Last week, I was honored and privileged to be the guest speaker at the Triathlon Club of San Diego. I was the first member of this Club at its inception in 1984. I love cycling, running and swimming and became an Ironman triathlete in 1985 logging countless miles on local roads. As a candidate for San Diego City Council District 2, I vow to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. This City has too many unused and dangerous bike lanes. This must end.
On just one stretch of a so-called protected bike lane in Clairemont at least one person has died and many critically injured. This must end. These lanes for cyclists have become de rigueur in the sense of being politically correct. But they are unwise and unsafe. Why doesn’t the City’s Climate Action Plan in regard to cycling consider that it takes human energy to pedal a two-wheeler? Have you ever heard of Henry Ford or the fact that cycling is touted as the sport of suffering? Listen, I’ve done hundreds of triathlons during the past forty plus years and maybe one of a half million residents have the will power to join me at the starting line. San Diego residents are unlike those in the Netherlands, China or India. We are rooted in a tough individualism. We want our cars and will not give up our cars.
What does our city’s history say about cycling on local roads? I spoke to my friend Bob Babbitt recently, a giant among giants in this town’s triathlon community on the old days. Back in the late Seventies, cycling and running in San Diego were dominated by a select group of endurance athletes. Unlike today where five thousand and more trendy folks show up for a finishers medal, we had no entertainment value back in the day. It’s safe to say that most of these Johnny come lately runners and cyclists park their cars as close to the start line as possible. This ought to illustrate the devotion to cycling and running we had back forty years ago in San Diego.
But most significant, were the fatalities from cycling and running. It was rare to hear about hit and run drivers and multitudes without a conscience. driving in bike lanes with disrespect. Unless these lanes are encased in concrete like a German bunker, we are in danger of bleeding the City’s liability fund. More residents will needlessly die and suffer serious injury. This must end.
I remain a man devoted to my sport of cycling and running. Except I must conscientiously speak truth to power. Dan Smiechowski candidate SDCC D2 of San Diego