Comments on Greater Philadelphia Bicycle News: City Council to Propose Mandatory Registration, Br...

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2010-08-31T11:49:20.687-04:00

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Maybe the better route is to make bicycle riders get a license. I'm not sure where you draw the line. It's going to be tougher to find a place on a bike to display a sticker.

I'm all for making biking safer, to me that means having a dedicated lane for people to ride their bikes. Bicyclists aren't the only ones creating a dangerous situation.

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2010-03-27T22:51:28.673-04:00

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Some experiences of mine- 1. Several times walkin...

2009-11-29T17:35:03.891-05:00

Some experiences of mine-

1. Several times walking across intersections I've almost been hit by drivers making rights on red or not stopping at stop signs.

2. Several times walking on the sidewalk I've almost clotheslined bikers or been hit from the front.

3. Biking I've almost hit pedestrians several times who disregarded me as a vehicle and walked on red, or whom walked across not at the crosswalks.

4. Driving I've almost hit several bikers who didn't stop or even slow at poor visibility intersections.

5. Biking I've been hit by cars who decided to be in the bike lane.

6. Sundays and Saturdays, also, the bike lanes in CC are unusable due to Church Parkers.

The list goes on and on of violations on others' parts that have almost resulted in harm to me or others. Everyone is making mistakes that are dangerous. We all need to learn respect. That being said, biking in this city sucks, cars are always in bike lanes and don't give an eff if you let them know, and there aren't enough bike lanes.

This is all dumb....when will bicyclist OBEY the C...

2009-11-23T13:37:39.014-05:00

This is all dumb....when will bicyclist OBEY the CURRENT traffic laws....hmmm how about Philly's finest start ticketing bikes for running red lights, riding the wrong way, and failing to yield to pedestrians. I have almost been hit by more bicyclist than cars as a pedestrian. I get what this guy is going for but it is not going to work.

I don't need brakes to stop. This is a load of mal...

2009-11-22T22:31:31.190-05:00

I don't need brakes to stop. This is a load of malarky! I don't want to be spending money on worthless weight when i can stop just fine sticking my between the frame and tire. That is the equivalent of a brakepad but the rubber is my shoe instead of some silly pads. Hope this goes away in peace.

Give me a damn bicycle lane and I won't ride on yo...

2009-11-20T10:55:59.943-05:00

Give me a damn bicycle lane and I won't ride on your stupid sidewalks. There's too many people who ride bikes to work to save the environment and time. Now you want to fine me for it??? Philadelphia is a big enough city that the city workers and council members need to work on commending bicyclists rather than cutting off their wheels. cmon Nutter. Do something. It can't be one sided all the time!

Owning bicycles for different uses is very conveni...

2009-11-19T08:20:21.184-05:00

Owning bicycles for different uses is very convenient (for example, cargo bike, tandem, commuter bike, club riding bike, mountain bike, folding bike, touring bike, racing bike) -- or on discovering that one has a flat tire when about to leave for work in the morning. Does the proposed ordinance require that each be registered separately, with the corresponding registration fee? What a pain, ande what a complete discouragement to people who use bicycles enough to care about having more than one. Any enforcement measure (or parking-garage registration, for that matter) should track the rider, not the bicycle.

this is for center city white peeps. i dont think ...

2009-11-19T07:57:49.638-05:00

this is for center city white peeps. i dont think they will be enforcing this where i live in north philly. hipsters and white people have the money, right? besides, here in north philly the cops dont stop ATV's from riding like a$$holes and they sure as hell wont be stopping dealers on their bikes as they circle corners through the hood.

who can blame cyclists from riding on the sidewalk when drivers can be such a$$.

sounds like a money maker to me.

This is what we need people to understand: http:/...

2009-11-19T01:11:04.942-05:00

This is what we need people to understand:

http://urbanvelo.org/bicycle-rolling-stop-animation-idaho-stop-law/

The PA State Law includes a distance requirement: ...

2009-11-18T22:37:56.246-05:00

The PA State Law includes a distance requirement:

(c) Brakes. - Every pedalcycle shall be equipped with a braking system which will stop the pedalcycle in 15 feet from an initial speed of 15 miles per hour on a dry, level and clean pavement.

Agreed, this is ridiculous and an aggressive act t...

2009-11-18T20:51:32.638-05:00

Agreed, this is ridiculous and an aggressive act toward the bicycling community who, even if not perfect, is most definitely -- objectively -- costing this city far less in terms of health care, pollution (noise and air), subsidized public transport, and public infrastructure. That doesn't even count costs for police and emergency services due to accidents which, let's be real, are caused by cars like 98% of the time. (The only reason the recent and tragic sidewalk accident is getting any press is that it is such a freakishly rare occurrence.)

And for all the collective good bicyclists do, what do we get back? Daily abuse and serious risk to our life and limbs. And now they want to shackle us with bureaucratic registration and ridiculously high fines?!?! Really? Are we so dangerous as a community to require registration and confiscations? It's insulting.

I don't care if it's just a PR stunt, it shows DiCicco is anti-bike and wants to demotivate and limit biking at a time when all government officials should be encouraging it. Shame on him and shame on the Bicycle Coalition if you don't come out strong and represent the interest of our community. This is why some of us pay dues.

Everyone needs to write DiCicco and his fellow councilmen and the mayor. Go to:

http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil/CouncilMembers.html

Susan

Among all of the other totally illogical points in...

2009-11-18T18:04:17.242-05:00

Among all of the other totally illogical points in this bill: (1) how BIG would a license plate have to be be so that people could see it on a hit-and-run ? (2) Does anyone know how many bikers and pedestrians are hit by hit-and-run drivers in the city in a year and are never found ? (and they all have license plates) (3) Does DiCicco not remember bill # 090444, which already addresses bicycles on the sidewalk (along with a fine) ? (passed on 5/21/2009).

Here is more info on the Oregon bill: http://bike...

2009-11-18T17:13:13.101-05:00

Here is more info on the Oregon bill:

http://bikeportland.org/2009/03/06/mandatory-bike-registration-bill-introduced-in-salem/

http://bikeportland.org/2009/03/12/oregon-state-rep-defends-registration-idea-share-the-road-share-the-load/

http://bikeportland.org/2009/03/16/an-update-on-hb-3008-bill-unlikely-to-move-forward/

Mandatory bicycle registration is a bad idea, it p...

2009-11-18T17:10:17.806-05:00

Mandatory bicycle registration is a bad idea, it presents a serious barrier to increase bicycle ridership and will undoubtedly give Police a reason to harass cyclists without any other due cause.

A similar bill was proposed in the Oregon state senate this year, but was vehemently opposed by the bicycle community.

It's important that Philly residents who ride bicycles fight this sort of legislation. It is equally important for the bicycle community to fight the myth that cyclists do not share in the costs of our roads.

Re: Enforcement There were a total of 11 tickets ...

2009-11-18T16:10:25.401-05:00

Re: Enforcement

There were a total of 11 tickets written for a vehicle blocking a lane of traffic from Jan to Aug 2009. This includes but is not exclusive to bike lanes.

I've seen more than 11 vehicles parked in bike lanes while riding three blocks of the Spruce/Pine lanes.

There are laws and associated fines against littering in Philadelphia.

Now I ask, do we really think any of this will actually be enforced?

"It's a good thing that none of this will ever be ...

2009-11-18T15:16:36.396-05:00

"It's a good thing that none of this will ever be enforced."

Worse - it could be utilized as an excuse for the police to pull someone over who they are profiling for some other crime.

Also, I have to disagree with others, riding on th...

2009-11-18T15:09:53.243-05:00

Also, I have to disagree with others, riding on the sidewalk should NOT be illegal if it is not done recklessly. Some areas are very dangerous to ride in the street. In Tokyo, commuters ride on the sidewalks (where they have them) all the time, and no one has an issue with that. Cyclists don't ride too fast, and they use a bell (duh) to signal pedestrians if they are approaching from behind. I don't see why Americans could not manage to do this as well. Well, except maybe because we are mostly stupid.

The city just wants to take our money as usual, an...

2009-11-18T14:37:29.595-05:00

The city just wants to take our money as usual, and provide less and less services. Everything carries a fee. I already give them over 10% of my income. WE should definitely protest any bicycle registration that includes a fee that will then let them levy fines on more people because they are registered.

Absolutely. Anti-cyclist. I'm all for the sidewal...

2009-11-18T14:22:33.257-05:00

Absolutely. Anti-cyclist.

I'm all for the sidewalk-riding law, though $300 is way too steep. Leave it at $50 and enforce it, and that'll be enough incentive for people to not be lazy (i.e., people ride on sidewalks when the street is going the wrong way) or to get over mostly-irrational fears and bike in the bike lane. Yes, accidents occasionally happen when you bike in the road, but they're far more likely on the sidewalk.

The anti-fixie and registration regulations are sheer public-appeasing prejudice, though. There's no question that people who ride brakeless are almost certainly able to do so. Registration won't prevent anything. It's a tax on a currently-unpopular minority that will overwork the PPD far past its benefits.

I'm sick to death of non-bikers screaming for stop-sign and red-light enforcement of cyclists. What about for cars, people? Have you ever seen a car not do a rolling stop at a stop sign? How about buses and taxis (and others) inching (or more) onto the crosswalk and into the intersection when they think a light is about to change? Bikes can be dangerous, yes, but they don't have a literal ton of metal behind their motion. Bikes are not cars. They are lighter, more maneuverable, and afford much much better visibility.

And speaking of the differences, don't get me started on cars (especially taxis) that floor the gas from stoplight to stoplight, easily reaching 40-45, then slamming on the brakes 10 yards from the traffic light. Not only is this terrible for the environment (air and noise pollution), but it exacerbates the gas crisis to no end, and probably causes more accidents in a year than bikes do in a decade.

Enough has been said about pedestrians already. They appear from nowhere and jaywalk across the street, ignore red lights at intersections, then have the gall to act like cyclists are the only/biggest problem with Center City traffic? Infuriating.

This is all to say... if drivers and pedestrians were saints, then I would not chafe at calls for a crackdown on "scofflaw cyclists". But with rampant lawlessness by ALL travelers who believe that saving a few seconds (at most) is worth lives, well... PPD has bigger problems than a cyclist rolling through an obviously-clear intersection.

These proposals are simply anti-cyclist measures. ...

2009-11-18T13:51:47.597-05:00

These proposals are simply anti-cyclist measures. Registration of bikes has failed in many cities already. I've written an email to my city council member and to the members who are proposing this legislation to tell them that I oppose it. A $300 fine for biking on the sidewalk? What's the fine for parking on the sidewalk and when is that enforced? Please, contact your council members and voice your opposition there instead of here! It is tragic and sad that two people died when struck by bicycles but it does not compare the the numbers injured and killed daily by cars. I also wish this article were a little better written, for example making it clear that the proposal for raising the fine for biking on sidewalks will increase from $50 to $300. That's a huge increase.

These are not "best practices" for handling the ri...

2009-11-18T13:28:12.438-05:00

These are not "best practices" for handling the rise in urban cycling, or traffic management, or for preventing accidents.

Indeed, nothing good can come from any of these proposals--because they are intended only as a slap, only as an expression of anti-cycling sentiment.

Cyclists: unite and fight this harassment!

Did Councilmen Kenney and DiCicco consult the coal...

2009-11-18T13:09:12.055-05:00

Did Councilmen Kenney and DiCicco consult the coalition before proposing these bills?

Kneejerk legislation is embarrassing to everyone involved.

Mandatory registration and riding with a license p...

2009-11-18T12:57:06.615-05:00

Mandatory registration and riding with a license plate of sorts is a method of making potentially reckless bike riders think twice before they do so. If the killer of Andre Steed had one on his bike would he still be at large?

License plates on cars seem to make little if any difference when they hit pedestrians in Philadelphia.