Letters to the Editor
Time to ban scooters from the boardwalks
This is an open letter to the San Diego City Council: We, the Ban the Scooters on the Boardwalk contingent, had only 16 minutes to speak, so I would like to finish the presentation. I was the one who brought you the bucket of scooter parts, including the toxic lithium battery.
On my walk this morning, I counted over 100 scooters illegally parked in South Mission Beach along two blocks of oceanfront (and over 150 scooters at Belmont Park). My biggest thought was how much does it take to shame our City Council? Thousands of people have complained about electric bikes and scooters over the last two years, yet our City Council continues to let these companies get a free ride, and this continues on with non-compliance today — even after your regulations (passed in June)!
Everyday, we residents go and pull scooters from blocking access points. Everyday, we watch speeding scooters, double riding, underage riders, no helmets and accidents. We count hundreds of scooters blocking our courts, laying in the sand, in trash cans, in the middle of the street. We watch helplessly as those with disabilities try to navigate around scooters (see the photo I provided). Everyday it is a combat zone in Mission Beach.
Geofencing is not working and you know why? The scooters companies have basically flipped the City off. Their pick-up people only pick up the “dead batteries.” They don’t pick up the scooters — lying in the sand, in the courts, in the alleyways — because their cars can’t drive down Oceanfront Walk or Bayside Walk. The No Park Zones are a joke. So what if a tourist gets dinged $25? The only winner is the scooter companies losing millions of dollars.
Once again, we have to police our own streets. Our new job is to take pictures and upload them to the Get It Done app — for absolutely no response, in my experience. Our taxpayer dollars are being spent so some city worker can drive around all day to pick up scooters. For what reason? So the City can get more money from scooter companies?
It doesn’t end there. We are seeing every type of electric vehicle from ATVs to Vespas on our boardwalk. This will only get worse. The City Council is supposed to protect residents and provide safe streets for the welfare of all people. Shame on you, City Council members. Get all scooters off our sidewalks and boardwalks!
—Cathy Ives
PB Monthly needs a column about fishing!
Being a local resident, I enjoy reading your publication. I also enjoy fishing
Crystal Pier and the local waters of Mission Bay. I always run into locals who enjoy the same sport. I’m sure not only myself, but other residents, too, would love to see a small spot in your magazine dedicated to the local sport. Here I am with a local shovel nose guitar fish, recently caught and released off the Crystal Pier. —Thomas Baca
Friday night film series comes to Mission Bay
I’d like to share the schedule for the September movie series, “Movies on the Bay.” It is presented by the San Diego International Film Festival and the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa with the support of Entercom Stations.
The free film screenings take place Fridays, from dusk to 10 p.m. on the beach at The Catamaran, 3999 Mission Blvd.
The Snack Shack has food and beverage options for sale.
• Sept. 6 “Back To The Future” (PG)
• Sept. 13 “Shazam!” (PG-13)
• Sept. 20 “Men In Black” (PG-13)
• Sept. 27 “Crazy Rich Asians” (PG-13)
—Susan Clausen
What’s on YOUR mind?
Letters published in PB Monthly express views from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail them with your name to editor@lajollalight.com Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not those of the magazine staff or publisher.