[Carfreeliving] FW: [WalkSFers] Can someone *please* reply to this letter to theeditor?

[Coffin, Richard S.]

Sent this to the editor...probably too wordy and radical with the war
connection to get published..... -R 

 

Editor:

 

Tuesday's letter from Barrett Giorgis implying that pedestrians can
avoid injuries though good behavior is akin to blaming a soldier who is
maimed by a roadside bomb for not paying better attention.  All the
courtesy and common sense in the world won't necessarily protect an
attentive soldier from being harmed under the harsh circumstances of
war, where danger lurks at every turn.  Unfortunately, pedestrians in
our city have also been relegated to a war-like zone of high speed
shrapnel, and always have to be incredibly careful and aware or face
instant death or injury.    The so-called "anti-automobile lobby" that
Mr. Giorgis refers to (and boy are they powerful; since you can hardly
find a place to purchase or drive a car these days) is composed of
people who feel that this situation needs to change.   Unlike our
soldiers who bravely volunteer to be put in a dangerous situation, the
majority of city residents who don't travel regularly by private auto
simply desire a safe way to live their lives without the constant threat
of personal injury.  Many residents who truly embrace urban living want
see this country transition away from the insidious transportation
system that has killed millions and injured hundreds of millions of our
family and friends over the past 100 years. 

 

Richard Coffin

The City

 

 

 

________________________________

From: WalkSFers-bounces at walksf.org [mailto:WalkSFers-bounces at walksf.org]
On Behalf Of jean diva
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 5:06 PM
To: WalkSFers
Subject: Re: [WalkSFers] Can someone *please* reply to this letter to
theeditor?

 

googled him- he's the former program director of Comcast and Viacom.
Interesting. Oh and yes, what an ignoramus!

Emily Drennen <bicyclesf at yahoo.com> wrote: 

Dear WalkSFers,

This letter to the editor needs a response. I am so sick of peds being
blamed for their own deaths! Can someone on this list write a pithy,
concise response to the newspaper about this? "Blaming the victim"
became illegal in rape cases, but seems alive and well for dead peds.
If trhe folks who died on our streets were killed with guns, bats, or
anything other than cars, we wouldn't hear this ridiculous blaming of
the victims. The SFPD also needs to get their act together and stop
blaming the victims as well.

Anyone want to take this on? Go for it! ID yourself as a Walk SF member
if you'd like.

Thanks,
Emily

essage: 3 
Date: 23 Jan 2006 09:01:44 -0800
From: "1/23 SF Examiner" 
Subject: Letter: Blame the victims for pedestrian deaths

Published Monday, January 23, 2006, in the San Francisco Examiner

Letter to the Editor

Pedestrian responsibility

Wednesday's editorial ("Pedestrian safety is no accident", Jan. 18)
, as meek as it
was, was groundbreaking in its indictment of walkers and cyclists.
Rarely do the media -- and never do the anti-automobile activists
-- acknowledge that pedestrians share responsibility for their own
safety.

Unsafe driving, especially red light running, is a serious problem
in San Francisco. But when it comes to disregard for the rules of
the road and non-compliance with traffic control devices, the grand


prize goes to pedestrians. Cyclists are a very close second. The
California "pedestrians always have the right of way" laws are
interpreted by those on foot as license to abandon caution, common
sense, courtesy and the rules of the road.

Yes, we need to crack down on reckless drivers. But if we really
want to save lives, we must force pedestrians to obey the law and
to watch where they are going.

Barrett Giorgis
San Francisco

Emily Drennen 
Executive Director, Walk San Francisco

415-431-9255 office/fax 
www.walksf.org
1095 Market Street #502, SF, CA 94103 

Advisory Council Member, Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Citizen's Advisory Committee Member, Metropolitian Transportation Agency
Past Chair, SF Bicycle Advisory Committee

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