City Councilor Greg Neitzert says Sioux Falls is “hostile to pedestrians”.
Neitzert writes on Facebook, “No one walks or bikes anywhere because we’ve built the city for cars, and we make it really dangerous and uncomfortable to do anything else.”
You can read the details below.
I applaud Councilor Neitzert for raising the issue. He’s absolutely correct regarding the dangers facing bicycles and pedestrians in our city.
As bad as Neitzert characterizes the situation, I’d suggest it’s far worse.
It isn’t just bicycles and pedestrians who are threatened. It’s EVERYONE on our roads.
It is a routine occurrence on my way home to see two or three vehicles blast through red lights.
I’m not speaking of those who try to sneak by on an amber light. I’m referring to the two or three vehicles that blast through solid red lights.
I begin to slow my vehicle as I’m approaching a yellow light. As I do so, I glance in my rearview mirror.
Inevitably, there’s someone in the lane beside me…punching the gas hard to run the red light. They have absolutely no intention of stopping. Away they go.
I stop and wait. And when I get to the next red light…there they are. Running the last red light has only gotten them to the next red light that much faster. That’s reckless and stupid.
I mentioned to you several years that I had stopped moving forward immediately on a green light. I look left and right…making sure the intersection is clear before moving ahead. That practice has saved me from a collision more than once.
As dangerous as the red light situation has become, speeding is even worse.
I will admit driving about 5 mph above the posted speed limit. Even at that speed, I’m an impediment to those who blast right past me.
It is routine for other drivers to pass me doing 15 to 20 mph over the posted limit.
And what is it with the white pickup trucks? They’re among the worst I’ve encountered.
I’ve been amazed how many vehicles speed by me (or run red lights) with a company logo on the side of the truck for everyone to see. They obviously do not care how it reflects on their employer or company. That would infuriate me as an employer.
The lack of respect we show for our laws is deeply disturbing…to say nothing of the lack of respect we show for the safety of our friends and neighbors.
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