Make Room for Bikes

The photograph by Dave Gatley of the bicyclist going the wrong way down 1st Avenue was amusing (May 19). But it also inadvertently illustrated several good “points.”

For example, why aren’t there more bike lanes downtown? People do ride there. And many more would, if safe lanes were provided.

Also, notice from the elevated angle of the picture how very little space one person on a bike actually takes up, as compared to how much a car and driver would. Bikes are obviously very space-efficient. And, they are non-polluting.

Bicycle use should therefore be encouraged and provided for. Unfortunately though, when it comes to meeting or anticipating the bicycle needs of our city, the city planners are quite often the ones who are going in the wrong direction.

PAT FLYNN JR., Bike Justice, San Diego