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03-29-07, 02:57 PM
http://www.asuwebdevil.com/issues/2007/03/29/news/700480
Department cracks down on bike laws
Extra enforcement will last until first week of April
by Sam Good
published on Thursday, March 29, 2007
Bikers beware: the Tempe Police Department is cracking down.
Tempe Police announced last week that it would begin a two-week period
of high bike law enforcement that will run until April 6.
"In Tempe, and especially in the University area, there tends to be
bicycle collisions every year, so we decided to increase our enforcement
of the bicycle laws," said Sgt. Joe Williams of Tempe police.
Tempe Police is concentrating its efforts on enforcing bike laws to
remind bicyclists of the safety concerns, Williams said. Motorcycle
officers will be the primary enforcers of those laws, he added.
The most common bicycle law that people break is riding against
traffic, which carries a fine of $123, or the individual can pay reduced fines
and take a bicycle safety course, Williams said.
The goal of the concentrated effort is not to punish people who ride on
the wrong side, but simply to look out for their safety, Williams said.
"We're not trying to fine them or penalize them. What we're trying to
do is protect them," he said. "It is fairly common in bicycle-vehicle
collisions that the bicyclist is going the wrong way. And that's why we
offer the diversion class, so we can educate [bicyclists] on what they
can and can't do."
Students such as German junior Claire Bunch, who bikes to school every
day, said she understands why Tempe Police is taking bicycle safety
seriously.
"I think it's really important to ride on the right side of the road,
because if you are on the wrong side, it is really dangerous for drivers
because they might not see you," she said.
Bicycles are subject to all laws that are applicable to motor vehicles,
such as stop signs, traffic lights and riding with a headlight at
night, but it not is very often that bicyclists receive those citations,
Williams said.
Another part of Tempe's two-week traffic crackdown is increased
enforcement of the busiest intersections in the city.
The intersections of Rural Road and University Drive, Mill and Southern
avenues, Broadway Road and McClintock Drive, McClintock and University
drives, and Baseline Road and Interstate 10 will all have extra police
presence during the two weeks of increased enforcement.
"We pulled some stats, and those are the intersections where more
traffic collisions are occurring," Williams said. "All of them are in the
top 10."
Besides the normal enforcement of these intersections by patrol
officers, Tempe police will use the photo enforcement vans in the area near
the intersections, Williams said.
Also, there will be decoy cars at some of the intersections so people
will pay better attention, he added.
After the two-week high enforcement period is over, Tempe police will
still place an emphasis on these busy intersections.
"We work the top intersections throughout the year, but we are just
really focusing our efforts during these two weeks," he said.
Reach the reporter at: samuel.good@asu.edu.
Department cracks down on bike laws
Extra enforcement will last until first week of April
by Sam Good
published on Thursday, March 29, 2007
Bikers beware: the Tempe Police Department is cracking down.
Tempe Police announced last week that it would begin a two-week period
of high bike law enforcement that will run until April 6.
"In Tempe, and especially in the University area, there tends to be
bicycle collisions every year, so we decided to increase our enforcement
of the bicycle laws," said Sgt. Joe Williams of Tempe police.
Tempe Police is concentrating its efforts on enforcing bike laws to
remind bicyclists of the safety concerns, Williams said. Motorcycle
officers will be the primary enforcers of those laws, he added.
The most common bicycle law that people break is riding against
traffic, which carries a fine of $123, or the individual can pay reduced fines
and take a bicycle safety course, Williams said.
The goal of the concentrated effort is not to punish people who ride on
the wrong side, but simply to look out for their safety, Williams said.
"We're not trying to fine them or penalize them. What we're trying to
do is protect them," he said. "It is fairly common in bicycle-vehicle
collisions that the bicyclist is going the wrong way. And that's why we
offer the diversion class, so we can educate [bicyclists] on what they
can and can't do."
Students such as German junior Claire Bunch, who bikes to school every
day, said she understands why Tempe Police is taking bicycle safety
seriously.
"I think it's really important to ride on the right side of the road,
because if you are on the wrong side, it is really dangerous for drivers
because they might not see you," she said.
Bicycles are subject to all laws that are applicable to motor vehicles,
such as stop signs, traffic lights and riding with a headlight at
night, but it not is very often that bicyclists receive those citations,
Williams said.
Another part of Tempe's two-week traffic crackdown is increased
enforcement of the busiest intersections in the city.
The intersections of Rural Road and University Drive, Mill and Southern
avenues, Broadway Road and McClintock Drive, McClintock and University
drives, and Baseline Road and Interstate 10 will all have extra police
presence during the two weeks of increased enforcement.
"We pulled some stats, and those are the intersections where more
traffic collisions are occurring," Williams said. "All of them are in the
top 10."
Besides the normal enforcement of these intersections by patrol
officers, Tempe police will use the photo enforcement vans in the area near
the intersections, Williams said.
Also, there will be decoy cars at some of the intersections so people
will pay better attention, he added.
After the two-week high enforcement period is over, Tempe police will
still place an emphasis on these busy intersections.
"We work the top intersections throughout the year, but we are just
really focusing our efforts during these two weeks," he said.
Reach the reporter at: samuel.good@asu.edu.