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King of the Road
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Why cyclists, drivers and pedestrians can't just get along, with Aaron Naparstek, editor of Streetsblog, a blog that advocates for cycling issues, Robert Sinclair, manager of media relations for AAA New York, Harris Silver, founder of a pedestrian rights advocacy group called CityStreets.
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Comments
When driving, I try to be very respectful and supportive of pedestrians and cyclists. that said.....
In order for us to share the road, EVERYONE needs to follow the rules of the road. CROSS AT THE GREEN NOT IN BETWEEN, and pay attention to the walk/ dont walk signs.
And cyclist YOU CANT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. You cannot ignore stop signs, one way signs and street lights.
And to the Bklyn cyclist on 9th st this morning....Doing donuts in the intersection 4th Ave & 9th st. because you dont want to take your feet off the pedals is damn foolish!!!!!!!
I think the city should take ONE avenue in Manhattan, eliminate on-street parking on one side of it and install Amsterdam-style, REAL, protected bike lanes. Hell, give us that on TWO avenues!
I was a cyclist in San Francisco for years, it was my only method of transportation. When I moved to Brooklyn 3 years ago, I hopped on my bike to get around and was absolutely mortified by the cycling conditions! My heart would pound as I dodged car after car, pedestrian after pedestrian...I'd feel nervous and closer to death than at any other point in my life. I am saddened by the fear I feel cycling around in NYC. Needless to say, I take the subway now.
On another note, the Vatican just released "10 Commandments" for good motorists:
"A 36-page document called "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" contains 10 Commandments covering everything from road rage, respecting pedestrians, keeping a car in good shape and avoiding rude gestures while behind the wheel."
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1937441220070619?feedType=RSS&rpc=22&sp=true
Growing up right on Queens Blvd aka "The Blvd of Death", cars were represented as the enemy since I was little. Many people who walk almost view jay-walking Queens Blvd as a thing of pride. Which is pretty insane, considering how big it is. Everyone views it as "their right" to cross wherever they want to. People who walk simply don't think they have rules, but rules keep you safe.
What funny timing! Yesterday on the corner of 7th Avenue and 23rd, I saw a man get hit by another man on a bike. The pedestrian had the walk sign, and it looked as though the cyclist wasn't paying attention. The cyclist ran right into the pedestrian, but they were both fine.
I ride my bike every day and am constantly being attacked by aggressive drivers. I have had every kind of vehicle and driver come closer than necessary just to prove some kind of point to me. When they do this I usually pull up to them calmly and ask them if they are aware how close they came to hitting me. I am not exaggerating when I say that the usual response is one of anger. The general belief is that cyclists have absolutely no rights and drivers have every right, including the right to kill a cyclist.
Evan
Bk
I recently began to commute to work by bike.
It was immediately apparent to me that as a bicyclist that I was in a no win situation. If I follow the rules and behave like a vehicle I suffer the ire of motorists who think I am impeding there progress.
In addition, as a cyclist you get no respect from drivers or pedestrians.
The answer is DEDICATED BIKE LANES!!!! Let's do it. It's good for traffic safety, the environment and movement around the city.
teach people to be less selfish and there will be less accidents
Truly, cars need to be forced to slow down in the inner streets of New York City.
30 mph is the general speed limit, but of course if the speed on the books is 30, people will do 45. And 30 is the speed at which even people inside cars start dying, so of course peds and cyclists will get the worst in a collision.
The speed limit on the books probably won't be lowered, so NYC's streets need to be narrowed to slow cars down, and to give more room to pedestrians (just look at Herald Square and Canal Street).
I am all three: driver, cyclist, and pedestrian.
Firstly, Everyone needs to pay attention to all of the other people around them whether they are in a car, on a bike, or walking.
Secondly, the worst set of drivers by far that I ahve seen are not private cars, but livery cab "black cars." They are truly horrendous drivers. I see them make illegal U-turns, run red lights by turning right on red constantly, and even drive up on the sidewalks to get around other cars. Enforcement is very poor in this city and would go a long way towards solving some of these problems. Give tickets to people that break the laws of the road!
Thanks!
Isn't it strange that your cities are designed around the car? Not natural. Cars are eveything that is wrong in your country.
How can a bicyclist follow the rules of the road when the rules don't protect cyclists (or pedestrians for that matter)? For instance the severe lack of bike lanes and the utter diregard of drivers to these bike lanes. Cars are always diregarding bikelanes and they are not enforced. We need real bike lanes and four way stops on major streets.
I have driven for three years in the city. I've many times given a light tap on my horn at a cyclist riding right in front of the car, in the middle of the road, and either had the cyclist hit the car, or use profanity. I saw this occur between two other people just yesterday, at King Street and Sixth Avenue. Aren't cyclists required to move out of the car's way and ride on the side of the road?
I live on State St in Brooklyn Heights. It's unbelievable how fast trucks are driving on residential narrow streets. is there anything we can do to make them slow down?
I am a resident of Boston and visit NYC 2-3 times a month. Boston drivers richly deserve their reputation for bad driving, but NYC drivers are truly psycho. Boston drivers, at least, observe pedestrian right of way. I can state without any contradiction that no driver in Manhattan or Brooklyn has ever yielded to me while I was in a cross walk, with a walk light. Drivers will accelerate into a turn while pedestrians are in the cross walk. THis must stop!
I bike daily in NYC and my greatest fear is other bicyclists. I have lived in other cities in the country and cyclists here generally display no common sense or respect for the law. I have had multiple very close calls with cyclists unwilling to stop when they do not have the right of way and who bike erratically through traffic.
Cops tend to be institutionally anti-bike; witness the NYPD crackdown on Critical Mass, and the bicyclist who was recently TASERED by cops for biking ( ttp://greencycles.blogspot.com/).
I'd like to hear the radio guests comment on what it will take to get the NYPD to protect, instead of persecute, bicyclists?
The best thing in this case would be if there were equal punishment for infractions for all the different modes of transport. If you jaywalk and you get hit, well it's your fault, and you lose your ability to sue or whatever and you get fined. If you hit someone with your bike while turning not observing the pedestrian right to walk, you get fines/jailtime.
That being said, the rules of the road should also be adapted to those similiar of china, japan, and europe, where bicylists stop at red lights enmasse and have no fear of being run over by the cars.
I bike, and I cheat on rules, in the same way that pededstrians cheat. But cars cheat too. I have been doored several times by parked drivers not sliding over to step out on the sidewalk. Almost everytime I'm almost hit, I look up and the driver is on a cell phone. In general, I have been knocked by cars with drivers going through lights or not yielding when turning. Cars break driving rules all the time.
I'm a cyclist that rides in the city almost dailey.
The reason we don't follow vehicular traffic laws is because we can't! The only way to stay out of harm's way is to be fully aware of our surroundings.
Following the traffic laws would cause biking to lose its advantage completely.
Lets not forget that we generate our own energy and don't have a gas pedal. This means that if at a stop light, we need to re-gain our momentum while all the anxious and irresponsible drivers HIT the GAS from EVERY ANGLE. This is very dangerous and its best that we stay away accelerating traffic.
I've never been hit by a car, but I've been hit twice by cyclists while crossing the street at crosswalks. Fortunately, I was not seriously injured, but I've noticed 9 times out of ten cyclists do NOT obey traffic rules. Twice, elderly women have asked me to help them cross the street because they were afriad of cyclists--not cars--cyclists. And for the record, I don't wear headphones or talk on my cellphone while on the streets. And I'm a weekend cyclist.
Have you ever spent time watching traffic flow in Amsterdam? Compared to NY it is profoundly more civilized. It proves that we are aggressive, uncoordinated and self absorbed.
Amsterdam is an excellent example of how public transportation, automobiles, bikes and pedestrians can co-exist with a solid transportation planning infrastructure and educating the public.
Could the urban space potentially opened up by congestion pricing open up more bike lanes in manhattan? Is there room in the proposal for such an item?
Speaking to the education of pedestrians, when did people, walkers and joggers etc. stop learning that in most cases they should be walking in the opposite direction of traffic so that both the driver and pedestrian can have eye contact and awareness. And do people trust the green or red light so much that they don't even make sure that it is being obeyed? It is not a "force field".
One of the worst offenders of bicycle danger is from the taxi cabs, who have absoloutely no regard for cyclist, and use the very few bicycle lanes as passing lanes or parking. they also come about 1 inch away from you when they go flying by. Also people use the bicycle lane to stand in when waiting for the light to change.
Cyclists are in danger unless they ride fast and take up a lane. Cars respect cyclists if they are moving at a reasonable rate. It is totally unsafe to ride along the sides of the avenues and streets, due to the following: pedestrians stepping off curbs without looking, car doors opening suddenly, people making turns right in front of you while you're at speed.
Additionally, most pedestrians jaywalk without looking. Every day, and I ride to work every day, I could seriously collide with at least ten people jsywalking without looking. It's an amazing phenomenon!
I have a car, but I mainly walk and bike, and I agree with most everyone that conditions in this city for bikes and pedestrians here are atrocious.
Driving in NYC needs to have an ENFORCED speed limit of 25 mph max everywhere, including the FDR and WSH.
On a separate note, I had a friend who had a cop car speed up and take a right turn into him. The cop got out, told him to fuck off, spit on my friend, and then got back in his car and drove off. Enforcement in action!
I'm strictly a pedestrian here in NY, and I've had many more heart-pounding run-ins with cyclists than I've had with cars. In every case, these close-calls have been with cyclists working in food-delivery (or at least they have that appearance). I don't have any data, but my impression is that there is little enforcement of cyclists riding on the sidewalk or riding the wrong way on 1-way streets. I lived several years in California, and riding on the sidewalk was a sure way to get a ticket (and not a cheap one). I've never once seen police interacting with cyclists at all here in NY, except to harrass the bike protesters.
lifetime bicycling commuter. One time I followed every rule of the road on my way to work from Brooklyn to 64th & B'way, up 8th ave. When I cycle I take the lane, which is my right as far as NYS law is concerned, and boy were the motorists infuriated, one even telling me to "blow through the light" and go fast. Going through the red lights the next day, not a motorist said a thing because I was going with the flow of traffic. And please do not tell me I have a cycling lane on 8th, you might as well tell me there's no such thing double-parking. Or better yet, triple-parking. You have to break the laws as a cyclist to save your neck.
Last year, when I worked in Manhattan, I was actually hit and knocked to the ground while crossing 7th Avenue - by another pedestrian! She had been talking on her cell phone and was blind in one eye and apparently never noticed there was anyone else on the corner of 7th Avenue and 33rd Street in NYC! I am now happy to be telecommuting in a tiny little town where you can stop & chat with your neighbor in the middle of the street for 1/2 an hour and not inconvenience anyone.
And what about Taxi divers pulling out on the bike lanes?
I live in Manhattan and though I have had a
driver's license for years, I do not own a car.
My wife and I rent one if we ever need one.
I am a devoted pedestrian (and hiker on the
weekends). It amazes me to see how many people
on bikes, on foot, on rollerblades and skateboards pay absolutely no attention to traffic signals. I do not cross when confronted with a red light, but there are walkers and cyclists who cross, often without
looking. I have seen bad drivers in the city
too, of course, but there are stricter punishments for drivers - maybe that's why
they tend, in my observation, to be more
conscientious.
I grew up in Detroit and, where by tradition or law, bicyclists FACED traffic -- makes sense -- both biker and driver could see each other. No surprise car door openings, etc.
i walk over the pulaski bridge between greenpoint and LIC daily, and i have been hit by a cyclist. remarkably, he dropped to the ground and i was left standing (5'5", 120lbs.). but here's the thing, the bikes are on the walkway because the cars are driven by lunatics, but then, fellas, you need to ride your bikes respecting MY space, which is rare. my boyfriend dreams of laying carpet tack strips down to take care of the wanton disregard.
When I lived in Geneva 30 years ago I got around by bicycle. Bicycles had to be registered. When I registered my bike, I was given a booklet and expected to read it. It had clear instructions about how to ride in traffic--e.g, stopping at stop signs, riding within a meter of the right edge of the right lane, etc. There were no dedicated lanes but I always felt safe riding in Geneva because both cyclists and drivers knew what to expect.
Correct or not, it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk. If cyclist respect that then we have more standing to ask to be respected on the streets. Both oblivious pedestrians and car drivers have to create a more civil context in which all of us can travel safely.
so few people get hit by bike vs. cars, why such a focus
why such a focus on bike accidents when cars hurt and kill so much more frequently?
sometimes riding on the sidewalk is the only choice, and it is no worse then people walking in bike lanes!
comparing bicycles and cars is the wrong way to approach this problem. in my opinion, bicycle/pedestrian accidents, though still a problem, are not even close to the danger that cars pose. the real issue is how to protect both cyclists and pedestrians from automobiles.
in as much as I was cyclist in NY and am a pedestrian and do drive, but avoid NY; I would argue that cars are the most orderly of the 3 because there are driving laws and there are places where cars cannot go. Cars can't go the wrong way on one streets. Cars can't drive on sidewalks. Cars just can't drive through an intersection running the light while the cross traffic is moving. Yet I have have seen bikes do all off this. Yet so far, I hear no strong voice to advocate to cyclist to follow the laws since they are vehicles. One of the callers referenced China. The reason why cyclist, drivers and pedestrians can share is because the cyclist follow the laws. They all stop at the lights in their lane because the cops make them. You can't ride the wrong way or on the sidewalk because the cops stop them. Until cyclists learn or are forced to follow traffic laws, and get their own infrastructure, I personally will never support more cyclists in NY. In collisions pedestrians always lose. But they have to learn not to be so oblivious. Or just plain stupid. I saw one man walk right into dense moving traffic crossing the street expecting cars not to hit him, just as I saw a cyclist do. Except the car did hit him, and he got up and blamed the car for hitting him.
Re "King of the Road" :
I drive a car, I ride a bike, I walk. When I ride my bike, I am always aware that my life is in danger every time I ride in the street. I never feel this way with the other modes -- I have never even been aware of a cyclist riding on the sidewalk when I walk. I find the "rules of the road" are extremely prejudiced against bicyclists. In my neighborhood, double-parking is rampant. Cars are encouraged to double park on alternate-street hours. The bike lane in front of my apartment is often full of double-parked vehicles, and during rush hour it becomes a second car lane. There is no enforcement on this while police harrass bicyclists on sidewalks all the time. Many times I have had cars try to run me off the road.
I understand there's a "pedestrian always has the right of way" law. The rationale, I suppose, is that pedestrians are most easily injured in any accident. Then it would certainly be consistent to have a "bicyclist always has the right of way in respect to motor vehicles" law.
The "no bikes on sidewalks" law is prejudicial against bicylists. When the street is unsafe, bikes should be entitled to ride on the sidewalk. Pedestrians aren't forced to walk in lanes used by motor vehicles -- why should bicyclists be?
Expressways are motor vehicles only; Sidewalks are pedestrian only; Bike lanes are a joke and a bit like the showers at Auschwitz.
Until the extreme prejudice in favor of motor vehicles is addressed, and until safe accomodation is made for cycling, there's no point in talking about what cyclists do wrong.
I recently called 311 to report a driver whipping around the corner on 75th and West End. She was on the phone. I had to jump back to avoid being hit. I had taken her license plate number. The police department operator with whom I was connected explained that I would need to meet in person with the police to make an official report in order for the driver to be cited. This would have taken an hour out of my day, which I didn't have. I'd like to know why a driver can at least be issued a warning so that we can all be better protected against such behavior.
I also see frequently cars waiting on, say, the West Side of Broadway, to turn from into a side street on the East Side of the street. As soon as the light on the side street turns green for the pedestrian on the side street, the waiting car comes barreling across Broadway and onto the side street without no regard for the pedestrians who have been waiting for a greeen to cross that very side street. This is very dangerous. Is is legal according to the rules of the road? Again, I could consider reporting such drivers if they weren't driving so fast, but the onus, as aforesaid, would be on me. That seems ridiculous.
And to the moron who cant see bikes and wants to break my legs for taping his trunk, i say the same thing I say to people who say that to me on the road, "*%&# off! @$#*-head"
Please, please, please- verify if you are referring to bikers (motorcycles) or cyclists (the old fashion way). They are two very different forms of transportation, yet both seem to be hated on the streets of New York.
Cyclists--get off the sidewalk and stop running me out of the crosswalk when I'm crossing with the light. When you start obeying at least a few of the traffic laws, I'll start thinking about supporting cycling initiatives like dedicated bike lanes, which sound like a pretty good idea. Also, by threatening pedestrians and snarling traffic, the Critical Mess people undermine your cause. Your protests need to be smarter and better organized.
IN CALIF IF YOU JAYWALK YOU GET A TICKET HERE YOU CROSS WHENEVER THINKING THE CAR COMING AT YOU HAS NEW BRAKES 20/20 VISION INSURANCE ALSO WHEN I WAS A KID NO ONE GOT HIT ON QUEENS BLVD OR THE GRAND CONCOURSE
I do not bike on the sidewalk because I think it's unsafe. But I would like to complain about pedestrians walking in the street, not jaywalking, but walking down the side of the street because they think the sidewalk is too crowded. Do you know what it's like to be biking down a busy street when your bath is suddenly blocked by a person walking towards you. The safe thing would be for the pedestrian to stop and stand between the parked cars and let you pass, but most of the time they don't even do that. This happens all the time.
[Peter wrote: Aren't cyclists required to move out of the car's way and ride on the side of the road?]
Nope, they are not. Cyclists can take the full lane.
Just because you ride a bike doesn't mean that you know how to ride a bike.
As a society, we could all benefit from learning the `rules of the road' via the bicycle before ever getting behind the wheel. It's called "Bicycle Driving", and it would put all road users on the same page. Its' a better set of rules that applies to everyone on wheels inversely to their energy and bulk, and provides everyone with their best defense: predictability.
With greater power comes greater responsibility, and that traffic in front of you pretty much owns that portion of roadway; you cannot pass until it is clearly safe for your bulk to do so.
It is the violation of expectation that causes the majority of collisions in traffic. With so many differing expectations out there of what bicycles are "supposed" to be doing, it is a wonder that more aren't injured and killed, and little wonder why so few of us are brave enough to try.
Safe Journeys!
This thread is closed.
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