Many decades ago, I had a part-time job selling popcorn off a little cart at Rainier Square (the SE corner of 4th and Union, to be precise).

Standing on that corner in November, frotting the kettle on the popcorn cart to stay warm (happily, the old Rainier Square had sizable overhangs, so I mostly didn't have to worry about getting wet. Cold was another matter) I would see people with umbrellas approach the wind canyon that is Union Street. Nine times out of ten they would experience rapid unplanned disassembly of their umbrellas.

Back in the fancy clothing days, Seattle businessmen would just scowl, hold onto their old-timey hat, and handle it with NW stoicism. Old school Seattle women (business and otherwise), who were understandably worried about their weekly rinse and sets, would pull their foldable plastic rain bonnets out of their enormous handbags (the same handbags they kept their store/office/restaurant high heels in) and snap them on. Those plastic rain bonnets were also good to entertaining fidgety toddlers who were looking for something to play with at church.

Times change and fashions change, but the wind from the sound is eternal, and the buildings only make it worse.

As for the bike lanes, have at it. They cycling hobbyists will get terse and brusque, but that's part of the fun.

@2: You may recall Bernie Utz Hats had a storefront on the north side of Union, midway between Third and Fourth, for decades. I always joked it was the perfect place to sell hats, as Union Street's "wind tunnel," as you so nicely put it, made it impossible to keep one. :-)

I still have a fedora I bought there.

I'm sorry, but expecting people to just keep tipping on top of a $21 minimum wage is crazy. For a few places where I go regularly, sure, but in general - no. Food prices are out of control here - significantly higher than other major metros - and expecting another 15+% on top of that isn't happening.

"Our city is actually notorious for having very few (and very inadequate) public restrooms."

Gee I wonder why? To quote you, "how embarrassing":

"Seattle’s $5 million automated public toilets sold for $12,000"

"Seattle has officially washed its hands of the five self-cleaning toilets.

The toilets cost the city $5 million. They sold on eBay Thursday evening for $12,549."

"The high-tech public toilets, with sanitizing water jets and automatic doors, were installed in 2004 to accommodate tourists and transients in Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill, the central waterfront, Pike Place Market and the Chinatown International District. But the city canceled its contract this spring after the commodes became filthy hide-outs for drug use and prostitution."

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-5-million-automated-public-toilets-sold-for-12000/

B^2 dear, if you don't want to tip, don't tip. If the service worker gives you side eye, that's none of your concern.

Tensorna dear, I well remember that hat store. They had a magnificent sign, and the inside was right out of the 1940's

As far as public toilets go, I do not beleive that there is a high-tech solution, you need to go old school: hire attendants to keep the place clean and stocked, make sure the plumbing gets attended to, and make sure that no one is shooting up, having sex, dealing drugs, or any of the other things that plague non-attended public toilets.

Oh dear, I misspelled "believe". Mrs. Vel-DuRay regrets the error.

But as long as I'm here, I'll add this - those public toilets need to be utilitarian. It's about being able to perform a bodily function in a safe and hygienic manner. We're not talking about the ladies restroom at I. Magnin.