[MissoulaGov] Committee Update 9-30-09 Bikes on Sidewalks

[amy casamassa]

I completely agree with the statement below from kjerrim at missoula.com.  In
addition, I think trying to paint cyclists as toddler-smashing,
downtown-ruining, menaces to society is just plain silly.  Accidents do
happen due to people not paying attention, not knowing the rules, or just
plain not caring about others, but for the most part we live in a pretty
tolerant place. I consider myself progressive, but I think a silly road to
go down is believing that legislating tolerance and courteousness will
really stop intolerance or discourteousness.


I appreciate what the BID is attempting to do for bikes from Broadway to the
X's, but these ordinances that pertain to behavior have got to stop.  Bums
and bikes are not the reason why downtowns are failing.  Are we really
pretending that there is any truth to that?  You could strategically place
proximity mines in front of Super Walmart and people would still fight to
get in there.  We all know that a large reason downtowns are failing
isbecause it costs considerably more to buy something from asmalllocal
business than it does to buy it from a box store.  Despite the fact that I
know that, I make a conscious effort to buy locally.  There are many reasons
why, not the least of which being that I love this town and the character
that comes with it.  I find that the things I buy may cost more downtown,
but are more special (and let’s face it, less toxic) than things I can find
in a box store.  Last year all the gifts I bought for Christmas came from
stores downtown or south of the bridge on Higgins.  I am willing to spend
more to keep businesses alive in Missoula.  I feel like Missoula isn’t an
over-regulated place and I think that means we trust our citizenry to make
choices with the community in mind.  I understand that the BID and City
Council are working towards making downtown a desirable and convenient place
to shop, but I don’t think the way to do that is to make downtown Missoula a
whitewashed, cutsey-bootsie, over-regulated, Park City-esque mountain town.
Which is what I see happening with these laws to stop people from doing
things that a portion of the population finds annoying.  Not
dangerous-annoying.  If that is the case, then those downtown businesses can
kiss my dollars goodbye.

Amy T. Cas

On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 6:38 PM, <kjerrim at missoula.com> wrote:
I think the whole point I am hearing raised is enough with all these
ordinances pertaining to behavioral problems that some find annoying but
others may not.
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