Simpson Column: Tackling business and Smoketown Rd.
Published: September 25, 2009
Got a couple of issues to discuss today — small business office space and a solution to traffic on Smoketown Road.
OFFICE SPACE
Small businesses, we are frequently told, comprise the backbone of America. The entrepreneurial spirit keeps our nation alive and growing. Unfortunately, there is a serious disconnect that I believe we
should address when it comes to the availability of office space.
Many businesses start out in the garage or basement, or even a spare bedroom (especially once the kids have graduated college and are out on their own). People take a hobby or interest to the next
level and start exchanging their goods or services for cash. Government already makes it quite difficult to establish a legitimate business due to how complicated it makes the tax code and other
regulatory compliance issues. But on top of this is the fact that many businesses have a difficult time making the leap from a home office environment to putting forth a more professional presence by
securing a legitimate business address.
I have recently come to that point and become quite disappointed with what is available in the way of office space. There are numerous commercial spaces available, but most start with 1,000 square feet
or more, at a price that is too great a burden for most small businesses to risk.
There are “executive suites,” but these are not adequate as they tend to have exorbitantly high prices.
What are sorely needed are “incubator” offices. These are office complexes designed to provide enough space for a growing company to place a desk, chair, bookcase and maybe a potted plant. With a
few step-up offices that have room for two or three desks. They would share a lobby receptionist; and provide a couple small conference rooms that can be booked for client meetings. No bells or whistles
necessary; simple and professional.
After posting my frustration with not finding anything locally on Facebook, I was pointed to just such a facility in McLean, adjacent to Tysons Corner. While I am glad that I was able to find such a place, it is
disappointing that I must now waste time, spend gas and add one more vehicle to the congestion, rather than find a place off of Old Bridge Road that would allow me to bike to work.
SMOKETOWN ROAD
I use Smoketown Road on a daily basis, so my suggestion here is actually detrimental to my own needs. That being said, every time I cut through from Old Bridge to Minnieville I think about how it must suck to live on a road with never-ending traffic … especially with people frequently speeding as often as they do these days.
Every few years there is an attempt to do something about the traffic, which ultimately meets a brick wall due to such things as the cost of potential solutions or the effect they would have on emergency
response vehicles — ambulances have sensitive equipment onboard that require the driver to significantly slow down when going over speed bumps, which puts people’s lives in jeopardy.
So I was thinking … what would be a low cost solution, that wouldn’t negatively impact the residents while still allowing emergency vehicles unfettered access? Stop signs. Not just placed at major
intersections as they are now, but placed at intervals throughout Smoketown Road and its conduits.
This would only be a slight inconvenience for residents as their travels are usually one way (to and from their homes) and dealing with the minor inconvenience of a few stop signs that would cut traffic
through their neighborhood seems like a small price to pay. Ambulances could just ignore the signs as risk from cross traffic wouldn’t be a factor.
This would cut traffic down as people found the inconvenience of stopping every few hundred feet more trouble than just going all the way down to the parkway or to Minnieville Road. Another argument
would be that a lot of stop signs would detract from the ambiance of the neighborhood, but if simulated wooden posts were used, and a little forethought was employed to strategically place signs around
curves — so that too many were not seen at any one time — it could go a great way toward making them relatively unobtrusive.
James Simpson lives in Lake Ridge. He can be reached through his Web site www. OpinionColumnist.com.
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Reader Reactions
“ ... it is disappointing that I must now waste time, spend gas and add one more vehicle to the congestion, rather than find a place off of Old Bridge Road that would allow me to bike to work.“
No Jim - it is not disappointment you see, but opportunity.
If you feel the business model is profitable - that another 10 or 20 of “you” exist out there looking for space on Old Bridge Road as you describe - then put a business plan together, form a partnership or investment group and make it happen.
If not, either the plan is not viable or you’re not willing to take the risk - but would prefer someone else take the risk that brings a little sunshine into your life.
Or .. I guess you could move to Tyson’s Corner ...
“Abolish and Throw off are not forms of voting. They refer to the duty that every human being has when a government becomes tyrannical and oppressive.“
I’ll admit I am a Johnny-come-lately to (sometimes) reading Jimmy’s column - but did Jimmy rant and rave against our government when GWB was president?
If you don’t like our SYSTEM of government, welcome to your opinion.
If you just don’t like who we elect from time to time - then you actually like the system, just not the people.
Big difference.
Rain3fly,
It’s in our country’s charter:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter OR TO ABOLISH IT, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, TO THROW OFF such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” (emphasis mine).
Abolish and Throw off are not forms of voting. They refer to the duty that every human being has when a government becomes tyrannical and oppressive. Who knows when this will happen? I pray it is not in my lifetime … but we are heading in that direction … faster now than we have been. Elected representatives should be wary of continually adding trillions of dollars of debt, and the financial consequences of bankrupting America. The result could make the great depression look like a picnic.
So stop acting like such a moron. If you insist on taking my writing out of context, why not man-up and tell everyone who you are? I’ll tell everyone reading this why he or she … because cowards are like evil itself … they don’t like the light of day. They prefer to spout lies and attack people from the shadows because they lack integrity. Rain3fly is no different than anyone else who uses anonymity as a cloak to spread their hatred and anger. He or she lacks morals, honor, and principles and demonstrates it every single week on these message boards.
James Simpson
Opinion Columnist
Gosh we have to see this diatribe with the same two replys?? What a jerk. Seem the Replyer could learn some facts. Must be a Democrat,shooting off at his mouth.
“I didn’t advocate the overthrow of our government, AT THIS TIME (capitals mine)... Germany and Italy had democratically elected governments when Hitler and Mussolini came into power.“ - James Simpson, 13 Sept 2009
Well, after many requests for clarification from many people, James Simpson has finally stated that he does not favor the violent overthrow of our freely-elected governement AT THIS TIME. Pray tell, when does he advocate it? Then, Simpson makes the unfortunate allusion to Italy and Germany, stating that they had freely-elected governments before the bloodbath of WWII. Is it a crime to freely elect a government that someone disagrees with? Could Simpson kindly explain what these two governments ever did to anyone to justify the carnage that took place when they were overthrown? And why does James Simpson wish this sort of horror on our country, the United States of America? Of course, Simpson was once a member of the John Birch Society, infamous for calling General-and-then-President Eisenhower a traitor.
Given Simpson’s obvious hatred for our country, it institutions, and traditions, it amazes me that he feels that he has the right to address other Americans on any subject whatsoever. He should be ashamed of himself, but he isn’t… Having said all this, he most recent “local” column is like his other delusional rants: banal, boring, inept, inane, and just plain weird. By all means, let’s all get together and COLLECTIVELY enhance the local infrastructure for the comfort and convenience of James Simpson. Let’s provide him with a cheap office and an easy way of getting there so he can continue to plot against our country (when he feels the time is right). And with whose tax money? Not Simpson’s, for he has admitted not paying his property taxes and at other times has declared that he feels that he has already paid too much in taxes…
We are obviously dealing with an “intellectually challenged” individual, here, a nicer term for the “R” word that the ex-governor of Alaska uses to refer to her Down Syndrome son. So why do I bother? James Simpson may be “intellectually challenged,” but when village idiots like to shout “fire” in crowded theatres, or urinate in pools, or spit in punchbowls, or “soil” the rose bushes, then responsible members of society need to react.
Al Mostonest
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