[*BCM*] Longfellow/Cambridge Bike Police, Systemic Change, Courteous Mass et al.

[Jarrett Sloan]

Kate,

I've had many an experience similar to yours. Even while doing my best to
stay a respectful distance from their car and keep my voice and tone
conversational doesn't seem to help. My best guess is that drivers don't
want to be called out on their poor behavior and choice to get out of such a
situation by any means possible. However, on a few occasions I have talked
to some very respectful and kind drivers who just weren't in the habit of
looking for bicyclist and apologized for it.

Just like you I will also run red lights if I can do it without putting
anyone or myself  in danger and only when I can do it without disrupting the
flow of traffic. Also riding out of the way of doors and debris is a must.
Doing so is just a necessity while trying to use this system that cars
cyclist and pedestrians need to operate in while getting around Boston.


On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 11:24 AM, Kate Ziegler <ziegler.kate at gmail.com>wrote:

> I just want to say, firstly, that I've really enjoyed all of the discussion
> that's been going on the past few days. There have been a lot of interesting
> perspectives brought forward, and though I don't necessarily subscribe to
> all of them personally, I think sharing and seeing all sides is essential.
>
> That being said, I was really struck by someone else bringing forward the
> idea of systemic change - this really is the heart of the issue, as I see
> it, and I think between all of our individual road rage and buggaboos on a
> daily commuting basis, the larger systemic picture gets lost too often.
> Still, this is the argument I tend to take on when challenged - the problem
> is not specifically motorists or cyclists, but the system in which we all
> operate. The basic system and culture needs to be changed to alleviate the
> tensions of biking in a city as unfriendly to bikes as Boston. Yes, I run
> red lights - I slow down first, and look, but I would much sooner keep
> moving that have traffic honking and swerving around me when the light turns
> green. Yes, I move between lines of traffic, because I've been rear-ended
> when stopped in a lane. Yes, I ride more than three feet away from the curb,
> often taking a lane, even in moderate traffic, but if I'm moving at a
> reasonable speed I will always do so, to avoid dooring and debris. Would I
> opt to ride differently and follow the rules if it were safe for me to do
> so? Of course.
>
> On a study abroad experience in Geneva, Switzerland, I biked everywhere.
> Geneva has raised bike paths, bike traffic signals and bike turning lanes.
> You can rent bikes for free with a 10 franc, refundable deposit. Women bike
> in their heels and men bike in their suits. While certainly this is a
> European-style ideal, it makes a world of difference - and running a red
> light from your bike lane most often would mean collision with other
> cyclists, not collision with cars.
>
> Another city that has made some radical changes to promote cycling and
> human friendly spaces in general is Bogota (I'm dying to go!) - this video
> with the former mayor highlights a lot of the changes made, and explains the
> challenges and obstacles in doing so.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGycx75mqRk
>
> On a slight tangent, I had an interesting altercation on my ride to work
> this morning - On the underpass on Huntington, going under Mass Ave, a woman
> pulled next to me, rolled down her window, honked and yelled that the road
> is not a bike lane. As is my standard reaction, especially in the morning
> commute downtown, I kept my eye on her car and of course caught up to her a
> few lights down. I got off my bike, crossed in the crosswalk and stopped at
> her car window, and began to explain (calmly, I'd like to emphasize - I
> always try to be polite and calm, as people are usually so startled at being
> recognized from inside their rolling castles that being angry would only
> escalate) that traffic law both allows and requires me to ride in traffic,
> not on the sidewalk, and that I'd like to apologize for any inconvenience to
> her. Mid-speech, she rolled up her window, locked her door and RAN A RED
> LIGHT to get away from me. I've never seen such a thing, in all the people
> I've stopped and all the biking I've done. And really, I can think I'm that
> intimidating. Any similar experiences, anyone?
>
> Back to my argument for systemic change (and I think Courteous Mass is a
> great addition to Critical Mass in awareness-raising!), this is also and
> interesting video on bike-friendly cities:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8
>
> Peace and safe riding,
> Kate
>
> --
> Kate Ziegler
> "Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."
>
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