Comments on: In Platinum City Even the Munchkins Ride Bikes http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Allan http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-38381 Allan Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:32:50 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munckins-ride-bikes/#comment-38381 Having lived in davis for 5 years it is a great place to bike around and the motorists are generally very aware of the presence of bikers. They do however give tickets comparible to car fines, and of course the dreaded BUI which incurrs the same fines and record as a DUI Having lived in davis for 5 years it is a great place to bike around and the motorists are generally very aware of the presence of bikers. They do however give tickets comparible to car fines, and of course the dreaded BUI which incurrs the same fines and record as a DUI

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-38345 Steve Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:41:50 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munckins-ride-bikes/#comment-38345 Thanks, John. As you may have guessed, I was not trying to find downsides to the Davis bicycling scene but looking for evidence on the hypothesis that increased prevalence of everyday bicycling and superior infrastructure are associated with safer bicycling habits. Davis and NYC seem dissimilar in important ways--chiefly, there is a much higher level of competition for street space in NYC--so a "scientific" comparison seems difficult. But one of the major impediments bicyclists in NYC face is the claim that we are essentially a bunch of roadway outlaws to be discouraged rather than rewarded with infrastructure. So I think it is worth asking whether, with greater safety and a consequently more robust and diverse daily ridership, bicyclists as a whole might begin to engage less in unsafe habits like riding on the sidewalks and counterflow. Thanks, John. As you may have guessed, I was not trying to find downsides to the Davis bicycling scene but looking for evidence on the hypothesis that increased prevalence of everyday bicycling and superior infrastructure are associated with safer bicycling habits. Davis and NYC seem dissimilar in important ways–chiefly, there is a much higher level of competition for street space in NYC–so a “scientific” comparison seems difficult. But one of the major impediments bicyclists in NYC face is the claim that we are essentially a bunch of roadway outlaws to be discouraged rather than rewarded with infrastructure. So I think it is worth asking whether, with greater safety and a consequently more robust and diverse daily ridership, bicyclists as a whole might begin to engage less in unsafe habits like riding on the sidewalks and counterflow.

]]> By: Tautology http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-38336 Tautology Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:50:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munckins-ride-bikes/#comment-38336 Whatever the downside, your upside is far better than almost all U.S. cities! Whatever the downside, your upside is far better than almost all U.S. cities!

]]> By: John Berg http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-38331 John Berg Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:05:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munckins-ride-bikes/#comment-38331 Very few cyclists in Davis ride on the sidewalk or against traffic. The ones that do are usually teenagers. Many cyclists here run stop signs, but not usually stop lights. Traffic signals are found at major intersections only, and self-preservation usually causes most of the cyclists to wait them out. Plus, at the bike signalized intersections, they know they'll have their own right of way without having to worry about cars. As for tickets, Yolo County has discretion on what to charge for bicycle infractions, but I don't know what they charge for running a red light. Clarence certainly showed the upside - there is also a downside, but we're working on that. Very few cyclists in Davis ride on the sidewalk or against traffic. The ones that do are usually teenagers. Many cyclists here run stop signs, but not usually stop lights. Traffic signals are found at major intersections only, and self-preservation usually causes most of the cyclists to wait them out. Plus, at the bike signalized intersections, they know they’ll have their own right of way without having to worry about cars.

As for tickets, Yolo County has discretion on what to charge for bicycle infractions, but I don’t know what they charge for running a red light.

Clarence certainly showed the upside – there is also a downside, but we’re working on that.

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munchkins-ride-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-38305 Steve Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:54:26 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/11/in-platinum-city-davis-california-even-the-munckins-ride-bikes/#comment-38305 Clarence, thanks for this inspiring short. I am wondering about bicyclists and traffic laws in Davis. Does the bike-friendly infrastructure lead fewer bicyclists to ride on the sidewalk or counter the flow of traffic (as compared to, say, NYC)? Do Davis bicyclists follow the traffic signals at a comparable rate to motorists? Do the police uniformly enforce that stiff $370 fine for running a red against both bicyclists and motorists? Clarence, thanks for this inspiring short.

I am wondering about bicyclists and traffic laws in Davis. Does the bike-friendly infrastructure lead fewer bicyclists to ride on the sidewalk or counter the flow of traffic (as compared to, say, NYC)? Do Davis bicyclists follow the traffic signals at a comparable rate to motorists? Do the police uniformly enforce that stiff $370 fine for running a red against both bicyclists and motorists?

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