(Editor's Note: This letter was sent to the Manhasset Parking District and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)

The problems associated with traffic and parking have been on my mind (and many others I'm sure) for longer than I can remember. During our 40 years in Manhasset we have witnessed a growing traffic strangulation. Traffic on Northern Boulevard is so dense now that pedestrians trying to cross are at serious risk even at traffic lights. There is seldom a break in the traffic stream.

The purpose of this letter is to discuss the problem of the commuters who are, of course, negatively impacted by this increasing traffic. By 7:30 a.m. your Long Island Rail Road parking lots are full. To be assured of a space one had better arrive by 7 a.m. That is a fact. Land is not readily available for more parking lots and years ago the public rejected "tiered" parking. I think the public was right. More parking spaces would just exacerbate gridlock. Can anything be done to alleviate this problem?

The convenience of my motor scooter precipitated the following commuter problem thoughts. I'm in my eighth scooter year. I'm retired. What a pleasure it is to scoot around our beautiful village and be able to stop anywhere, take a leisurely 360 degree view to enjoy the scenery. It is far superior to stopping and peeking out of a car window with impatient cars behind. Also important to me is shopping downtown. Our little village is just large enough to have at least one each of most necessary stores. Needless to say, I never have a parking problem.

If one lives close to the railroad station, he has the best of alternatives - walk. I define reasonable walking distance as one-half mile, a mere 10-minute walk. I did that for many years. Even in very cold weather a 10-minute walk is tolerable. If the distance is too far for we sissies to walk, one has a few alternatives: 1. Buy an extra railroad station car and drive and park it before 7 a.m. 2. Take a taxi which is irritating and unreliable due to usually multiple pickups. 3. Have your family drive you to the railroad station or perhaps near to the railroad station to avoid the gridlock at the station. However, if one has very young children, this does not work very well either.

Are there any other possibilities? Now is the time to get creative. Here are some thoughts that I feel should be pursued.

Bikes (mostly) and motor scooters (maybe) could prove to be a good solution. For those who reject bikes out of hand remember that no solution is perfect. Right now bikes are not a viable option, mainly because there is no safe place to secure them. Bikes have been stolen even when chained to the railroad fence. An acquaintance lost a $500 bike to a bolt cutter. The Parks Department should consider a bike alternative. What would it take? To get started only a secure area, perhaps a chain-link fence around two auto parking spaces near the railroad station. A bike security attendant would be on duty from, say, about 6 until 9 a.m. and from 4 until 7 p.m. or thereabouts. He would lock the area up for the night even if some bikes were not picked up by 7 p.m. Anyone needing to retrieve a bike between the daytime hours (9 a.m. and 4 p.m.) could go to or phone the Parks Department office. The office is nearby. By cellphone the clerk could summon the attendant. Each owner would chain his own bike to a fixture. The attendant would not have much to do except for locking up (7 p.m.) and unlocking (6 a.m.) the area and not allowing anyone into the area with bolt cutters. As the volume of bikes picks up, as I'm sure it will, I'm convinced that it could be financially self-supporting by charging a fee. Initially it should be free to encourage use. A preliminary survey of potential users would be fairly useless. These things have to "grow" and hopefully will as commuters begin to see its viability. Besides, most of us could do with some additional exercise don't you think?

Some stats: A one-half mile walk takes 10 minutes. This radius covers less than one square mile. A 10-minute bike ride, however, covers two miles and this radius covers 12 square miles. The implication is obvious.

Bad weather would be an occasional problem but then few solutions are without some drawback. Let's try it. There is very little to lose except a few bucks and the odds of success, if diligently pursued by you, appear excellent.

I have been impressed with you and your fellow commissioners' integrity and progressive thinking. The risk/reward ratio for this could not be more favorable. I am available to assist you in any way, particularly in the design of the space and bike racks.

Theodore Theodorsen