Is more "law enforcement" the answer to all problems?
I think that the basic problem is auto drivers who think that they have a
natural right to own the road. Auto drivers think that they should have
priority over all other modes of transportation. I think that the real
issue is that we need to stop subsidizing autos. They need to pay for the
road that they use.
Autos in the city need to slow down and become more compatible with the rest
of the street. Who decided that people and bicycles have less of a right to
use the street than cars. Who gave the streets to the cars? It is time to
take back the street from increasing car dominance. I personally an glad
for more bicycle and pedestrian use of the streets - all traffic needs to
slow down.
As for informing traffic laws - I see little enforcement of traffic laws in
the city. No one seems to care that cars regularly use the MUNI diamond
lanes on Market. Trucks park with impunity on sidewalks, bus zones and even
in the middle of the street (even when loading zones are available). It is
hypocrisy to call for more enforcement of bike laws while cars violate laws
with impunity. Has anyone forgotten that there is far more reason for cars
to stop at a stopping than bikes? A car is a deadly weapon where people die
as a result of not stopping while a bicyclist basically risks his/her life
by not stopping. The issues are not comparable.
I think what the "law and order" types on this list are forgetting is that
the goal should be for all to share a public resource (the streets).
Just last night at the N stop at Cole I watched two cops spend 15 minutes
searching for homeless people who might be sleeping in the park and
completely ignore people parking on street corners (in front of a handicap
ramp).
While I do not bicycle in the city, I think that more bicycles on the street
are a welcome addition to the city and think we should be working with them
and cut out the "bicycle bashing" which seems to be going on here.
Richard Petersen
zpub@sirius.com
http://www.zpub.com