To the Editor:
I am surprised that one person's proposed solution to the bicyclist "problem" in Old Town is to ticket cyclists for running stop signs. Cyclists will not stop running stop signs, just as we cannot stop cars from running stop signs, stop cars from exceeding the speed limit on the beltway, or stop people from jay walking. These things will continue, regardless of the level of enforcement.
The better solution would seem to be to find a way so that bicyclists did not have to stop when traveling through Old Town. On the bike route from Roosevelt Island or D.C. to Mt. Vernon, the only stop signs are in Old Town (except for a couple more between Old Town and Mt. Vernon).
Perhaps, as part of the Waterfront redesign in Old Town, a way could be found to have the bike route go along the river. (I agree that the proposed Royal Street solution does not make much sense.)
How about eliminating the north-south stop signs on Union Street, and only have stop signs for east-west traffic? A progressive solution might be to make the West half of Union Street one way south, with the east half being for bicycles only. I see this kind of solution in other cities.
The goal should be to encourage more bicycling, not make bicycling more difficult. If we can get more people out on bicycles, there may even be substantial savings for Medicare over time.
Mike Schauer
Old Town