The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District is planning to charge a $1 tool to each pedestrian and biker that uses the bridge walkway. Does each walker equal one-fifth the bridge wear and tear as cars do? What does such a strategy say about our commitment to the environment and reducing Bay Area pollution, our standing as a top tourist destination, our state’s obesity issues, and our own pleasure in being a human-first city? It says our civic leaders just don’t care enough to cope any harder.

What I would propose is very visible donation boxes on the walkway encouraging anyone that uses the bridge the make a donation towards it’s upkeep and continued access for all users. I would imagine many an inspired tourist, that have travelled from all points on the earth to enjoy would easily share their wealth. I also suspect that exhilarated locals that use the bridge on a regular basis would drop in some bills often enough. An unmanned donation box would bring less but would require zero cost other than installing it and emptying it each day. But it is this type of sharing economy that is non-comprehensible to quasi-governental transit beaurocrats which is quite a pity.

Riding a bike over the GG Bridge is an exhilarating inspiring experience each and every time. I surely would donate on some days just as sure as I’d skip going over the bridge to spite the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District unheard of pedestrian toll and that makes me, my neighbors and all our visitors the big loser either way.

As always the exemplary SF Bike Org is on it, has very clear positions about why the ten-speed toll is bad for everyone, and many good strategies about how to get it stopped. May the bike be with us.