NEW YORK (CBS 2) – The NYPD is on a ticket blitz, giving cyclists more than 15,000 violations so far this year. Many pedestrians say it’s about time and fear the city’s push to get people pedaling has led to danger on the streets and sidewalks. Some have even dubbed it “bike bedlam.”
The Big Apple is racing to become the bike capital of the world and the Bloomberg administration has added more bike racks, paths and lanes.
However, as CBS 2’s Tony Aiello found out, spending a few minutes along the new bike lane on First Avenue makes clear that plenty of New Yorkers have little liking for the biking.
“It would be one thing if the bike riders obeyed the lights and things — they don’t,” Lower East Side resident Amber Rogers told Aiello.
In a recent 20 minute period at First Avenue and Sixth Street, CBS 2 counted 17 bike riders running red lights and more than two dozen riding the wrong way and against traffic.
There's video, but CBS embedded the wrong code....
Thanks to EV Grieve reader Creature for the tip.
StreetsBlog discussed some of CBS2's week-long report here.
17 comments:
Are these things illegal? I thought they were just dangerous/dumb (I do them), but I didn't know bikes had to obey traffic anymore than pedestrians do. Let us know!
NYPD needs to really put some serious effort into education and enforcement on this issue. I'm not advocating that bikes can't go through a red light, if there's no people and no cars, then why not ?, But I do strongly object when pedestrians are close by. Wrong way down the street should be strongly discouraged via summonses.
I realize that there's a period of adjustment, but the violations have just been out of control. I actually saw a young couple with their INFANT in a handlebar mounted forward facing seat, riding the wrong way down the 1st Ave. bike lane. I'd advocate jail time for those idiots.
Oh, and while we're at it, license the operators and register those electric bikes that all the delivery guys are now using. They're motorcycles, and I sure don't want to get run over by one going the wrong way at 30 MPH.
The Transportation Department's report on pedestrian deaths and serious injuries over the period 2002-2006 puts the use and misuse of streets in perspective.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/pedsafetyreport.shtml
I'm not advocating that bikes can't go through a red light, if there's no people and no cars, then why not ?
Why not? For the same reason cars can't go through a red light if no one's around. If you want to ride on the street and have equal rights with motorists, then you have to obey the rules of the street. Period.
I can't count how many times I've almost been hit by bikers running red lights and not obeying traffic signals.
I realize there are pedestrians who jaywalk and wander out into the street without looking and exhibit all manner of stupid behavior, but a lot of bikers seem to want to have their cake and eat it, too.
And don't get me started on the bikers who don't wear helmets. Thanks for driving up my insurance premiums because you want to look adorable on your vintage Schwinn in your sundress.
If no pedestrians or cars are present, I will ride at reduced speed through a red light, same way I cross against the light as a pedestrian when there are no cars, but the increase of cyclists biking the wrong way in the new bike lanes infuriates me! Maybe we can get DOT to install modified barriers that they use in front of government buildings that only allow cars to drive in one direction or else they get their tires punctured.
Bikes used to always "sneak" through intersections when it was clear, and we can't seriously expect everyone to be in complete compliance all the time, it's just not going to happen in NYC, BUT... the behaviors we're seeing today are simply dangerous and uncivil. It needs to be stopped before people simply take it for granted as a way of life. Then what's next ? Running people and bikes over with your car, just because you want to ?
@enzo's mama said
Yes, bikes are governed by the vehicle and traffic laws. You need to stop for signals, obey posted signs, have proper equipment and ride in the direction of traffic and off the sidewalks. All things you can be ticketed for if a cop is "interested" enough to do it.
why not let bikes go through red lights? because it's dangerous for pedestrians and cars. forget about bike safety, nobody pays any attentioin to that. especially bikers.
there are places that a right on red is allowed. that's it. it's for safety stupid.
i don't like all the laws on the books. i think some are dumb. i even disobey some and when i think it's ok i jay walk. i don't pretend it's ok. i'm sure there have been occasions when a car feels i'm a danger to them. and i've gotten a j-walking ticket and deserved it.
bikers live on the same planet as us other folks and they have to obey the same laws as everyone else, especially traffic laws because they're "driving" in traffic. it's not up to some dumb slob to decide what's safe. we have dumb commissioners for that. but at least they have reference books to look at.
hey, why did community board #2 folks come to community board #3 to look at bike lanes? don't they have any of their own. how can they pass a resolution or whatever for their streets when the traffic patterns there are so totally different?
So here's what should happen: put traffic cops on bikes, some plainclothes, some not. Ticket cyclists driving dangerously -- especially those endangering pedestrians, blowing through red lights without even looking, etc. Warn the "salmon" cyclists going the wrong way, the pedestrians wandering around the bike lanes and paths like it's their personal E-Z Pass lanes, etc. Ticket the crap out of cars parked in bike lanes, including cabs, limos, delivery trucks and wealthy suburban shoppers.
I'm a new cyclist, and a very cautious and polite one (I do jay-bike, but only after stopping and determining that the intersection is completely clear of pedestrians and motorists). I see horrifying behavior from cyclists, motorists and pedestrians pretty much every day. Cyclists need to develop a more law-abiding set of norms, pedestrians and motorists need to be made to respect the bike lanes and paths, many of which are currently totally dysfunctional because people can park in them with apparent impunity. Cyclists need respect and they need to embrace responsibility in exchange.
And don't get me started on the bikers who don't wear helmets.
No law requires anyone over the age of 14 to wear a bike helmet in New York. Yes, it's stupid, but it's not illegal.
Then what's next ? Running people and bikes over with your car, just because you want to ?
That pretty much already happens with no consequences, as long as you're not drunk and remain on the scene. The problem - when it comes to cars, bikes, and pedestrians - is a huge lack of enforcement.
You can chalk that up to the NYPD knowing there are much bigger problems to worry about than a few bikes running a red light.
I'm a biker and I live in the LES and there's no reason in the world that any biker should have to obey all the red lights in alphabet city.
It'd defeat the whole purpose of riding a bike if you had to stop for the lights in our neighborhood.
Now, that being said, you riders should still be courteous and not ride like outlaws. So yah, I'm always respectful, I don't buzz pedestrians, I ring my bell if someone doesn't see me and they're in my path.
When I see the scowflaw type riders, I get just as mad, b/c they give us respectful riders a bad rap.
I would prefer that bike riders conduct themselves properly--stop at red-don't hit pedestrians-bike in the proper lanes-watch out for pedestrians--it is dangerous crossing these streets when bike people do not obey the laws auto and pedestrians do--it's a clash/crash waiting to happen.
"And don't get me started on the bikers who don't wear helmets. Thanks for driving up my insurance premiums because you want to look adorable on your vintage Schwinn in your sundress."
Huh!?! you are in the habit of hitting bicyclist with your car and you worry of their risk of head injuries as this might increase your auto liability premiums?
I ride my bike nearly every day. I wear a helmet. I ALWAYS ride with the flow of traffic. I yield at lights be they red or green out of caution but continue in both circumstances if the coast is clear.
I have hit one pedestrian so far. It was a friday night at 3rd ave and 10th st. I was in the bike lane with the light in my favor when a gaggle of bimbettes stepped out in front of me. I won't lie, I barely tried to stop.
I'll again advocate for education and enforcement, before the citizens of this city get so pissed off that they start treating cyclists in like manner when they're driving instead of walking.
I'm sure the poster who "I won't lie to you, I barely tried to stop" when he hit the bimbettes wouldn't be quite so smug when someone "barely tried to stop" after hitting the bike with their car.
This nonsense has to stop. People need to be responsible.
I'm starting to like HippieChick's suggestion of carrying around a 2x4.
Huh!?! you are in the habit of hitting bicyclist with your car and you worry of their risk of head injuries as this might increase your auto liability premiums?
no. i'm talking about health insurance. i don't even own a car. i'm speaking as a pedestrian.
OK, I have officially become a Crazy Old Lady. (Though still an incredibly hip, cool and groovy one...) I have started yelling at bicycle riders.
I was nearly clipped by two today, going THE WRONG WAY on First Avenue. I yelled at them. A LOT.
There were four more not riding in the bike lanes. Hey, morons, you were pissing and moaning for a lane of your own, so USE IT. So I yelled at them.
There were another three going the wrong way who didn't hit me. I yelled anyway.
This was all in the space of going from 9th Street to 11th Street, this afternoon. That 2x4 is looking better and better...
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