Seniors left out: "It's all about the kids"

Letter to the editor in today's SF Chronicle:

Seniors left in the cold

Concerning “Make the roads accessible for senior citizens” (Letters, April 3), “Closures discriminate” (Letters, April 7) and “Car battle in park takes heated turn” (April 7): 

I agree with the letter writers regarding park closures being discriminatory to many. 

Heather Knight’s article gives some of the solutions being proposed, but providing parking in the underground Music Concourse Garage to low-income and the disabled does not allow for seniors and those with medical conditions that make walking distances a problem. 

Many have mobility issues but are not eligible for handicapped status. Bus service in my neighborhood was only every 30 minutes, and often did not come. Because of COVID-19, I now have no bus service and question if it will ever return.

When my line ran, connections were needed to get anywhere, making it even more challenging for seniors. In addition, many of us live in steep hilly neighborhoods, and this senior is not able to take on the challenge or danger of riding a bicycle in San Francisco. 

Some argue that only 300 parking spaces are being taken away, but those are the spaces closest to the museum, Academy of Sciences, the Music Concourse, and other major park attractions. Regrettably due to age, medical conditions, and poor and non-existent public transportation, many will be left out in the cold if the park closures continue.

Suzanne Kirkham

San Francisco

See also "Don't shut us out."

Rob's comment:

When they claim that "it's all about the kids," you know it's bullshit. But that's what the anti-car zealots are now claiming about Golden Gate Park.

They also make this familiar claim:

Back when cars drove on JFK, the city classified it as one of the most-dangerous streets in San Francisco.

But the anti-car City Hall says this about every busy street in the city, and they never provide any real evidence for the claim. Instead, they sometimes push outright lies, like they did on Masonic Avenue.

How many accidents happen on JFK and who was responsible? City Hall never gives us that information about JFK or any other street in the city.

See also Vision Zero: Dumb and dishonest.