Comments on: Despite Bowery Death Toll, NYPD Decides Cyclists are the Real Menace http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:31:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Michael http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67801 Michael Tue, 12 May 2009 17:22:51 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67801 As a bicyclist, have you ever considered the idea of -- heaven forbid -- actually stopping at red lights, and obeying other traffic laws, as well? If not, why not give it a try? As a bicyclist, have you ever considered the idea of -- heaven forbid -- actually stopping at red lights, and obeying other traffic laws, as well?

If not, why not give it a try?

]]> By: John Deere http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67356 John Deere Sun, 03 May 2009 23:24:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67356 PaulCJr, Can you please find the state or city statute that gives cyclists the right to make a right turn on red after stopping and yielding? When you do find it, please post the text of the statute, and its reference number. Thanks, John PaulCJr,
Can you please find the state or city statute that gives cyclists the right to make a right turn on red after stopping and yielding? When you do find it, please post the text of the statute, and its reference number.

Thanks,
John

]]> By: lauren http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67347 lauren Sun, 03 May 2009 15:00:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67347 Liam, While it may be rare to get a traffic infraction ticket on a bicycle in NYC, the question is what is the best use of police resources. I am a driver, cyclist, and pedestrian. Every single time I drive my car, I see many drivers who fail to signal their turns. This is quite dangerous to cyclists and other drivers alike. Of course, we all learn not to trust what cars "say" they are going to do, and are always prepared for cars to make sudden turns across our paths. Cars making turns ROUTINELY fail to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, even though they are legally required to do so. Cars ROUTINELY break the speed limit. It is exceedingly rare for drivers to get a ticket for doing any of these things. Ticketing should be used to target the most frequent and dangerous behaviors. Cyclists are a small percentage of road traffic and thus, by definition, cannot generate the most frequent dangerous behaviors. It just seems a crazy waste of resources to set up on cyclists rather than drivers. Liam,

While it may be rare to get a traffic infraction ticket on a bicycle in NYC, the question is what is the best use of police resources.

I am a driver, cyclist, and pedestrian. Every single time I drive my car, I see many drivers who fail to signal their turns. This is quite dangerous to cyclists and other drivers alike. Of course, we all learn not to trust what cars "say" they are going to do, and are always prepared for cars to make sudden turns across our paths. Cars making turns ROUTINELY fail to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, even though they are legally required to do so. Cars ROUTINELY break the speed limit. It is exceedingly rare for drivers to get a ticket for doing any of these things.

Ticketing should be used to target the most frequent and dangerous behaviors. Cyclists are a small percentage of road traffic and thus, by definition, cannot generate the most frequent dangerous behaviors. It just seems a crazy waste of resources to set up on cyclists rather than drivers.

]]> By: Liam Patrick http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67323 Liam Patrick Fri, 01 May 2009 22:11:49 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67323 Kyle G, you said : "Cyclists have a set of guidelines that they are supposed to follow. If you don't follow them you are going to get a ticket." This isn't really true most of the time in NYC. It is very rare to get a ticket for a traffic infraction on a bicycle here. Kyle G, you said :

"Cyclists have a set of guidelines that they are supposed to follow. If you don't follow them you are going to get a ticket."

This isn't really true most of the time in NYC. It is very rare to get a ticket for a traffic infraction on a bicycle here.

]]> By: AlexB http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67316 AlexB Fri, 01 May 2009 21:44:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67316 I feel that cyclists should always obey the law, but I don't think applying the same rules to cyclists as to drivers is rational. I also don't think anyone should ever get a ticket for jaywalking. If you have ever biked over the Manhattan Bridge and are headed uptown, you know the Bowery would be the perfect place for a bike lane. I feel that cyclists should always obey the law, but I don't think applying the same rules to cyclists as to drivers is rational. I also don't think anyone should ever get a ticket for jaywalking.

If you have ever biked over the Manhattan Bridge and are headed uptown, you know the Bowery would be the perfect place for a bike lane.

]]> By: mcsladek http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67305 mcsladek Fri, 01 May 2009 21:06:41 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67305 I agree that when you break the laws, you must accept the consequences. However, the point of this article is to question this particular ticket onslaught for cyclists when motorists a)Commit just as many traffic violations, if not more, and do not experience the same type of crackdown (how many cars do we see speeding, running reds, turning on red, making illegal u-turns, parking in the bike lane, etc), while they are clearly the more dangerous vehicles, and B)Get off scot-free for driving recklessly and seriously injuring others a result of those violations. If this cop is trying to meet his quota, he should visit 2nd Ave below 14th. There's a car in the bike lane almost every block. Plenty of tickets to go around. I agree that when you break the laws, you must accept the consequences. However, the point of this article is to question this particular ticket onslaught for cyclists when motorists a)Commit just as many traffic violations, if not more, and do not experience the same type of crackdown (how many cars do we see speeding, running reds, turning on red, making illegal u-turns, parking in the bike lane, etc), while they are clearly the more dangerous vehicles, and B)Get off scot-free for driving recklessly and seriously injuring others a result of those violations.

If this cop is trying to meet his quota, he should visit 2nd Ave below 14th. There's a car in the bike lane almost every block. Plenty of tickets to go around.

]]> By: Kyle G http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67299 Kyle G Fri, 01 May 2009 20:43:31 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67299 You know what. This article is ridiculous. Cyclists have a set of guidelines that they are supposed to follow. If you don't follow them you are going to get a ticket. Yea the cops probably had a bunch of cyclists stopped, but that means that there was a lot of them breaking the law(s). I am a cyclist and not a cop. I just think it is absurd when someone breaks the law and gets caught and blames the cop who caught them for their blunder. All they are doing is their job. Follow the laws and be respectful and you will never have a problem with any law enforcement people. You know what. This article is ridiculous. Cyclists have a set of guidelines that they are supposed to follow. If you don't follow them you are going to get a ticket. Yea the cops probably had a bunch of cyclists stopped, but that means that there was a lot of them breaking the law(s). I am a cyclist and not a cop. I just think it is absurd when someone breaks the law and gets caught and blames the cop who caught them for their blunder. All they are doing is their job. Follow the laws and be respectful and you will never have a problem with any law enforcement people.

]]> By: vnm http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67298 vnm Fri, 01 May 2009 20:42:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67298 Mike, you are correct, in theory. Except that I see motorists making right turns on red every day in NYC and never getting ticketed. Mike, you are correct, in theory. Except that I see motorists making right turns on red every day in NYC and never getting ticketed.

]]> By: Mike Epstein http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67295 Mike Epstein Fri, 01 May 2009 20:19:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67295 "As long as you stop and yielded at the red light, just like a car you have the right to make a right on a red as long as it was safe and you were not endangering peds lives." Huh? Right turn on red is illegal in NYC. "As long as you stop and yielded at the red light, just like a car you have the right to make a right on a red as long as it was safe and you were not endangering peds lives."

Huh? Right turn on red is illegal in NYC.

]]> By: Eric McClure http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67293 Eric McClure Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:10 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67293 Wonder how many tickets have been handed out to <a href="http://parkslopeneighbors.org/ppw8/videoppw8.htm" rel="nofollow">drivers doing 65 mph on Prospect Park West</a>? Who wants to bet that "none" might be the right answer? Wonder how many tickets have been handed out to drivers doing 65 mph on Prospect Park West? Who wants to bet that "none" might be the right answer?

]]> By: PaulCJr http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67292 PaulCJr Fri, 01 May 2009 19:53:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67292 Yes fight those tickets!! If you're a bicyclist that was given a red light ticket or the supposed ped ticket fight it. As long as you stop and yielded at the red light, just like a car you have the right to make a right on a red as long as it was safe and you were not endangering peds lives. We the people of NYC (all boroughs) need to stand up and fight for better ped, bicycle and transit admineits in all parts of the city, especially in the outer boroughs that are getting screwed with the mayor's gun ho push for tons of parking. Yes fight those tickets!! If you're a bicyclist that was given a red light ticket or the supposed ped ticket fight it. As long as you stop and yielded at the red light, just like a car you have the right to make a right on a red as long as it was safe and you were not endangering peds lives. We the people of NYC (all boroughs) need to stand up and fight for better ped, bicycle and transit admineits in all parts of the city, especially in the outer boroughs that are getting screwed with the mayor's gun ho push for tons of parking.

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67291 Andy B from Jersey Fri, 01 May 2009 19:52:18 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67291 Nice way to start off Bike Month. Nice way to start off Bike Month.

]]> By: LN http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/01/despite-bowery-death-toll-nypd-decides-cyclists-are-the-real-menace/comment-page-1/#comment-67287 LN Fri, 01 May 2009 18:54:00 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6015#comment-67287 Fight them tickets! http://www.bicycledefensefund.org/summons.html Fight them tickets!
http://www.bicycledefensefund.org/summons.html

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