Letter to Editor
Gerald C. Turry.
Chicago Tribune, April 30, 1996
In an April 23 letter Edward L. Koven of Highland Park writes, "Iurge the Chicago City Council to pass an ordinance banning messenger servicebicycles in the downtown area in order to make the center of our city saferfor pedestrians."
Why on Earth would we need another unenforceable ordinance? There areplenty of laws on the books right now. What we need to do is enforce theones that we have. If the bicycle messengers are riding improperly, threateninglife and limb, all we need are some police officers to begin to write tickets.Where are the bicycle police we heard so much about?
I don't know what they do in Highland Park, but the City Council ofChicago has more important matters to deliberate than to argue pros andcons of cycling ordinance changes..
I bicycle to work every day and get upset with hearing the tales ofcyclists who represent a minority..Most of us obey the rules of the roadand thus believe we have a right to the streets, as do other legitimatevehicles..
Passing ordinances is serious business. We should not limit the rightsof the law-abiding majority because of the poor behavior of a group ofrenegades. Mr. Koven's solution is no solution at all. The problem he identifiescan best be handled by enforcement.
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