Saturday, December 10, 2011

Who needs facts anyway?

In one of the local community newspapers here in our great metropolis, there was an article concerning where the buses should turn around at the end of their run. It is needed as at some point buses do indeed need to turn around. The current location used just happens to be out my front door at work, however the owners of the shopping center have asked that it be moved so they can further develop the property. Understandable, as in these economic times, development can be a good thing.

Now the debate on where to move the site rages on. As is generally the case, no one wants this type of thing in their backyard. Everyone has their opinions but when arguing, one should use facts as opposed to just making it up. One resident, a particular Mr. Cox stated in his arguments that the buses should not use a residential area to turn around (as it happens to be near the area where he lives) and should continue to use a commercial area. He stated the exhaust dissipated better into the atmosphere in those areas. He also stated moving the exhaust to a residential area is not eliminating the problem, just hiding it. Well, isn't that what you are asking as well?

Now, I'm no scientist but I'm not an idiot either. In our metro area we're not talking about comparing wide-open tracts of wilderness to a heavy industrial area. I'm fairly certain that the 'air' in the shopping center and the 'air' near his home a mile away (or where-ever) is likely the same and will have no bearing on how the exhaust dissipates.

I would like to see the study that shows this distillation point from Mr. Cox or his buddies from the Sierra Club. Until then, if he can't beat you with facts he'll just make it up as he goes along, a typical NIMBY.

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