By Alan Lupo,

Boston Globe, December 10, 1988

OP-ED PAGE

A good goo-goo ordinance.

Sometimes, good-government bills make good sense. Two examples are BostonCity Councilor Rosaria Salerno's ordinances to (a) ban bicycling, roller-skating and skate-boarding from Downtown Crossing and (b) require bicyclemessengers to display license plates and require their employers to registerwith the city.

The other day, I almost got clipped by a bike messenger who was tryingto set Olympic speed records on Washington Street. I wasn't blameless,but this guy was a stupid, rude, smarmy sort. We both used the kind oflanguage that ye olde Bostonians used to ban in the streets.

Banning language was just too goo-goo. Banning the misuse of bikes andsuch is common sense. Salerno's ordinances might prevent injury and violence.The council should pass them.

Other goo-goos, however, take note.