HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/6/2018 Item 12, Slishman
Christian, Kevin
From:Sam Slishman <samslishman@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, February
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Anholm bike lane
Hello,
It was suggested to me to repost the following to SLO City Council directly before your Tuesday night meeting, so here it
is:
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (for bikers too)
Last week Heidi Harmon biked by my house doing her due diligence for the bike lane analysis. Then another
neighbor walked by with her own perspectives. My friend across the street is fine with anything but loss of parking.
On the topic of bike lanes I'd say I've been apathetic at worst. But homeostatic, content or generally happy is really
more accurate. So I'm typing now because of all the negativity this bike lane proposal seems to be generating. More
about my vantage point... I moved here from New Mexico 6 years ago with two bikes and no car. Now I have a wife,
a house, two old cars, a toddler and an infant. In New Mexico I biked everywhere day and night and generally feared
every vehicle. Sometimes I'd ride home with lights off to avoid attracting drunk drivers. Here I've never been cut off.
I've never flipped, nor been flipped, any birds while walking, riding or driving. But I still plan to teach my kids to ride
with fear of all one ton moving objects. As a "social physicist" to me there are four main force vectors to consider: 1.
Safety: Velocity kills, so for me, whatever slows traffic promotes safety. Personally, I'm not convinced any of the
proposals will make me and my kids measurably safer. I think the number of riders straight up Chorro will be
unchanged. I could be wrong. 2. Convenience: Parking is an issue all across the downtown. Removing it from one
small segment is likely to create some real animosity. I'm happy to park in my driveway, but I understand others for
whom that's a hassle. 3. Budget: $3 million is a lot to burn when a fair fraction of SLO reside in the creeks. 4. Future
planning: Back in the days of dirt roads this conversation would have been laughable. (Dirt slows wonderfully.) I
think driverless cars, drone grocery/package deliveries and e-bikes will have folks back to the drawing board sooner
than later. I really wish the fliers that went around had these options instead: - Do nothing and enjoy life. - Spend $3
million on improved mental health services and a proper addiction rehab. - Call it the "Anholm Art District" and slow
traffic creatively instead. Make Broad Street "Sculpture Blvd". Put up sculptures every 50 yards made by local
school kids or Cal Poly/Cuesta students. Make Chorro "Mural Lane", with murals every 20 yards painted over
rumble strips. Make Lincoln "Music Alley" with a rumble strip that plays a tune to warn kids of oncoming traffic while
slowing motorists. - Split the $3m amongst the 2-3 hundred residences and tell folks to build creative science, art or
other projects in front of their yards to slow traffic. I'd consider a community tool shed in front of my house... maybe
a hands on tool park for kids. In summary, I think there are other options that could inspire rather than divide a
community. And oh look folks... Another day with no snow, no black ice, no pot holes and not a single gun shot
wound in the ER! Peace
Sam... of the Conservative Hippie party
--
Sam Slishman, MD
www.pre-r.com
Office: (570) 507-7737
Mobile: (505) 220-1014
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