Respect for others key on Legacy Trail
I have to chime in as a person who has been using both an e-bike and a regular bike for many years.
Banning e-bikes on the Legacy Trail would be a big mistake.
I personally use one to get around Sarasota all the time mainly because the regular streets are so dangerous.
There are people talking on their phones, changing their radio stations or just plain not paying attention.
The Legacy Trail allows me to get to most of my destinations safely.
Meanwhile, the bike lanes in Sarasota are either nonexistent or so small as to be useless with cars driving – or parking – in them.
In my experience, the worst spot is Siesta Key while the best spots for lanes are Gulf Gate Road and, of course, the mile or so of Ringling Boulevard that has a protected bike lane.
Our only choice sometimes is riding on the sidewalks – which is not ideal, but necessary.
I believe it should be mandatory for all bikes to have a bell and a mirror.
When I do have to ride on sidewalks, I ring my bell continuously – although many times people don’t hear me because they have headphones on.
I agree that there should be a speed limit of say, 20 mph, for e-bikes – and I also believe the Legacy Trail should be patrolled.
I think that if bike riders and pedestrians respect each other, we can all coexist until all roads have protected bike lanes like the one on Ringling Boulevard.
Steve Berkowitz, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: E-bikes, cyclists, pedestrians can coexist on Legacy Trail | Letters
Reporting by Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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