Zero to Vision Zero in…Oh, Who Knows?

While Los Angeles recently deployed the usual pomp and fanfare to annouce a commitment to “Vision Zero,” that is to say, zero traffic deaths within the city’s limits by the year 2025, there are many of us who question whether there is any real intent to make it happen.

After all, the 2010 Bicycle Master Plan has been so nibbled away by the sharks of self-interest that you could be forgiven for thinking that Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” about it.

And “Great Streets” has, in implementation so far, revealed itself as a collection of set pieces, token guests tucked away at the table by the kitchen to prove our administration’s great liberality….

Still (to return to our existentialist metaphor), we’ll push the damned rock up that hill et again and see what happens as we near the top. If we can muster the numbers to make this a truly collective battle—a battle, rather than a skirmish—maybe we can make Official Los Angeles hold to its promises.

So, I’m going to ask you to attend a meeting, or a whole heap of meetings. The City has arranged ten meetings, scattered all over town, at which it will present figures, explain its intentions, and ask for “input.” That last part means you can speak up. Be there and mouth off, damn it!

The meetings will take place at area libraries, which you’ll see in the list below. You’re requested to RSVP here. The meetings are on different days, but all begin at 5:30pm. Show up and speak up, but be chill about it. leave the rants to the Teabaggers. Let them know you’re tired of blood in the streets, and that the dizzy sense of entitlement of leadfooted motor addicts howl so loudly to preserve shouldn’t trump our physical survival and neighborhood health.

Here we go again!