LOS ANGELES - Oct. 3, 2018 - PRLog -- A new movement is afoot - or NOT afoot - to ban walking in the City of Angels. STOP (Stop Traffic Of Pedestrians), launched in 2016, has reached the referendum stage with the requisite 1000 signatures, that - pending the City Attorney's review - could be on the ballot in CA as Proposition 73stp this coming November. As written, the petition would ban pedestrians from commercial streets (any thoroughfare with a registered business) unless entering or exiting a place of business.
STOP is comprised of a small group of constituents arguing that foot traffic is bad for the environment.
"We want to avoid 'pedmania' in our streets," said Morton Sandwick, STOP's Executive Director. "More pedestrians means less oxygen, more congestion, and a risk of heat stroke and dehydration. You want to walk in commercial districts? Do so - in the shops."
Another STOP member, online jewelry merchant Gloria Aldovese, offered yet another argument in favor of the new law: "LA is a fashion-conscious town, and traditionally, the more fashionable a shoe is, the more painful it is to wear. We are doing everyone in LA a favor," she professed. "Show me a stylish shoe that feels great to walk in, and we'll pull this motion from the ballot."
The proposed legislation comes amid concerns of an uptick in Los Angeles retail consumerism and leisure. "Things were great during the recession," Sandwick said. "People would go hiking and to the beach, and all of that's fine with us. But despite what we've heard, retail is most definitely not dead. We want to ensure people spend all the time they like inside the stores - just make it quick coming and going."
"Electric scooters are a scientific improvement on this problem," added Sandwick, who holds a degree in Civic Engineering from Harvad University Annex. "The conflict is between walkers and riders, because their flow and gait are in opposition. Remove the people on foot, and the conflict goes away!"
Realistically, however, how do you stop people from walking, especially in a town known for great weather? "We have a three-pronged solution to this problem," Sandwick explained. "Drive, Bike or Roll." Simply put, if Prop 73stp passes, the only legal forms of transportation in Los Angeles commercial districts will be by car, bike (manual or motorized) or scooter (manual, motorized or Segway-style).
Sandwick was quick to clarify that strictly residential areas, and malls, both indoor and outdoor, would be exempt from the new law. STOP's charter explains that it advocates for shopping and "the overall health, both fiscal and physical, of the community. "Ultimately, we're a motorized town," Sandwick concluded. "You really have to ask yourself, 'Who walks in LA?'"
Media Contact
Morton Sandwick
info@stopfoottraffic.com
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