On paper, Griffith Park needs to be the envy of each metropolis on the earth. The second-largest municipal park in California is full of climbing trails, vacationer sights and gorgeous vistas whereas being surrounded by densely inhabited city areas. It’s 4,000-plus acres dwarf the likes of New York’s Central Park and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and as a hiker I wouldn’t commerce our large city oasis for both of these enviable locations.
However this doesn’t inform the entire story, and it pains me to confess that. A lot of Griffith Park is on rugged terrain, and the parts most accessible to typical Angelenos embrace a whole lot of acres put aside for golfers and roads utilized by motorists commuting by means of the park.
How Los Angeles prioritizes entry to this park and the security of its customers is a debate going down in earnest after 77-year-old bicycle owner Andrew Jelmert was struck and killed by a motorist one week in the past on Crystal Springs Drive, a busy highway by means of Griffith Park with direct entry to the 5 Freeway. Right here, our readers weigh in.
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To the editor: I used to be unlucky to come back upon the bicycle owner fatality in Griffith Park on April 16. I noticed the crumpled bike and somebody performing CPR.
Earlier within the day, I handed a bunch of bicyclists; some have been driving a number of riders abreast, utterly throughout the correct visitors lane. I used to be actually offended. What number of instances have I seen cyclists driving outdoors the bike lane and flying by means of cease indicators?
However after I noticed the automotive sitting askew within the lane previous the crash, I chided myself for misplacing the blame. I admit it's exhausting to maintain my pace right down to 25 mph, however so usually automobiles blow by me going far sooner. I yell at them (to myself) that this isn’t the freeway. It is a park and needs to be revered as such.
Nonetheless, I bristle on the suggestion to shut the park to automobiles. I drive by means of the park to benefit from the peace and quiet, away from the heavy, quick, noisy, smelly visitors of the freeway.
Lately, as I used to be coming as much as a golf-cart crossing with the lights blinking, a big buck began throughout the highway. As he acquired nearly throughout, a second adopted, then one other, till, one after the other, the entire herd crossed. Across the nook from the place the deer had simply come was a coyote. These encounters are why I drive by means of the park.
I'm not capable of stroll far in any respect, so there isn't a means I can get pleasure from a stroll there, however no less than I can watch all of the exercise, human and creature. However usually what I see is disrespectful of each. I'm very stunned these crashes don't occur extra usually.
Marti Pike, Glendale
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To the editor: A buddy was struck by a automotive whereas bicycling in Griffith Park on March 26. It occurred close to Journey City. He suffered severe accidents and wanted surgical procedure.
Rushing by automobiles by means of the park is frequent and reckless. As a short-term resolution, what about placing quite a few pace bumps on the highway? It could discourage drivers from utilizing the park as one other lane of the freeway.
Karen Gustafson, Lengthy Seaside
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To the editor: It’s just about not possible to implement legal guidelines concerning drivers paying an excessive amount of consideration to their telephones or ingesting and driving. I've reluctantly give up driving my bike as a result of it’s simply too harmful right here in Los Angeles.
Might we take into account not simply bike lanes, however bike-exclusive roadways that aren't linked to the car-dominated streets? Give us secure routes to fashionable locations, and watch residents select the inexperienced different to the unbearable L.A. visitors.
Might we simply begin with a secure route by means of Griffith Park?
Peter Marquard, Northridge
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To the editor: Bicyclists and pedestrians should not the one ones in Griffith Park whose lives are threatened by dashing drivers. Please don't overlook horse riders. Some drivers appear to take particular pleasure in terrifying our horses, which endangers us.
I doubt that something in need of barring motorized vehicle visitors from these roads would actually resolve the issue for cyclists, pedestrians and riders, however extra policing, ticketing and actual pace bumps would assist.
Mary Anne Steinberger, Tujunga
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To the editor: My coronary heart goes out to the household of Andrew Jelmert. Anybody who walks or bikes in Griffith Park is in comparable hazard.
Right here in Cathedral Metropolis, the place I run within the neighborhood after the solar goes down with a blinking mild on my waist and blinking lights on the heels of my sneakers, I've to be careful for automobiles dashing and operating cease indicators.
One automotive got here straight by means of a cease log off the principle road, and I used to be in the course of the crosswalk. I pounded his trunk with my fist, so he stopped and mentioned, “I assumed I hit you.”
Significantly? It should take hitting a pedestrian earlier than you drive fastidiously?
The police in our space nonetheless haven’t achieved something, and the place I lived earlier than, a mile away, they refused pace bumps. One nook has a cease signal with blinking pink lights round it, and nonetheless drivers don't cease.
Right this moment’s drivers are a special technology.
Claudia Ferguson, Cathedral Metropolis
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