Coleman/VTA Lot Issues

This is clearly a hot-button issue for several ACTC members and serves as a good example of how a discussion forum can be used. I’ve created a new category for this topic on the experimental discussion forum and set it up so that you do not have to register or login in order to submit or reply to a post. If you would like to express your opinions or view what others have to say then please visit

http://actc.21-speed.com/forum/

Thanks,
Jerry Schonewille

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Sorry to bother all of you again, but this issue is important.

We can help the situation by parking in the farthest quadrant from what Light Rail Customers would use, and at the same time isolate us from the Condo/Apartment people, who are the root cause of the problem, as I understand it.

The farthest quadrant in my lexicon is the far end of the lot on the left as we enter the parking area (at the end, over next to the bike path). The extra distance is immaterial to us, but might help drive our point home. I have NEVER seen a car parked there.

Frank

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I thought others might have an interest in a letter that I sent off to the VTA Board regarding parking at the Coleman/Winfield lot.

Frank La Fetra

To the VTA Board of Directors--

I am not only a VTA, CalTrain and BART customer, but also a bicyclist for both practical and recreational uses.

Recently, I was warned by other bicycle riders not to park my car in the Light Rail lot at Coleman/Winfield in San Jose for fear of receiving a ticket. I many times bicycle, but not always, the 22 miles RT from my home in Evergreen. Recently, the group I frequently ride with, Almaden Cycle Touring Club (ACTC) were accosted by VTA officers and threatened with legal action if they continued to park their cars at the mentioned lot and then ride away for a few hours mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

If this lot was in anyway heavily used, ACTC's presence could be a problem, BUT in the almost two years I have ridden from that start point, NEVER has there been any lack of parking ANYWHERE in that lot. Ten to 20% of the spaces might be used. That leaves a lot of space rarely, if ever used. Other stations could have problems, but certainly not, in my observation, Coleman/Winfield and many, if not all of us are also customers, if not at that moment at other times.

Please review this and take some reasonable steps that preserves the Light Rail Parking (it really is for the transit riders when needed), but 'cut some slack' for a sport VTA should be encouraging at no cost to themselves.

Frank La Fetra, South Evergreen