Fence keeps smokers in, cyclists out

Montgomery College in Rockville put into place a "no tobacco" policy last summer. So employees and students started walking off campus, into a neighborhood cul-de-sac to smoke. Naturally, the neighbors did not find this to be the kind of pedestrian activity they hoped for. So, Montgomery College is going to close a gap in a fence to keep smokers from being able to go to the cul-de-sac. Problem, bicyclist and pedestrians use that gap right now.

"Ultimately, it's their fence and so the final decision is theirs, but we would like to facilitate finding a solution that works for everybody," city spokeswoman Marylou Berg said. "We're hoping that this is a temporary fix while we get to a more comfortable fix, something people can get behind."

"We are quite disappointed with the outcome," said Elise Gussow, president of the Plymouth Woods Homeowners Association. "We were not included when the decision was made for the fence. The city negotiated with Montgomery College and did not include the people that are affected."

Gussow said her organization continues to push for the college to designate a smoking area on campus.

Some neighbors feared the college would close the fence permanently, restricting pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

I'm not a fan of smoking, but this is pretty stupid. You would think that somewhere among the acres of parking lots around the school, there would be a spot they could set aside for smokers.

Comments

[jeff]

I haven't visited this campus, so don't know if its fully applicable here, but how about moving the bike rack by the front door where ashtrays used to go and move the ashtray behind the building next to smelly dumpsters where too many bike racks get placed?