Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Letter to Office of Constituent Services

Below is the e-mail I sent to the Mayor's Office of Constituent Services. My sister says I should have sent it to the mayor himself. If I don't get a (satisfactory) response from the director, I'll send it up the chain. Any updates will be posted here. 

I encourage anyone else who has had run-ins with MARTA or other problems with official vehicles to write letters to the governing agency demanding change, or letting me know so they can be compiled.

Edit (sent at 6:59pm)
Subject: Regarding Unsafe Drivers of City of Atlanta Vehicles

Body:

Dear Ms. Boone,

I'm writing to say something that should be obvious, so please forgive me my presumption. People who are permitted to drive City of Atlanta cars and trucks are highly visible and should be more, not less, concerned with following the rules of traffic law.

I write this because this morning I was passed too closely by a City of Atlanta truck (license plate GV19746, at 10:00a approaching East Lake Dr on 2nd Ave NE) while riding my bicycle. The driver of the truck may not have seen me, as he was following another car too closely. The other car passed me without incident. The City of Atlanta truck couldn't clear me before reaching the intersection, so he effectively cut me off.. This put my life in danger, as he could have hit me when he passed too closely or when he stopped too short. He also blocked my visibility at the intersection.

It shouldn't need to be said that those driving City of Atlanta vehicles carry the burden of modeling appropriate, lawful, and safe behaviors while driving those vehicles. The city and its employees are liable -- if not legally then politically -- for any accidents that occur. I am an educated, confident, law-abiding cyclist. I ask that you ensure that anyone who is given keys to City of Atlanta vehicles is similarly educated and law-abiding.

Thank you for your time,
Megan Lutz

EDIT 
A timely response from Ms. Boone at 8:30pm that same evening:

We will investigate. Thank you

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