As the press coverage over the past few days has reaffirmed, there are strong opinions out there about bicyclists. We know that all road users need to take responsibility for their own actions. We can do our part by obeying the rules of the road. The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration and the League of American Bicyclists produced this video that provides bicycling safety tips.
And while our Bicycle Ambassadors season has ended, they have left behind some valuable publications to download for bicyclists and motorists on their website. In fact, the Bicycle Coalition has started our new bikePHL education blog to keep up the bicycle education work of encouraging all cyclists to ride safely and more often.
And if you haven't already please take the I Bike PHL pledge. When I stop for a red light on Spruce St. in the morning I have learned to hug the cub as there may be a platoon of bicyclists behind me who will blow right past me through the light. As former Portland resident (BCGP Education Director) Breen Goodwin has often said "Bicyclists in Portland stop at red lights". We too should prove that to be above the fray and put the onus of responsibility on the scofflaw motorists.
This is the legacy blog of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It is an archive of posts from 2003 to 2014. Making your ride better since 1972. https://www.bicyclecoalition.org
3 comments:
Cyclists in Philly don't stop at traffic lights, don't look both ways, and are beligerent to drivers and pedestrians. My sister in law got the finger and a "F-you" when she parked in front of her own house on Pine Street today to drop something off. Do cyclists think they're the only ones with rights now? Why don't cyclists obey traffic signals? The streets are not their private turf now but seem to think it is.
I don't hug the curb- I plant myself right in the middle of the bike lane to try to get it through the thick skulls of these other riders that I am stopping for a reason. Sometimes when I'm feeling like an asshole, I even try to prevent other cyclists from being able to breeze by me into the intersection and oncoming cars.
What can pedestrians do? By the time someone blows by you (e.g., blowing through stop sign @ Cherry St and proceeding against traffic southbound on 18th), it's too late to yell at 'em.
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