We don’t need to wait for ‘car-on-bike’ accidents to change our streets

In response to T. Keith Gurnee’s viewpoint (Dec. 5, 2017), my family does not want to wait for increased “car-on-bike accidents” to start planning for a future that includes safer bicycling on our streets. I also don’t think it is helpful to use derogatory and divisive rhetoric to address our city’s planning efforts.

As Gurnee mentioned, many city streets were planned a century ago when SLO had a population 7 to 10 times smaller than today and with little consideration for getting around other than in cars or by walking. Our streets were also planned in a time when there were probably one or two cars per household that were parked in the driveway or in a garage, not on the street. SLO has grown since our streets were planned and will continue to grow. Growth requires different planning than was done last century and will also require some change.

I understand that some of the change will come with compromise. To Gurnee’s point, I think that compromising some parking is better than failing to plan for a better future or waiting for “car-on-bike accidents” to increase.

I support the bicycle planning of our city planners and elected officials.

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 9:39 AM with the headline "We don’t need to wait for ‘car-on-bike’ accidents to change our streets."