From NY1:The city saw a 35 percent jump in the number of commuter cyclists last year alone, and while that contributes to greener city, there is growing concern over cyclists who do not adhere to the rules of the road.
Most pedestrians say the biggest problem they see are cyclists going the wrong way down a road.
Cycling advocate group Transportation Alternatives is trying to reform this behavior.
"If you're coming the wrong way down a one-way street, pedestrians, drivers, other cyclists aren't accustomed to looking for you and that has a negative impact on your safety," said Wiley Norvell of Transportation Alternatives. "And it has a negative impact on the safety of everyone around you."
Safety is one of the core messages the group hopes to communicate to cyclists through its new civic cycling campaign called Biking Rules.
16 comments:
Good move. Hopeless task.
As I walked down a street in our fair boro, saw 3 going through a red light together, one on a sidewalk, and yet another pedling down the block the wrong way.
All in about 4 seconds - wish I had my Crapp-o-cam with me to get it on video to share with the boys and girls back home, but maybe next time?
All were delivery guys.
>>Cycling advocate group Transportation Alternatives is trying to reform this behavior.<<
TA trying to reform bicyclists' behavior? who? What?
www.forgotten-ny.com
Please come to Flooshing and laugh. You can't get people to obey traffic laws in 2 ton vehicles, much less bicycles. I routinely see people riding on the sidewalk at night with no reflectors.
I'd suggest that cops ticket offenders, but that assumes a responsible, documented population where outstanding tickets might have repercussions, not our current slippery underworld that shows up at night in white vans and lives in basements.
Flooshing has, sadly, become a Third World shithole where the rules no longer apply!
HAH!Bicyclists Obeying traffic laws?
Give me a break
Ah, the blind hatred...
If there are no immigrants around to bash, our next target is midwesterners or bicyclists. Real New Yorkers apparently despise anything different.
"Ah, the blind hatred..."
WTF? a blind man could see Bicyclist a-holes violating traffic Regulations.
But a blind man WON'T see the dickhead Bicyclist bearing down on him silently at 50 MPH.
WEENIE
"Real New Yorkers apparently despise anything different."
Real NY'ers are different. They look different, talk different, smell different. But one of the things thye have in common is that they like to walk. Not like in LA where you drive around the block to get a quart of milk. It's bad enought that you can have the walk light in your favor, look both ways twice and still have to dodge cars that roll right into the cross walk before they make a full stop, now you've got to watch out for bicyclists who really don't belive that they need to followo the same rules that drivers do.
The First Item In the VTL Regarding Bicyclists:
VTL § 1231 Bicyclists are granted all of the rights and are subject to all of the duties of the driver of a motor vehicle.
The Second:
RCNY § 4-02 (a) The provisions of N.Y.C. Traffic Rules are applicable to bicycles and their operators.
I saw an old man,nearly run down,whack a guy on a bike with his cane, i was hoping he would confront the old guy so i could havebeat him senseless.
I attended UC Davis, where most students and many residents bike. It works well there because the rules are enforced both by campus and city police. Who will enforce the rules in NYC? Right now, there is a lot of lawlessness both by cyclists and pedestrians.
More and more laws are not being enforced because bloomie cut 5000 cops. That hole "do more with less" mantra is bullshit.
"there is a lot of lawlessness both by cyclists and pedestrians."
But when a person bumps into you, an "excuse me" usually suffices. When a biker or a car does that, it hurts more than your feelings.
And what about the joggers who use the bike lanes? I cycle regularly on the lane across 34th Avenue and in the right direction and these perspiring tanktoppers are coming at me in the wrong way. I stay in the bike lane far to the right so they can go around me. One broad and I exchanged words since she wanted to stay closer to the sidewalk side of the lane! The nerve.
And what about the joggers who use the bike lanes?
And what about people whp pick their noses? Huh? Huh? WHAT ABOUT THAT?
Transportation Alternatives isn't changing policies -- they've always advocated for a lawful traffic system, including cyclists.
"Pedestrians rule" is the central theme of TA's educational work. Bikes are a great replacement for cars in urban areas, especially for single person routine errands and commuting. They also extend and complement the subway system. But they don't override the safety of pedestrians -- and we are ALL pedestrians first and foremost.
As for traffic rights and violations, it's an admittedly odd dynamic. On the one hand, traffic laws were written with cars in mind. That leaves bikers often trying to conform to unsafe conditions or meeting traffic lights timed in waves for automotive speeds. On the other hand, we're hesitant to assert our rights -- how many readers of this blog would respect a biker's legal right to simply take a traffic lane rather than hugging to the dangerous margins (more potholes, grates, opening doors) of a street? When you see a biker on the side of the street, know that person might be deliberately sacrificing his or her right to a lane as a courtesy to you.
Bikers need to obey laws, especially as they protect the safety of others. Speeding down the sidewalk is never excusable. But laws and streetscapes must continually improve to safely accommodate all users.
As a side note, could we improve Queens Plaza traffic enforcement? Drivers routinely blow through the first of a set of red lights, figuring there's no need for two lights so close together. They nearly kill pedestrians that way more often than I can relay -- just the other night I was inches from becoming a victim of a white van as I stepped off the curb to cross. I informed the driver pretty politely, when I jogged up to him at the next light, that he'd nearly killed me. His dead-eyed response was, "You came all of the way over here to tell me that?"
Yes thats for sure...
They nearly kill pedestrians that way more often than I can relay -- just the other night I was inches from becoming a victim of a white van as I stepped off the curb to cross. I informed the driver pretty politely, when I jogged up to him at the next light, that he'd nearly killed me. His dead-eyed response was, "You came all of the way over here to tell me that?"
__________
There have been two pedestrians killed by cars in my area in the last 6 months who were crossing when they had a green light. Its strange and barbaric the way a lot of drivers here cant be approached about running stop signs or handle having some say watch out, you almost hit me. Thats grounds for a fight for them I guess? Not even a sorry or nod to a pedestrian.
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