The "iconic" Wiggle

Photo from Haighteration

Whenever Haighteration posts about the Wiggle, they get a lot of negative comments about how cyclists race through the neighborhood on the city-sanctioned speedway known as the Wiggle (my post from last year). Haighteration's latest post on the Wiggle gets the same kind of response.

But the party line from City Hall is that the Wiggle is now a landmark here in Progressive Land, beloved not only by cyclists but by residents and tourists alike. The PUC will be making  some changes to the drains in the area, and the MTA will join them to make some of their "improvements" to these streets ("green infrastructure and traffic calming").

A typical comment:

The problem of asshole bikers has existed since long before the MTA changes to the Wiggle, but the rate of bike-related misbehavior on the Wiggle skyrocketed with the institution of those changes. I've lived here for 17 years and I've never felt as unsafe crossing the road as I do now, thanks to the Wiggle changes and the resulting misbehavior of confused and misguided cyclists (some of whom no doubt sincerely believe that the green arrows everywhere---including in the middle of the intersections, for Christ's sake---mean they have permanent right-of-way). BTW: I just got back from a 10-mile bike ride, ending on the Wiggle. I'm a cyclist first and foremost. But the anti-car/anti-pedestrian nature of so many bike advocates (including the SFBC) has completely alienated me. I believe in coexistence, not Bikes Uber Alles.

The Public Utilities Commission adheres to the city's party line on the wonderful Wiggle: "this famous San Francisco bike route," "the iconic Wiggle route," "this famous San Francisco bike route," etc:

Help us improve your neighborhood! Learn more about this upcoming project that will improve stormwater management and walking and biking conditions along this famous San Francisco bike route and surrounding neighborhoods. We want to hear from you!

Heigh ho! Off to work we go! Improving the neighborhood along that wonderful Wiggle! Lots of exclams because we're talking to the morons who live in that neighborhood! We even have an online survey so that they can pretend to participate in the process, though we're going to do whatever we want anyhow! We will improve "biking conditions" in the neighborhood to help cyclists speed even faster through the neighborhood, scattering pedestrians in their wake! What fun!