Seattle on the Fringe by Stacey Merrick : Offbeat and Unusual Entertainment, Activities, Events, Attractions in Seattle, WA.

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As most Seattlites are aware, there is a new streetcar in South lake Union which has taken on the unofficial name SLUT (South Lake Union Trolley).  There has been a lot of media attention* around the silly acronym, but now there is media attention concerning the streetcar that is posing a more serious problem.  The South Lake Union Trolley is unsafe for bicyclists, and I can attest to this personally. 

SLUT tracks run on the right side of the road parallel to where bicyclists ride, and road bike tires easily get stuck in the tracks.  Tracks are not a safety hazard for bikes when cyclists can ride over the tracks at a 90-degree angle, but this is not the case in South Lake Union. 

In September, I had my bike accident during early evening rush hour traffic when I rode my bike north on Westlake near Thomas.  My tire got stuck in one of the tracks.  I crashed.  Hard.  I walked/limped away with a few cuts and big bruises on my leg.   Fortunately, I did not fall into moving traffic, and very fortunately I did not have to go to the hospital.  A local business owner saw my crash and told me that he sees bikes go down all the time on the tracks.  I told my story to David Hiller of the Cascade Bicycle Club, and he told me to send an email to Thomas Carr of the Seattle City Attorney's Office.  I sent Carr an email and did not receive a response.  Hiller recently put journalist Mike Lindblom of the Seattle Times in touch with me so my story could be included in an article about the dangerous new streetcar.  

Since my accident, I have heard many stories from other people who have become victims of SLUT.  There has been evidence of other accidents here and here and here.  Bike accidents due to the trolley tracks are so common that I have even heard jokes about potential buttons and stickers for bicyclists that say, "I went down on the SLUT." 

I am happy about having more public transportation options in this city, but I am also one of a growing number of cyclists who have been injured by SLUT.  I do not understand why we have to choose between riding a trolley and riding a bike... can't we do both?  Why does the trolley have to completely eliminate safe bike riding?  And why are there no warning signs for bicyclists?  The least the city could do is put up a couple of signs that warn bicyclists that there are tire snaring tracks in the road.  According to the article in the Seattle Times: 

Alan Durning, founder of Sightline Institute, an environmental think tank, calls the Westlake situation one example of "bicycle neglect" — the American tendency to treat bikes as recreational vehicles, not primary transportation. A street posing similar hazards to cars would never be designed, he said.

There are other options for the trolley tracks which could make it safer for bicyclists.  The tracks could be in the center lane so the tracks do not run in the area where bicyclists are supposed to ride.  Another bicycle safety option would be to use a different type of track or use flangeway filler so bike tires won't get stuck in the tracks.  And signs.  There could be signs warning cyclists of the tracks.

There will be a protest for the trolley's lack of safety for bicyclists this Wednesday, December 12, when the South Lake Union streetcar begins service from Westlake Center to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.




*  That is, in fact, me in the video praising SLUT.  Ironically, the video was recorded about 4 hours before I had my bicycle accident.  I am all for public transportation, but not if it is at the cost of bicycle transportation.