Conflicted

Am I turning into a "libertarian [sic] paternalist?"

I dislike the whole idea of government "nudging" people in the "right" direction a la Cass Sunstein.

But at my very first meeting as a member of the Gainesville / Alachua County Bicycle / Pedestrian Advisory board, one thing our coordinator / liaison pointed out is that members are encouraged to come up with projects of the "public information" variety. There's no specific funding for such projects, but if there's a small financial angle it can be worked into e.g. the printing budgets of the various government bodies we "advise" (the Gainesville City Commission, the Alachua County Commission, and the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization).

So I came up with an idea that I facetiously labeled "Stop the Steal."

It's meant to address two problems, the first absolutely, positively real and the second more, I guess, a matter of perspective.

Problem #1: Theft of bicycles and bicycle parts is a real problem in Gainesville. I've had a tire stolen myself, only a couple of feet from, and highly visible from, a busy roadway. And I see other obvious cases of that kind of thing almost every time I take a ride through town.

Problem #2: A lot of businesses (and e.g. apartment complexes and housing developments) have either no dedicated bike parking at all, or else bike racks that aren't close to entrances and highly visible to deter thieves.

The second is a matter of perspective because hey, markets. If there's real demand from customers and tenants/homeowners for good bike parking, businesses and landlords/developers will respond to that demand, right?

But, the raw, untrammeled power of my government position being so tempting, I came up with an idea (with help from the aforementioned liaison as to how it could be implemented).

Not an ordinance. Not a requirement. Just a "nudge."

When someone plans on building a business or apartment complex or housing development, they have to apply for a crap ton of permits, etc.

And apparently the city and county have pre-made packets concerning the various requirements that they hand out to anyone considering such construction.

The "nudge" would be a brochure or rack card pointing out that while there are no ordinances or permit specifications requiring good bike parking, it just makes sense. Noting that Gainesville is definitely a bicycle town in which lots of people use bikes not just for recreation or exercise, but for everyday transportation. Suggesting that giving them a reasonably safe place to park their bikes -- strong racks, near entrances and within the view of any nearby surveillance cameras -- is good business. The grocery store with metal bike posts anchored by concrete, 20 feet from the entrance, with a camera overhead, is likely going to be more attractive to cyclist customers than the grocery store with no rack at all or with a flimsy, un-anchored rack around the corner from the entrance, behind a bush, with no lighting or camera coverage.

I think it makes sense. In my capacity as a "private citizen," I've talked with more than one business owner about putting in a bike rack after e.g. having to lock mine to a tree.

But like I said, I'm conflicted since 1) taxpayer money is involved, even if it's already-taxed money that just happens to not be yet specifically encumbered for printing something else; and 2) it's government "nudging" toward something, even if it's not government "ordering" that thing.

What do you think?