Lawless Cycling on High St.
Oct 9th, 2009 | By Jeff Stephens | Category: Leadership Musings
Last Friday I sat for four hours at our PARK(ing) Day display at Paradise Garage on High Street, in the heart of Short North. See the picture for how we easily accommodated 14 bikes in the space of 1 car.
I was dumbfounded at the illegal behavior of the overwhelming majority of bicyclists riding on High Street. For the last 18 months, I’ve spent an average of one hour per week, defending our bicycling community against the “you’re all lawless scofflaws…running red lights…etc” rant. My defense that 95+% of cyclists are law-abiding drivers of their bicycles, was based on my experience while riding throughout our region, and across our country, for over 20 years. My defense was based on the similar experience and 95+% number referenced by my bicycle advocate peers across the country.
Sure, I’ve always conceded that there were a handful of cyclists in our urban core, that demonstrated illegal (and downright stupid) behavior. But, my perspective was based on my vision as a moving cyclist throughout the urban core. When I sat still for 4 hours….I was dumbfounded to discover that 95+% of bicyclists (that day) surfed the parking lane and ran red lights.
My level of disgust increased by the hour. It was like a 2×4 to the head. All of the sudden, I actually have empathy for the motorists on High Street. My cycling brethren….you’ve made me a liar. You’ve made me angry.
I’ve been sticking up for all of us…trying to say there were only a few bad apples. Do you know how hard it is to gain the respect of City officials, engineers & planners, the media, and most importantly…the volatile humans piloting those 2,000 lb. moving missiles? You’re not making it any easier with the behavior I witnessed last Friday.
Why are you riding this way? Are you so self-absorbed, that the world revolves around you? Are you just opportunistic since the bicycle gives you the opportunity to cheat traffic? Are you “expressing yourself” with your nonchalant coolness, hipness, whatever? Or, do you just not know any better? Do you just follow the example of the guy/gal in front of you because you’re new to urban bicycling? (I think it’s the latter.)
And don’t give me the “loss of momentum” or “it’s safe because there are no cars” or “cars break the law too” arguments. I’d heard them all ad nauseum. We ought to be better than that. Hold ourselves to a higher standard.
My general optimism for humanity suggests that this beahvior stems from a lack of education and, perhaps, the modeling of the wrong leaders on that stretch e road.
Consider Biking has always advocated City leaders to enforce bicycling behavior. After my rude awakening last week, we’ll push harder than ever to educate cyclists, and bring the strong arm of law enforcement down on wreckless cycling behavior.
Let’s nip this behavior in the bud, before our community leaders give up on us. We’re biting the hand that feeds us. Perhaps serendipitously, we’ve convened a group of downtown business leaders to develop a broad-based share the road campaign. After last week’s observations, I’m convinced we’ll need to allocate significant efforts to educating “our side of the street” first.
Its not that hard. Drive your bike like a vehicle. Don’t put your bike where an automobile couldn’t fit…and stop at the stop lights. It’ll make it easier to sell the City & the motoring public, that we’re worthy of respect & investment.
Your honesty is appreciated, Jeff. I have similar anecdotal experiences where I’ll sit at a corner coffee shop patio on High and watch as 9 out of 10 cyclists roll through red lights as if the stoplights don’t apply to them.
I do know plenty of cycling advocates who adhere to the law though, so it’s good to hear that not only is this problem being recognized within the cycling community, but that it also is something that is proactively being corrected.
Keep up the great work!
word!
So glad you are aware of this. I don’t live downtown so for me biking there isn’t really possible, I would if I could but I have to drive. I cannot tell you how many times I have almost hit someone on their bike because they ran a red light as I was turning into a parking lot or just making a legal right turn at a red light. Not to mention the time last week where I was almost hit while walking by a guy illegally riding his bike on the sidewalk at high speeds on campus.
I want to support the biking movement and if I lived somewhere that biking to places was plausible (i.e. not a suburb) I’d be part of it myself, but there are times when I find myself getting very angry at bikers for putting themselves and me in danger.
I work on Gay St. and can testify of almost being hit by bicycles when using the cross walks on several occasions. so it’s not just cars they are flying the bird to it’s also pedestrians.
Amen. As a regular cyclist, I’m dismayed by what amounts to an everything goes attitude amongst many other cyclists. If you want to be treated at the same level as a motor vehicle, you should act like one and obey traffic control devices.
Maybe we need highway patrol for bikes. I’m sure a $150 ticket for running a stop sign would change behavior real quick.
I feel your frustration. I’ve taken to yelling at cyclists who run the red if I’m on my bike. One time it led to a discussion that lasted from the cap all the way downtown. That person didn’t know that we have to follow the same rules as cars, and even thought he was breaking the law by riding with traffic!
As for “surfing the parking lane,” about two months ago I came up behind two bike cops just as I was crossing the cap heading north, and so was immediately on my best behavior, pulling in behind the inevitable traffic jam in the left lane. Lo and behold, both cops proceeded alongside the stopped traffic in the parking lane all the way to the light on Russell, where at least they stopped for the red.
You’re right: we have a long way to go.
Jeff,
I heard you state your 95% opinion on WOSU months back, and yelled at my radio in disagreement. I’m glad that the rose-colored glasses have come off. I am a cyclist. I obey the traffic laws 95% of the time. I’ve thought about (but never followed up on) creating a tri-fold to carry with me to give to my fellow cyclists when I see them breaking the law. One day I’ll do it.
Thank you for this post!
Michael Love
Columbus
Sorry, disagree. Pedestrians are King, Bicycles are Queen. I want to work towards making that hierarchy law. SAFETY rules — there’s where I do totally agree, and feel the pain of watching careless cyclists. However, why the heck would I (as a bike) want to only go where a car would fit? If I wanted to sit behind a line of stinking cars, I’d be in a car. I have little sympathy for anyone driving down High St. bothered by cyclists. Get out of the car. Get on the bus or on your feet. Concede the road to the Kings and Queens who are there more sustainably.
I don’t understand the whole “don’t bike where a car couldn’t fit” rule you have. I’m about 80% sure it is legal for motorcycles to drive between two lanes of traffic (note: not on the median). Why shouldn’t bikers be able to?
Even an old geezer like me knows the trade off between ‘loss of momentum’ and loss of life is pretty straightforward. If you are so flippin’ lazy that you can’t start and stop with traffic, get off your bike and find something with a motor. And while I am ranting–use your hands to indicate where you want to go! I have seen messengers in NYC actually get cabbies to stop and let them into traffic just by pointing where they want to be! As a driver too, I find it extremely obvious to predict the next movement of a real cyclist when they are aware that I am looking at them, and they point out where they want to go—left, right, or way left—into the LH turn lane.
Great post, Jeff. I’m a roadie who spends a lot of time on more endurance-based riding but when my bike and I head throughout the city, it amazes me to watch other riders. I’ve always thought it was my role to show cars that cyclists truly want to share the road in a way that’s responsible and by doing so, I always figured a good experience with me might make a motorist kinder to other riders.
In most cases, cyclists are oblivious. It’s incredibly unsafe to inch alongside a long line of cars to get to the stop sign or light. (Cyclists: You’re a moving vehicle, stop in place.) What’s more, the weaving in and out of traffic to avoid parked cars and just general abuse of traffic laws, as you’ve stated, is why it’s tough to make Cbus more bike friendly.
Might I offer too that riding in the city at slower speeds is not “safer” and therefore unnecessary to wear a helmet? I was cycling over railroad tracks in the Grandview area and my tire got caught. My head slammed on the pavement. Save for my helmet, who knows what my mental state would be today?
Thanks for your thoughts and and commitment to making cycling an accessible way to travel.