Will new state law make our downtown safer?
Downtown Davis will lose parking spots near intersections
"State's New Daylighting Law Results in Local Parking Changes" said the headline in bright green letters over the City of Davis' press release.
Why green letters?
Perhaps they're more environmentally friendly. Or maybe it was Kermit the Frog's birthday. Or maybe the city is thumbing its nose at Donald Trump for pulling out of the Paris Accords.
In any regard, I'm hearing some loud complaints, most of them concerning the loss of parking spaces in our already parking-challenged downtown.
Noted the release from deep within City Hall, "The City of Davis has announced some local changes to parking spots due to Assembly Bill (AB) 413, called “The Daylighting Law,” which prohibits vehicle parking or idling within 20 feet of any crosswalk or 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present.
Turns out the law went into effect January 1 of this year, but cities apparently have a brief grace period to comply.
Note, this is the "Daylighting Law," not the "Gaslighting Law."
Added the city, "The state law was passed to improve safety at intersections, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists."
Certainly something we can all get behind, especially in downtown where pedestrians and bicyclists are in abundance.
"The term 'daylighting' means that the field of view for anyone approaching an intersection must be clear from obstruction," explains the city.
"By keeping the areas next to crosswalks clear of parked vehicles, it will be easier to see curbs and the entire crosswalk. For pedestrians or bicyclists, this means they won’t have to venture into the intersection and peek around parked cars to see if they have a clear path to cross. This is especially important for children, who are less visible at intersections. At the same time, drivers will get a clearer view of the intersection and can easily see if someone is waiting to cross well in advance. This change will hopefully prevent crashes or collisions from occurring."
Is this too much meddling by Big Brother, or as we call it in the Most Educated City in America, "Big Sibling"?
I don't think so.
In the many years I've lived in this burg, I've been downtown as a pedestrian, a bicyclist and behind the wheel of a car, sometimes all three in a single day.
Cars parked near an intersection do indeed obstruct vision for everyone.
But here's the part that has so many folks upset.