San Diego Port commissioners this week decided to hold off for now on a plan to ban pedicabs, e-bikes, scooters and other motorized forms of transportation from pedestrian areas along the waterfront.
The plan is based on concerns about people’s safety. If you go downtown or to the waterfront much, you know what it can be like.
Lots of motorized scooters, bikes and pedicab drivers along with the congestion with cars and pedestrians. You have to really be careful at times.
Port commissioners for now at least delayed approving the plan for the ban because of concerns they would be putting a thriving business out of business, specifically the pedicab business.
But the director of security for the Grand Hyatt San Diego told them that pedicabs fly through the sidewalk at high speeds and ride in the wrong direction and disrupt vehicle traffic.
And the chair of the Port Commission, Michael Zucchet, made it sound as if the ban could end up happening anyway.
“My experiences, particularly at night, particularly with not just loud music but with music intended to shock the conscience so that you turn around…it is incredibly disruptive. And he added, “I’m sorry for sounding like a crotchety old man, but I mean it’s just like, dumb.”
In the end, the decision for the port commission is not about what’s dumb but what’s smart when it comes to people’s safety.
(Photo reporting partner 10News)