To the Editor:
I want to express my appreciation to Buzz Stenn for his intellectual approach to understanding the safety issues in and around town [“Noting That Pedestrian-Vehicular Safety Depends on Appreciation for Sensitivities of All Involved,” Mailbox, April 23].  His approach was comprehensive — he included every user group. If safety is to be improved, we have to all be in this together.

I am frustrated by all the times I have seen my fellow bicycle club riders (a) ride three abreast and (b) not respond when someone calls “car back!”  I am frustrated by cyclists riding in pedestrian spaces. I admit to doing this on rare occasions. I am aggravated by seeing people cycle against traffic.  I even see people, including a former town Council candidate, ride against traffic on Spring Street!  I am upset when I see people drive or cycle through red lights. I am aggravated by impatient drivers whether I am driving or bicycling.

Just on Sunday, I was out of town biking, and someone stopped to let me turn left from Route 526 and then as I was making the turn a motorist passed the motorist giving me the signal on the right!

I do want to mention one situation that gets no attention from anyone down the street from Buzz Stenn’s home.  That is the car driver(s) that regularly leave(s) the car(s) parked on the sidewalk at the house at the corner of Stockton, Nassau, and Bayard. Has anyone else noticed that?  Last year I complained to the town Council about the situation.  These people are preventing pedestrians from walking safely.  Why do these people want to inhibit the safe passage of pedestrians?  They can’t argue that there is no safe, convenient place to park.  First, diagonally across from the house is the Monument Hall parking lot.  A block or so away from the house is the Trinity Church parking lot.  If the packages are too heavy to carry, invest in a hand cart.  Please don’t put the lives of pedestrians in jeopardy.

It does seem that I am having more frequent brushes with other vehicles in town and out of town.  Reducing the speed limit on Witherspoon Street and soon on Cherry Hill Road is one way to practice Vision Zero.  The action of town Council and Department of Public Works is not enough.  People have to respond to signage and not assume that they are above the law whether they are car drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.  Certainly, if a driver goes around the block to get where they are going, it is a safer situation than making a U-turn on Nassau Street.

Dan Rappoport
Copperwood

The writer is one of the five original incorporators of the Princeton Freewheelers and is a member of the Princeton Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The views expressed here are not intended to represent the views of anyone in the bicycle club or the people appointed by the mayor to be on the committee.