I've been reading the comments on the stories concerning the big motivational seminar that was held in downtown Tulsa this week.
I don't know why I continue to do this. I simply can't stop myself.
It was the usual lineup of complainers, with the thoughts of a few reasonable people thrown in. And it's the usual complaint.
For those of you who don't know what happened I'll catch you up: The motivational seminar began Monday morning. That meant that 16,500 people were driving into downtown during rush hour. Add that to the already 30,000 or so who work down here and, well, there was a huge traffic jam.
If you knew what you were doing it was navigable. But for the downtown rookies, it was chaos. Personally, I think the crowd was great for downtown and downtown businesses and it was good for the rookies to see downtown and find that they wouldn't get mugged.
That, however, is not the issue I have. Overall, I think it was a great success. The Web commenters, however, used the occasion, again, to jump on the no-parking-in-downtown bandwagon and to proclaim, again, that the new BOK Center is a disaster.
Everytime I read these complaints, I wonder if these people ever get out and go anywhere. Have they never been to 71st Street and Memorial Drive or even further east to 71st and Garnett? Do they not do any Christmas shopping? Have they tried to navigate that area and find close-in parking even on a weekend?
Do they never go to Riverwalk Crossing at Jenks? Have they tried that on a weekend? I have been to Reggaefest there for the last three years and the traffic is awful. It's a narrow street across the bridge and I once parked so far away that it was more than a 10-minute walk. And when I left it was plenty dark. At least in downtown most streets are illuminated. And the only cops I saw were at the entrance to the shopping center and directing traffic.
But that was OK. I wasn't assaulted, the food was good, the music was good, the crowd was big and I enjoyed the entire day.
Have the people who gripe about lack of convenient parking downtown ever been to any shopping mall during the holidays? Woodland Hills, Promenade, Utica Square. They are all crowded and the parking is not at the front door of the place you want to shop. Ever tried finding your car in the dark at Woodland Hills? Every parking area looks the same. Am I the only one who feels slightly vulnerable in that vast lot carrying a bagful of items? I suppose you're OK if you remember the name of your parking area. Now, was it Pine or Maple or some other tree?
And for those of you directionally challenged like me, those shopping mall parking lots can be a nightmare. It's embarrassing at my age to realize that not only do I have no idea where my car might be but I can't even recognize which door I came in. I need recognizable landmarks, like a big building, to get my bearings. At Woodland Hills, one shoe outlet or jewelry store looks about the same as any other. But, that's just me.
The thing is, every popular spot has its problems and limitations. Downtown is not 71st and Memorial, thank God. It never will be. It has its own distinctive personality. OK, it might not be for everyone, but neither is 71st and Memorial or Riverwalk.
Personally, I don't like going to south Tulsa, but I'm certainly not going to bad-mouth anyone who does. It's part of my city. I hope it prospers.
It just frustrates me when I read the comments of those same people (and you know who you are) who have absolutely nothing good to say about downtown. I suspect that those same people have nothing good to say about any part of Tulsa, except maybe that little spot where they spend so much time at the computer.
I grew up in a small town. There was nothing to do. We griped about it all the time. I love the city. I love all of it. I especially love downtown. I wish I could afford to live downtown.
I've got to stop reading those negative comments.
