Local
Five Arrested In Fell Street Protest
By Jessica Griffiths
Aug 29, 2010 - 11:22:30 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — On the evening of Friday, August 20, a group of people gathered at the ARCO station at the corner of Fell and Divisadero streets to protest what they feel are injustices against the bicycling population of the city of San Francisco and promote safer cycling conditions.  The protest comes a week after a German tourist, Nils Linke, was hit by a vehicle and killed blocks away from the gas station.  

Protesters gathered near the site where a bicyclist was killed on August 13. Photos courtesy of fixfell.wordpress.com

The protesters were organized and led by the coalition Fix Fell.  The group aims to make Fell Street safer for bicyclists by composing a list of demands.  These demands include shutting off the Fell Street entrance to the ARCO station and disallowing left turns onto Divisadero.  The group also hopes to stop parking on the south side of Fell and to build a safer, separate bikeway to connect the Panhandle with that section of the busy bike route known as “The Wiggle.”   On their site, fixfell.wordpress.com, the group states, “It is not fair or just to inflict the threat of death or injury on those who choose to use less oil in their daily transport.  In fact, dangerous streets keep us addicted to oil by scaring people into motorized lives of inactivity.”

People lay in protest, using U-Locks to attach themselves to a bike frame.

On Friday night, the protesters gathered at the gas station blocking the Fell street entrance for three hours.  A group of people, including members of Fix Fell, lay in the street, placing U-locks around their necks to attach themselves to broken bike frames.  Some in attendance were asking for donations to cover legal fees and citations for the expected repercussions from the protest. Some people donated food.  

Five people were arrested at the protest, including Fix Fell members Drake Logan and Stu Mathews. Logan has taken to the site to post his personal account of being arrested. He recounts, in detail, his treatment at the SF jail and shares his reflections on the experience.

In terms of progress, the SFMTA has installed a Green bike lane on Fell Street, which highlights the area of the street designated and prioritized for bikers.   However, many people including Fix Fell members are calling this action insufficient, as they want a physically separated and safer lane.  The group hopes to link up with other coalitions and to promote an enhanced and extended bicycle advocacy program citywide.