Messenger Menace

Letter to the Editor


Edward L. Koven

Chicago Tribune, April 23, 1996

Downtown-area pedestrians encounter moving vehicles much more dangerousthan cars, buses or taxis. Pedestrians must evade the reckless messenger-servicebicyclists who frequently speed the wrong way down one-way streets andoften run red lights.

I have witnessed people in downtown Chicago being struck by recklessmessenger cyclists doing these very things. Even pedestrians walking onsidewalks are not safe from these two-wheeled terrors that often dart unexpectedlyout of alleys and speed around the corner on the sidewalks, forcing startledwalkers to jump out of their way..

Winter presented an added hazard with the cyclists often speeding inthe dark without lights to their evening rush-hour destination..

I urge 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.


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