Commentary: Spin Can’t Save Lives

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Ethan Boyes was killed by a driver while he was riding his bike on Arguello in the Presidio on April 4. On Tuesday, a pedestrian was killed at 16th Street at Potrero. So far, seven people have died in traffic violence this year in San Francisco. And last year, in 2022, 39 people died–a record number since the city launched its Vision Zero program in 2014.

That’s why it was astounding to see a recent KPIX news story, supported by claims from SFMTA director Jeffrey Tumlin, that San Francisco streets are safer.

The story cites a supposed 58 percent decline in cycling fatalities. That’s some pretty serious cherry-picking of data from 2017 and 2021, intended to make it sound as if there’s a clear, positive trend when there just isn’t. Below, the reality:

The anchor also parrots the claim by SFMTA that the city has built 43 miles of protected bike lanes.

No, actually, it hasn’t.

Except, again, the SFMTA’s quick-build, paint-and-plastic installations aren’t effective–fatalities and serious injuries are up, not down. He also makes the claim that tickets won’t stop illegal parking by big companies such as UPS. That may be so, but concrete would: and, as mentioned, Tumlin continues to oversee the installation of soft-hit posts that are specifically designed to be tolerant of illegal parking and other dangerous movements by motorists.

Anyone can go to New York or Paris or other cities in Europe and see how they have reduced traffic fatalities in reality: it’s primarily with Jersey barriers and proper concrete and steel protection and real, physical separation that actually stops errant motorists from running over people.

They don’t do it by lying about protected bike lanes and spinning safety numbers and trying to give the appearance of improvement. Moreover, Tumlin’s claims, echoed by KPIX, aren’t just counterproductive, they are disrespectful to the people who’ve been killed and injured by their city’s misguided priorities. It reflects disdain for people who get around on two wheels. It needs to stop.