Comments on: Safe Streets Coalition: How About a Stimulus for Bike/Ped Projects? http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/04/15/safe-streets-coalition-how-about-a-stimulus-for-bikeped-projects/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bicycle Commuter http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/04/15/safe-streets-coalition-how-about-a-stimulus-for-bikeped-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-5668 Bicycle Commuter Sun, 10 May 2009 07:33:27 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2011#comment-5668 To better serve bicycling, Caltrans has to do the basics of setting the standards and enforcing Statute AB-1581 of traffic signal detection for bicyclists. Compared to bikeways, the cost is low to enforce bicycle detection for first placement or replacement of traffic signals as mandated by AB-1581. An example is Newport Beach in which traffic signals do not detect bicyclists unless you get off and lay the bicycle across the embedded wires. The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) fabricates vehicle citations from bicyclists. The NBPD is located two blocks from a left-turn signal into a California state preserve used by hundreds of bicyclists each week. Newport Beach Principal Civil Engineer Tony Brine and Traffic Engineer George Bernard replied to my email that the left-turn signal had been set back to not detect bicyclists. The NBPD exploits the signal to show productivity and generate vehicle citation revenue from bicycles. Weekends and Christmas holidays are targeted when there is no car traffic and regular bicyclists at the shared-used preserve are unlikely to stop for a left-turn signal that will not change anyway. Bicyclists are asked for a car license plate number and held until confirmed. The clerk at the Newport Beach municipal court told me that they get several pseudo-vehicle citations each day. In a telephone call with Sergeant Mike James, he supported police motorcycles chasing bicycles. During another call with Lieutenant Steve Shulman, he laughed. The NBPD Lieutenant sent me a letter that bicyclists should first test the left-turn signal and then dismount to go across the traffic lanes to the pedestrian button. I was trying the Lieutenant’s method one day during my bicycle commute to the main post office, and a Newport Beach Fire Department paramedics van without sirens or flashing lights turned in front of me. Newport Beach city and safety employees are laughing at bicycle commuters. Mayor Ed Selich of Newport Beach is not interested in bicycles. And the original author of California Statute AB-1581, Assembly Representative Jean Fuller, did not reply to my message posted at her Website about the lack of oversight for enforcing bicycle signal detection with cities. To better serve bicycling, Caltrans has to do the basics of setting the standards and enforcing Statute AB-1581 of traffic signal detection for bicyclists. Compared to bikeways, the cost is low to enforce bicycle detection for first placement or replacement of traffic signals as mandated by AB-1581. An example is Newport Beach in which traffic signals do not detect bicyclists unless you get off and lay the bicycle across the embedded wires. The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) fabricates vehicle citations from bicyclists. The NBPD is located two blocks from a left-turn signal into a California state preserve used by hundreds of bicyclists each week. Newport Beach Principal Civil Engineer Tony Brine and Traffic Engineer George Bernard replied to my email that the left-turn signal had been set back to not detect bicyclists. The NBPD exploits the signal to show productivity and generate vehicle citation revenue from bicycles. Weekends and Christmas holidays are targeted when there is no car traffic and regular bicyclists at the shared-used preserve are unlikely to stop for a left-turn signal that will not change anyway. Bicyclists are asked for a car license plate number and held until confirmed. The clerk at the Newport Beach municipal court told me that they get several pseudo-vehicle citations each day. In a telephone call with Sergeant Mike James, he supported police motorcycles chasing bicycles. During another call with Lieutenant Steve Shulman, he laughed. The NBPD Lieutenant sent me a letter that bicyclists should first test the left-turn signal and then dismount to go across the traffic lanes to the pedestrian button. I was trying the Lieutenant’s method one day during my bicycle commute to the main post office, and a Newport Beach Fire Department paramedics van without sirens or flashing lights turned in front of me. Newport Beach city and safety employees are laughing at bicycle commuters. Mayor Ed Selich of Newport Beach is not interested in bicycles. And the original author of California Statute AB-1581, Assembly Representative Jean Fuller, did not reply to my message posted at her Website about the lack of oversight for enforcing bicycle signal detection with cities.

]]> By: LisaNewton http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/04/15/safe-streets-coalition-how-about-a-stimulus-for-bikeped-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-5392 LisaNewton Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:29:51 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2011#comment-5392 Are you kidding? Each time I ride a street without any bike markings, I try to figure out why? Many streets in LA are wide enough for bike sharrows already. Just get the paint trucks out and start marking up the streets. I know big projects are expensive, but with so many on the drawing board, yet to be realized, I can't believe they only have 1. 1? It's beyond belief. Are you kidding? Each time I ride a street without any bike markings, I try to figure out why? Many streets in LA are wide enough for bike sharrows already. Just get the paint trucks out and start marking up the streets.

I know big projects are expensive, but with so many on the drawing board, yet to be realized, I can’t believe they only have 1. 1? It’s beyond belief.

]]> By: Steve K. http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/04/15/safe-streets-coalition-how-about-a-stimulus-for-bikeped-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-5370 Steve K. Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:44:07 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2011#comment-5370 Bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, and ... bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking, bike parking. Bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, bike paths, and …
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