Comment: Encourage bike traffic to use Main Street

In response to recent e-mails about bike riding on sidewalks along Water Street, Decorah resident Stan Fullerton has this suggestion:

"I understand that riding bicycles on the sidewalks of Water Street is illegal, potentially dangerous for pedestrians, the bicyclist and patrons leaving our businesses. Many doors swing out which in itself poses a danger to the bicyclist.

I understand that riding bikes on the Water Street is also potentially dangerous to the biker as well as pedestrians crossing the streets and people getting out of their cars after parking.

With all this being said, there is a perfectly good street just to the south called Main Street. Let's make a push to coordinate an effort to make Main Street bicycle friendly.

Is it really necessary to ride our bikes on Water Street in the main business district?  We could all work together on this or is that too much to ask?

And while we are at it,  how about making Main Street jogger friendly?  Is it necessary for those of the jogging persuasion to run on the sidewalks of Water Street?  They pose the same dangers to themselves and others as bikers do.  Or is the true reason we jog on Water Street to be SEEN jogging and to SEE  the reflection in the windows as one jogs past? 

It is quite comical to watch joggers watch themselves and not watch where they are going. Do Luther's and Decorah's track teams really need to run down Water Street en masse, winding their way around pedestrians? A rhetorical question certainly.

Have a great day all, keep up the exercise as we know it is good for you and let's all just find a way to work together.