 5:43:15 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (minds change)
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To: MeNeFrego
I want the 60s to GO AWAY.

They were annoying the first time through.
12 posted on 10/06/2011 5:46:43 PM PDT by Nepeta
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To: MeNeFrego

The pet project of some asshats whose pet didn’t do well at the Dog and Pony Show. I laugh in their faces.


13 posted on 10/06/2011 6:07:53 PM PDT by Avery Iota Kracker (He hate me)
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To: moovova

How about “Wipe Out”.


14 posted on 10/06/2011 6:33:21 PM PDT by 6SJ7 (46 55 42 4f)
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To: MeNeFrego
I'm not sure it would work. You'd have the front wheel and the back wheel playing out of sync with each other. Maybe for a unicycle?
15 posted on 10/06/2011 6:35:35 PM PDT by JoeFromSidney (New book: RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY. A primer on armed revolt. Available form Amazon.)
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To: MeNeFrego

... and if you pedal backward on the bike path the groves say “Paul is dead”.


16 posted on 10/06/2011 6:36:48 PM PDT by 6SJ7 (46 55 42 4f)
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To: moovova

But then it would take 18 minutes to cross the bridge.


17 posted on 10/06/2011 7:38:30 PM PDT by JimC214
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To: JRandomFreeper

Get some aging hippie to put his trust fund dollars into it, or forgetaboutit.


Indeed. Maybe some private arts foundation (no government grants) could do it. You need a relatively slow song, so the front and rear tires don’t create a problem. Maybe you can use the typical bike wheel base to create something like a round.

But the first that came to mind was “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Actually, even though it was about footracing, “Chariots of fire” would be interesting. The best would focus on the rhythmic, as opposed to melodic, and even less likely harmonic. I’d ride in the “drum solo” lane, with a transcription of Joe Morello’s wonderful solo on Brubeck’s Take Five.

Even classic drumline riffs going back to Sousa and before would be a joy to ride over.

The next step (if you really wanted to peddle pedaling) is to have a programmable machine with bumps that can rise and fall, so you can get a different musical piece every day, or even a different piece for every rider, or even one that augments the iPod the rider shouldn’t be listening to.

Of course, the good stuff requires a unicycle.

This could also be used for those wake up strip when a highway ends.


18 posted on 10/06/2011 7:39:09 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (Author of BullionBible.com - Makes You a Precious Metal Expert, Guaranteed.)
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To: JRandomFreeper

One more thought. If you had parallel lanes, you could have quartets in harmony for riders keeping pace with each other. Now, I’m thinking Bach.


19 posted on 10/06/2011 7:40:38 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (Author of BullionBible.com - Makes You a Precious Metal Expert, Guaranteed.)
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To: Beelzebubba
Oy! you have a good imagination. I can handle the Bach quartets, but 'Flight of the bumble-bee'? I don't want to pedal that fast.

To find the piece that works best with 2 wheeled bicycles, you'd have to parse ithe collected works (is there an open source set of those?) based on the period between the front and rear wheels.

Works for lots of syncopated pieces with thirds.

It's a great idea.

I love the whole concept.

I am unamused that someone wanted government to fund it at gunpoint.

And if you refuse to pay taxes, guess what... they produce guns.

/johnny

20 posted on 10/06/2011 9:45:29 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (gone Galt)
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