A great idea. I, too, cringe when I see those on sidewalks and fear for their safety, especially if they are novice cyclists. Thanks for including me on the discussion. Christiaan
On 1/30/2012 at 8:52 AM, dspringston@gmail.com wrote:
Hey guys, I cringe when I see cyclists riding on the sidewalks, but at the same time I see a potential teaching opportunity to those riding on sidewalks. Is there any way we could allocate some financial resources to make the Traffic Skills 101 class free for those folks we see riding on the sidewalks and encourage the police to recommend the course? What about giving them a ticket or warning with the understanding that attending a Traffic Skills 101 course could release the fee for the ticket? This could create an influx of educated cyclists in a best case scenario! I imagine many folks riding on the sidewalks just aren't aware of the law, and I'd hate to be too harsh on them, even though it is dangerous. After all, they are just as motivated to be out riding as we are. Thanks, ~Derek
On Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 7:49 PM, Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net wrote:
Hugh,
I'm certainly not suggesting that we advocate for sidewalk cycling. Cycling on the sidewalk is more dangerous for the cyclist than riding on the roadway. Anyone who's taken Traffic Skills 101 understands why. Our strategy has been to guide sidewalk cyclists from the sidewalks onto the roadway through education. I'm concerned that the extended outcome of Tuesday's meeting could be that those who are bicycling on the sidewalks and get tickets will drive cars.
The police information cards that we developed and distributed to both Morgantown and WVU police tell people not to ride on the sidewalk. But, the cards also say that cyclists have the same rights to the roads as motorists and instructs them to drive their bicycles as they would drive vehicles. I wonder how many of those cards the police have given out? I wonder how many citations the police wrote to motorists that pulled out in front of cyclists, passed cyclists when it was unsafe to do so.
If you could show me how, I'd like to direct any discussion Tuesday from penalizing sidewalk cyclists to getting more people out of the cars and on bikes on the streets. What do you recommend?
Frank
On Jan 29, 2012, at 7:03 PM, Hugh Kierig wrote:
Bicycles should not be allowed to be riden on sidewalks in commercial
areas. In these instances the present a pedestrian hazard.
Hugh E. Kierig -----Original Message----- From: Frank Gmeindl frank.gmeindl@comcast.net Cc: Christiaan Abildso Christiaan.Abildso@mail.wvu.edu To: Bicycle Board bikeboard@cheat.org
Sent: 1/29/2012 6:57:09 PM Subject: [Bikeboard] Sidewalk cycling
Bicycle Board Members,
At this Tuesday's meeting, City Council will discuss riding on
sidewalks. See Agenda.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO? We have 2 days to decide.
Primarily, in response to a request from Chief Preston, they're
banning unicycles from sidewalks and streets, effectively banning unicycles. I imagine this will lead to discussing bicycling on sidewalks which I imagine could lead to police ticketing bicyclists who ride on sidewalks. IMO, that won't exactly help us realize our vision of every resident being able to bicycle safely and fearlessly anywhere, anytime for any reason or to achieve our goal of having 1 or every 20 vehicles on Morgantown streets be a bicycle by 2020.
I would like to turn this around from being negative to some kind of
positive action to support our vision, goal, objectives and recommended action but I don't know how. Ideas?
Specifically, they're going to revise two parts of the code: 311.02
TOY VEHICLES ON STREETS and 373.08 RIDING ON SIDEWALKS, specifically 373.08 (d). Personally, I've always had a problem with 373.08 (d) because 373 is entitled "Bicycles" but 373.08 (d) is about skateboards and roller skates and soon to include unicycles. If they had asked me about this ordinance change, I would first have recommended that they remove part (d) from 373. (See Bicycle Law .)
Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 ( tel:304-376-0446 ) Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of
vehicles
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