Re “Is the Boylston Street bike lane really necessary?” (Metro, Aug. 12): Based on the car-centric perspective of Brian McGrory’s column, you could be forgiven for thinking that he might be an anthropomorphic automobile from one of the Pixar movies come to life. Recently, for the first time in many years, I drove my car down Boylston Street from Mass.
Ave. to Charles Street. I was surprised at how narrow it has become.
I recalled how back in my college days, Boylston Street used to be three lanes of wide, straight, sometimes-lawless chaos. Picture “Mad Max: Fury Road” without the stunts and pyrotechnics. As a classic unreformed Boston driver in my 20s, I found it fast and fun — though for bicyclists, not so much.
McGrory’s 20th-century perspective — that Boylston Street would be better if vehicle traffic could move unimpeded — is almost amusing. He’s certainly right about one thing, though: “There’s little middle ground” in this debate. He seems to feel that bicycles deserve their own space on the streets of Boston as long as they don’t ride on the streets he likes or cause him one minute of delay on his drive.
Nathaniel Woodward Advertisement Stockbridge Thank you, Brian McGrory, for a timely and well-reasoned column about the changes to Boylston Street. Having worked in that area for 20 years, I was appalled, on a recent return visit, to see the chaotic mess this beautiful street has become. In general I applaud efforts to support commuters who p.