Letters for November 13, 2014

Bikes not the enemy

Re “Where the sidewalk ends: On modernizing Sacramento’s bike rules and infrastructure” by Nick Miller (SN&R Arts & Culture, November 6):

In 2012, 4,743 pedestrians and 726 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Can you imagine if each one of these incidents got the same coverage as a bicyclist hitting a pedestrian? The Sacramento Bee would have to run a new section every day and we'd probably need a new 24-hour news network just to cover it all. Yet somehow the real menace to public safety is people pedaling around on 30-pound frames, and the daily carnage caused by two-ton motorized battering rams is just background noise. The victims of bike crashes certainly deserve support and condolences, but let's not forget that this is the epitome of a man-bites-dog story. Everyone benefits when we make the streets safer to walk and bike on.

Matthias Kimball

Sacramento

Wages, transit and health care

Re “Should Sacramento raise the minimum wage?” by Sasha Abramsky (SN&R Feature Story, November 6):

I agree that the minimum wage should increase, for the reasons stated in the article. However, there are two topics not addressed that actually result in financial instability for low-wage workers.

Many of these people live in transit-poor neighborhoods, where they have little choice but to own a car—usually an older, unreliable car. The car breaks down, and the person goes from barely getting by to financial crisis. The solution is to make sure that we have effective transit in the places where low-wage workers live, and to make sure we provide affordable housing in places with effective transit.

The second is health care. A single incident of injury or poor health, or any of the chronic diseases brought on by low-income lives, can push someone over the edge, from barely getting by to crisis. The solution is universal health care, that allows these people to get treated and get back to work. Universal health care also ensures that caring for and financially supporting family members with medical issues doesn’t cause the low-wage worker to lose their job.

Dan Allison

Sacramento

He agrees with SN&R, finally!

Re “Doug Ose and Ami Bera’s despicable attack ads” by Jeff vonKaenel (SN&R Greenlight, October 30):

Let me say that I have never agreed with just about anything I’ve ever read in your paper. I even argue restaurant reviews in Dish. I’m shocked to find myself in total lockstep with the views in Jeff’s article, let alone the fact that I am writing to you about anything. What an incredible waste of our time and their money to use that forum not to inform the voter on one single issue either candidate stands for. … To quote Clara Peller: “Where’s the beef”? Certainly not under those campaign buns.

Alan Johansen

Wheatland