[Carfreeliving] Carfreeliving - sidewalk parking, sidewalk committee

[Amber Elizabeth Crabbe]

Sidewalk parking is also one of my pet peeves especially when it forces
me into the street, and ESPECIALLY when it forces someone using a walker
or wheelchair to backtrack to a curb cut and then spend a significant
amount of time in traffic.  At least those of us who are able-bodied
enough have the option of walking OVER the car hood instead of
endangering ourselves in the street.  It's funny to me that sidewalk
parkers often get a lot angrier about me climbing over their vehicle
than getting a ticket...

As far as exemptions go, I am also opposed.  If you accept the privilege
and responsibility of driving a car in an urban environment like San
Francisco, you accept the challenges that come with it, like finding
parking.  These should all be done without EVER impeding or endangering
other, less impact-full, users of the street by blocking sidewalks.

To me it's ironic that:

*if a small group of people taking up as much volume and road surface
area as a car try to temporarily uses the public space designated for
moving vehicles, they will all get arrested for blocking traffic.  

*if a car temporarily uses the public space designated for moving
vehicles and blocks traffic (whether due to a stall or collision or
picking up dry cleaning), they will usually get sympathy and support
from other drivers, or at least they will simply be navigated around.
Usually no tickets, certainly no arrest.

*yet if a CAR temporarily uses the public space designated for MOVING
PEOPLE (i.e. sidewalks), the driver usually won't even get a ticket,
much less towed, much less arrested.  

So the walking public is chastised for even expecting parallel "rights"
to delineated space on our streets.

I'm up for meeting with others who want to think of ways to change this.

Amber

-----Original Message-----
From: Carfreeliving-bounces at livablecity.org
[mailto:Carfreeliving-bounces at livablecity.org] On Behalf Of Near,
Mitchell E.
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 11:50 AM
To: Carfreeliving at livablecity.org
Subject: Re: [Carfreeliving] Carfreeliving - sidewalk parking,sidewalk
committee

Hi folks,

I read what Jason had to say and I am in strong agreement with him.
Autos create a myriad of problems, and the fact that in SF, drivers can
consistently park on the sidewalk is outrageous (and by default - the
city government allows this).  To have sidewalks clear for walking is
not a radical proposition!  In Europe, many cities are, and have,
created ped only streets and even whole areas.  Now that would be truly
radical if done here -- with the auto nuts coming out of the woodwork to
work on preventing that.

WalkSF once had a sidewalk committee.  We met a couple of times, and
some members did meet with DPT officials.  Of course, nothing much
happened.  The last time we met (6 months ago?), several members
promised to take certain actions and never did.  Thus, much frustation.

Let's consider forming a new sidewalk committee.  We need to brainstorm,
plan, influence, and change this situation.  I'm thinking we (any of you
who are interested) could meet informally at least once and talk about
the possibilities.  I could meet after work one evening.  I work in the
SF financial district.  Thanks!

>__________________
>
>Mitchell Near
>Applications Analyst
>Morrison & Foerster
>Phone: (415) 268-7586
>Fax: (415) 276-7586
>mnear at mofo.com
> *
>__________________
>
>
>

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