To the editors,
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I am a dedicated, year-round bicycle commuter and I commend the city for its plan to encourage and promote safe cycling through the addition of bicycle lanes. As Todd Savage’s article of October 22 clearly illustrates, the removal of bike lanes on the stretch of North Halsted from Belmont to Broadway signifies the need for communication amongst the proponents of bike lanes and the residents who oppose them. At its essence, this is an issue about sharing public space. For too long, cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles have been given priority over cyclists on the road. When cyclists are marginalized and not considered valid users of city streets, conflicts between drivers and cyclists are bound to arise. Bike lanes, as designated spaces for cyclists on busy city streets, ensure that bicycles, motorists, and pedestrians can coexist safely in the city’s throughways.
Ms. Hoffmann goes on to state, “You cannot pretend this is a forest preserve with beautiful bike paths. This is the city that works.” Obviously, Ms. Hoffmann does not understand that bike commuters are as much a part of “the city that works” as anyone else. We are workers from all fields and walks of life who have chosen alternative means of transportation. It’s surprising to me that any representative of Boys Town, a neighborhood which commendably supports and encourages courageous diversity amongst its residents, business owners, and patrons, could be so closed minded to the choice bicycle commuters have made by not participating in our society’s all-encompassing car culture.
