Three Fights, Continued

The day after the motorcycle thing, I wrote this letter to the Chronicle:

“I have been noticing for many months that the Moscone Center seems to regard the bike lanes on Howard St. between Third and Fifth streets as overflow parking for buses, taxis and the like, and I have hoped that no cyclist would be injured or killed trying to navigate around these vehicles.

“That area is particularly dangerous because there are several lanes going in the same direction, so motorists tend to travel at a high rate of speed; it’s rather like a freeway.

“Yesterday, the bike lane was once again obstructed, and I was very nearly struck by a speeding motorcyclist as I attempted to navigate around the blockage.

“The Moscone Center should act to ensure that the bike lanes are clear at all times before someone is killed there.”

I cc’ed the supervisor for my district and the mayor, and then I forwarded my letter to the Moscone Center, with this added at the top:

“Dear Sir/Madam:

“Below is a letter I sent to the Chronicle this morning, FYI. It seems to me that with several car lanes going in one direction and just one bike lane, it would make more sense to block one of the car lanes (i.e., on the south side of the street) than to block the one and only bike lane.

“In addition, many times when the bike lane is full of parked vehicles, the paved area right outside the Moscone Center entrance on the north side of Howard between Third and Fourth streets is empty. I would suggest that that area be fully utilized before a decision is made to endanger the lives of cyclists by allowing parking in the bike lane.”

I also called the city’s bike program to ask for their help in getting better enforcement in the bike lanes and didn’t hear back, but that was perfectly OK, because I know they are overwhelmed with tasks and I also know for a fact that they are really nice because I’ve talked to them before.

Theoretically, I should also know that people at the Bike Coalition are really nice; maybe I was indignant because my email and follow-up call were to someone I haven’t ever met, so it was easier for me to think he was taking evil satisfaction in ignoring me.

Then I spent the first part of the weekend stewing about how all of these things were going to come out and feeling bad for being in so many fights.

I discussed the matter with Tom. In regard to the parking garage, he suggested I buy a junker bike and chain it to the car parked in the space nearest the bikes as a punishment. That didn’t seem entirely practical, but he did say one helpful thing, which was, “You’ve been successful in working these things out before.” This is true.

I also realized that while I had felt annoyed, I had not said or written anything that could be construed as fighting words. No harm whatsoever had been done.

While I was thinking that the parking garage building manager had intentionally not called me back and never meant to and that she was therefore a jerk and that she, acting like such a jerk, must therefore know that I thought she was a jerk, in fact the only thing that had happened was that I had left her a voice mail asking for a return call in regard to the garage. We were not actually in a fight.

I then stopped thinking about the whole thing for the rest of the weekend, for the most part. This morning I found myself thinking that all the things I don’t like to happen were going to keep happening and that I was going to be upset and it was going to cause a lot of stress. Then a rational voice intervened and said, “You are a smart and articulate person and you are also right: the bike lanes and the bike rack shouldn’t be blocked. I think you will be able to think of some constructive actions to take.”

This is true and I also can choose how to allocate my energy.

This morning I sent a letter to Bond Yee, the Executive Director of the Department of Parking & Traffic, asking for help with enforcement outside the Moscone Center and outside the Market St. hotel. I cc’ed the supervisor for the district the Moscone Center.

And with that, I’m going to put the buses outside the hotel on Market St. out of my mind. One can only do so much.

If I find the bike lanes outside the Moscone Center blocked, perhaps I will ride on the sidewalk, which I dislike doing, but it may be safer (for me) than going out into a car lane. If a police officer says, “Get off the sidewalk,” I will say that I would prefer to be in the bike lane, but as he or she can see, the bike lane is currently unavailable.

I will not contact the Bike Coalition again and when they send my renewal notice, I will assess my mood at that time and then send whatever amount of money matches it.

That leaves the bike rack where I park while I’m at work as the only priority. Today I have figured out who currently owns the building and I have a contact number for that company. I’ll keep you posted on that one.