1nterceptor

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/01/...ety-crackdown/

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Cyclist safety watchdogs are applauding the news as officers throughout Brooklyn are under orders to ticket bike riders riding on sidewalks, running red lights and riding in opposite direction traffic.


Nancy Gruskin, whose husband was killed by a wrong-way cyclist in 2009 on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, said it’s a start.

“If we are going to change our infrastructure to include cycling, this is a zero-tolerance policy. You must obey the rules. If you don’t, you’ll have a severe fine,” she said.

Fines begin at $50 for first-time offenders and patrollers will focus on places like downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Carroll Gardens and Park Slope—all places where cycling is a common way to get around.

“This isn’t enough. We need to keep speaking out about it. We need to have it out there in the media and our elected officials saying this won’t be tolerated,” Gruskin said.

With that rise in popularity for cycling, Gruskin added that law enforcement seems to be taking the issue much more seriously.

“Because this movement is growing and we need to make sure it’s done lawfully,” she said.

Bekologist

when does new york start cracking down on motorists that speed, run red lights, or endanger public safety?

sggoodri

I'll bet most of the fines will be for cycling outside of a marked bike lane.

Bekologist

I'd put money on running red lights. NYC gave out over 10,000 tickets to bicyclists last year already. I wonder if NYPD hasn't more worthy places to focus its public safety efforts than on cyclist infractions.

gcottay

I'll take $10,000 against that eventuality. Even odds. Funds deposited in advance with a mutually satisfactory third-party.

unterhausen

I went to Streetsblog to look for news about this. One person reported the police were handing out literature and warning cyclists that they might get a ticket if they rode without lights or ran stop lights. OTOH, we have this story about pedestrian safety in NYC. For some reason it's ok to drive like a maniac in NYC, which leads to death and serious injury. But cyclists are so annoying people would rather have police working on that.

hurricane harry

Let's make bicycling as hard as possible?

CritEastwood

Get those damned salmon!

sggoodri

Maybe NYC will be different, but in other cities that conducted "crack downs", that was the most frequent cited violation. Especially for suburban police driving around in squad cars, it's easier for them to follow cyclists until they ride outside of door zone bike lanes and debris zones than for them to stake out stop signs and traffic signals. And in some communities, police are more interested in cyclists who cause other drivers to slow down, even a little, compared to running stop signs.

randya

they are harder to catch than slow moving cyclists

CB HI

But Bek, NYC is so bicycle friendly.

Seattle Forrest

With cycling "advocates" wanting to sick the police on other cyclists, who needs buzzing "cagers?"

Bicure

I'd cycle more in the crappy, unprotected, car-choked bike lane on my street, but it's not as safe as riding on the right side, which isn't full of parked cars.

Many of the cars parked in my bike lane are...

(wait for it)

(wait)

...police cars!

Yay.

spock

I think if one of those messengers decided to run, cops would have no chance whatsoever.
They run lights and move through small spaces like no car ever could.

Only way would be if a cop was on a bike, but no cop could get skills like that unless he or she was previously a bike messenger, and no messenger would wanna be a cop.

spock

No that would be too mean.

I think it went something like this at the meeting:

"Well my fellow officers we are running low on money. Any Ideas?",,,,, "We could rob a bank" "No dude that would be against the law" "Ohh, Ok, Ok, I see your point",,,,,, "I got it, I got it" "You know those bike people who brake a lots of laws and nobody does anything about it?" "Yea and?" .... "We Start ticketing them".... "But that wouldn't be enough".... "I know but we could at least switch to a better doughnut company" ....... "Well, I guess You have a good point there officer Johnson. One more idea like that and you get free milk with your doughnut ".... "All right, go get 'em boys"

That's exactly how it happened.

Bekologist

watchdog=citizen with axe to grind. she's not the spokesperson for the NYPD. It sounds like NYPD is handing out literature in an effort to educate cyclists?

New York has yet to achieve that critical mass of mostly orderly bicyclists common in the great cycling capitals of Europe.

thdave

I've got an idea--have all cops in Manhattan use bikes to get around. That would save taxpayers lots of money, keep the cop cars out of the bike lanes, and it would be quicker than driving in most cases.

Then you use the old fashion paddywagon as needed.

Bekologist

New York City's first road patrols tasked with enforcing traffic laws were policemen on bicycles.

genec

Sure, but that was back in the day of horse and buggy speeds... and lots of pedestrians and trolley cars.

This is the age of mac 10s, fast cars and dangerous terrorists.

Although admittedly they do still use horse patrols... so a few bike patrols are indeed in order.

We have bike cops here in San Diego, they tend to work the beach front areas.

The Human Car

If you want to drive a NY motorists crazy, stop at a red light, they go nuts.

@thdave, funny thing on the subject of parking tickets people were saying don't give police free parking, make them deal parking like the rest of us. But it seems rather strange to seek out and give a group of people who have no idea what's due cause or not about behavior of some other group they can't relate to and give them power to enforce.

Which reminds me I need to go out and by a bell so I don't get a ticket.

Bekologist

It wasn't a serious suggestion to replace all squad cars with bicycles, it was more of a reality check.


Cities do see fast downtown response from bike patrols, its not as if police COULDN'T use bikes on patrol more extensively in New York City.

genec

Certainly cops on bikes may be able to reach some areas faster than cops in cars... I believe London even has medical first responders on bikes.

hurricane harry

Atlanta airport has first responders(EMT) on bikes riding inside the terminal.
Seattle has squads of police on bike patrol.

phoebeisis

So it is against to ride on the sidewalks in NYNY?
Is that on all streets and for all ages?

How universal is that?
I don't think it is illegal in suburban NOLA.

Charlie

contango 

I haven't seen one of those (although that's not to say they don't exist - no reason to think it's anything other than a good idea). I have seen a number of police officers on bikes, both in central London and in the suburbs.