Another Example of More B.S. for Cyclists

[Geff]

How about some better patrolling of the area and pathway.

Patrolling for what? Scafflaws? Hoods? Thugs? Punks? Hippies? Long hairs?

I hope you don't mean that the local police should waste more time "patrolling" a rail trail to insure that nobody rides their bike on it from dusk till dawn?

Not at all! Just making sure there is presence on the rail trail, sans tickets after dark, so commuters and users feel a bit safer. Just having some "presence" always makes a difference. Misuse of the term "patrolling" led to misunderstanding.

I don't know if you were making this point or not, but patrolling is mostly about making the community FEEL safer. You are not safer because an officer is patrolling an area, but the public's perception of the area becomes safer.
one of the many policing statistics that really make you scratch your head and wonder how to make anywhere "safe"

Right on! That is pretty much what I meant.

[i69whitey]

actually been readin some on this very issue. here is the article that pointed me to their book:
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/ ... indows.pdf
they talk about simple perceptions that will allow an area to remain more crime-free,
such as quickly fixing broken windows will prevent additional vandalism from occuring as folks see the place as being "kept up".
public perception of a trail being safe will lead to more riders
which leads to more safety
which leads to more riders
<snowball rolling>

locals can be a better crime deterrent than cops as well as being an asset to the fuzz.

[Geff]

actually been readin some on this very issue. here is the article that pointed me to their book:
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/pdf/ ... indows.pdf
they talk about simple perceptions that will allow an area to remain more crime-free,
such as quickly fixing broken windows will prevent additional vandalism from occuring as folks see the place as being "kept up".
public perception of a trail being safe will lead to more riders
which leads to more safety
which leads to more riders
<snowball rolling>

locals can be a better crime deterrent than cops as well as being an asset to the fuzz.

Even more to agree with here. Thanks for the explanation, that I didn't clearly make.