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Bicyclists and fans form people-protected bike lane on Charles Street
By adamg on Tue, 08/02/2022 - 9:16am
The Boston Cyclists Union organized an ad-hoc people-protected bike lane along Charles Street on Beacon Hill this morning to press the city to add more bike lanes to downtown and adjacent areas.
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Comments
Annnnnd....
What a diverse group of white people they were to boot!
Very good analysis Brian
I question how you drew that conclusion from this particular photo but whatever, here is your cookie.
There's more pics...
All over the Twittah this AM.
Well, we're waiting
Show your work for the whole class to see Brian!
That's nice dear
Put up or shut up.
And link to your sources, too.
BCU is a very diverse organization, but of course you sitting in your chair yelling at pictures of clouds would know that.
Aww…Swirls!
Still sitting at home tossing out barbs at people who actually fight racists, are you?
How’s that working out so far?
What does their race have to with their message?
Strange observation.
What is your point?
If it's that inadequate bike infrastructure means fewer less privileged people are able to bike, then you are spot on. But I suspect that's not the point you are trying to make. Maybe elucidate a bit further?
My point being
that the overwhelming number of ableist bike nuts in this town seem to be white.
And very well off apparently if most of them at this little tea party live on Beacon Hill if one of the organizers speaking to the crowd on the Common afterwards was correct.
I have no issue with bike lanes, just their whiny privileged advocates.
you are throwing a lot of progressive language at the wall
and not one bit of it is sticking. is this an attempt at parody?
Are you saying folks who advocate for bike lanes are ableist?
Usually when I think of ableist cyclists I think of the hardcore roadies who want everyone to ride with traffic, and if you can't handle that you don't deserve to ride. Advocating for bike lanes is advocating for biking to be more accessible to everyone.
why
do you assume that Charles St.-Beacon Hill cyclists or bike lane supporters are at all representative of all cyclists across the greater metro area??
you know they're not.
Oh honey
You know absolutely NOTHING about BCU and their activities, diversity, and extensive work throughout the city.
And, despite the existence of google to check out their very excellent track record of advocacy for working class populations, you have your talking points!
Just like every other trumper.
Trumper?
Easily the dumbest thing you’ve ever written.
Brian
You seem to have hit a raw nerve; I wonder why…
People are tired of hearing the same old nonsense
Turns out when you say something stupid, people are going to tell you its dumb.
Give it up
The idea of a guy named "Brian Riccio" screeching "lookit all the white people!" to try to manufacture outrage is hilarious. The idea that you care about non-white people is hilarious on the face of it, the idea that you think anyone would fall for it is beyond absurd. It's like watching a six year old who's learned a clever trick that lets him manipulate four-year-olds successfully and then tries to use it on the grownups: a combination of hilarious and pathetic.
Uh huh
Loving the misplaced anger among the anons here!
The clearly white anons.
“The clearly white anons“
I’m impressed with your ability to see race in anonymity.
Whoever you are.
From the Globe today:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/01/metro/mattapan-bike-lanes-divide-...
Every time bike lanes are
Every time bike lanes are added to a neighborhood there is some opposition from drivers that it should be drivers above all. And the Globe taking the angle of these new lanes not to talk about how they are spreading into more diverse communities but that it’s a gentrification issue is no surprise given the anti bike history at the globe.
FWIW
That photo depicts the diversity of the current residents of Charles St and adjacent side streets.
Note: This isn't a criticism of their desire for bike lanes. But you can't call them would-be gentrifiers.
shouldnt they be at work ?
shouldnt they be at work ?
Are you their boss?
Are you their boss? Or their mom or their schoolteacher or any person in any position of authority over them?
No?
MYOB.
Wait...
Are you suggesting that the folks who are more likely to have flexible jobs, good health, no issues finding childcare or eldercare, more free time, etc. so they are able to physically take part in this demonstration are more likely to be white able-bodied men?
Because you are correct!
Next, we'll discuss how activism includes supporters who don't have as much spare time or money, but lend their support in other less-visible ways.
Protest Policeman Brian Riccio
Sure seems like all you do is criticize people who actually care about stuff enough to do something about it. Like you just attacked the JP people for protesting nazis and allegedly not caring about murders elsewhere. https://www.universalhub.com/comment/899545#comment-899545
I don't know the exact right word for your extremely cynical trollery, but it doesn't reflect well on you, Brian.
Well, good thing
I don't live for the approval of people who hide their identities on UHub.
Lets just get the Bingo out of the way now
Cyclists always run red lights
They don't pay taxes
Bike lanes block emergency vehicles
They never wear helmets
A cyclist was mean to me once
If cyclists want respect, they all must follow the rules of road
This isn't "insert random European city"
Something about lycra or spandex
Anyway, some of us would like to not die on rides around town or on the way to work. Sorry you might lose some parking spots.
I Am All For Bike Lanes
Just make them more than plastic things that get ripped out on day two. Make them more like Paris (with separate lanes, stop signs, stop lights, etc.)
Conversely, stop running red lights and stops signs. That's all.
By the way, some interesting data on the misinformation about the machinations of the Cambridge Bike Lane / Mass. Ave. installations. It appears Cambridge City Council is alternative facty as OAN:
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/bike-stats-contradict-safety-cl...
Glad you brought this article up John!
Did you read the comments calling out this person's analysis?
Thanks!
Point Taken
Thanks.
A few more....
Lance Armstrong wannabes
But PARKING
It's not safe
I just heard about a place in the USA that has had zero street deaths in 4 years. That place? Hoboken NJ, a pretty dense area with lots of traffic. How'd they do it? Multiple initiatives, one of which included accommodating bicycles.
I miss the Lance "insults"
It's fairly dated at this point but I used to love being called "Lance". Even without the drugs the guy will be faster and more successful than I'll ever be.
I'm sure amateur football players would love to be compared to Tom Brady too.
Don't forget "I'm a cyclist myself, but"
Aka "Look, once a year I strap my bike to the back of my car and go ride it for a couple miles on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, so you should believe me when I say that any bike infrastructure added to downtown Boston is misguided and unnecessary".
Also
"I bike in the city, but I'm an able-bodied young adult who doesn't cycle with kids, and I dart in and out of city traffic, so families/tweens/seniors/disabled should just do this too."
No quotation marks here
I bike in the city with kids, and I don't want them or myself to get right-hooked in a cycle track.
In the article, the Hoboken
In the article, the Hoboken transportation director says they focused on intersection daylighting.
Protected bicycle lanes do the opposite of this, by pushing the parking out into the street, obscuring the sight lines at corners. In fact, looking around recent Street View of Hoboken, I don't see any cycle tracks, just traditional bike lanes, and clear zones at corners with curb extensions or flexposts preventing illegal parking. https://goo.gl/maps/gmoy3LJnXbqUcVJg6
Some of these bike lanes are to the center of the parking yet buffered from it, which I consider the ideal design. https://goo.gl/maps/udCSZqdy3VwgCCzB6
If Hoboken's street designs are proven to work, I hope other cities use them as a model.
Of course a major reason why there aren't road deaths is that these are low-speed narrow city streets, rather than suburban arterials. The current city leaders can't claim credit for that.
I've been hearing anecdotally that the new parking-protected cycle tracks in Cambridge have a problem with crashes. It will be interesting to see if the city publishes statistics that confirm or refute this, and if they're willing to make changes if it's clear the current design is not working.
Parked cars block sight lines either way
They are not supposed to be that close to the intersections. If they block sightlines, then they are illegally parked.
There's sightlines, and there's sightlines
The way the geometry works, if the parking is along the curb, eliminating one space ahead of the crosswalk makes a big difference for visibility. But if the parking is floating on the far side of a protected bike lane, visibility will be blocked way up the street, even if one or more spaces at the crosswalk are kept clear.
For example, pretty good visibility: https://goo.gl/maps/gtenfKK6mQRQpNEYA
Terrible visibility (same location with protected bike lane): https://goo.gl/maps/ttxCBWJDFirDmbaE7
It's not the driver's job to determine if parking somewhere will block sightlines. The driver needs to obey the signs and laws. But it's the city engineer's job to allow and ban parking in places that make for a safe street.
If it's a legal parking space but blocks sightlines, and in the above example it's explicitly striped as a space, that's the engineer's fault.
I'll repeat my original point again: someone brought up Hoboken's safety record when advocating for protected bike lanes, but Hoboken is NOT building them! If Hoboken is getting it right, let's do what they're doing.
So if you can remember this is google streets.
You will realize that the camera is on top of a full size van. Basically the same perspective as those massive pick ups that don't seem to be street legal (and kill the most people of all vehicles sold). For a normal car, pedestrian or cyclist the sight lines are the same. you can see the oncoming traffic as far as the first light pole on the opposite side of the street.
It’s pretty easy to figure
It’s pretty easy to figure out what the sight lines would be from a pedestrian or cyclist’s eye level.
In the first view, you can see almost to the end of the block. Being lower would mean you couldn’t see over the parked car, but it wouldn’t affect seeing alongside it, which is the sight line that goes up the whole block. There’s nothing that would limit visibility past the first light pole.
In the second view, you can’t see what’s immediately next to the white SUV until you’re sticking your head out into the traffic lane. Being lower would only make this worse.
If you refuse to acknowledge the geometric fact that sight lines past a parked car are worse if it’s further out in the street, even with visual examples, I’ll have to conclude that you’re not interested in an honest discussion, and only want to twist the facts to suit your opinion.
And you didn’t address my
And you didn’t address my point that Hoboken had no traffic deaths for 4 years after implementing traditional bike lanes and intersection daylighting, NOT parking-protected bike lanes.
In ten or so years my dog and
In ten or so years my dog and I have been swerved around and screamed at by countless cyclists when we cross the street on a walk signal while they blow through a red light.
Follow-up bingo:
- do you follow all the rules of the road?
- do you even know when bicycles have the right of way?
- maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings
- even the Pope thinks valuing a dog is a sad millennial affect
- according to data your personal experience is wrong
- anecdotal evidence may sound powerful but the real objective evidence doesn't back this up, you're taking advantage of human psychology
- safely walking around your neighborhood shouldn't be a right so long as safely bicycling the city isn't a right
- what you want to do is less important than what I need to do
- do you even know anyone ever impacted by a fatal cycling accident?
- in x European location this never happens because they actually work from an assumption of multiple forms of transportation in city design and governance
- you're missing the point. sure, some bad apples run red lights but this is about something far larger if not completely outside that and you shouldn't muddy the two because it only impedes progress and contributes to further incidents
At least talking past each other is very 2022. Maybe by 2024 we will all just fully argue the opinion we disagree with? I could see some new bike lanes getting approved then for sure which would at least be progress.
Hey Dougie, nice word salad, few points
In ten or so years, how many motorists have swerved around and screamed at you and your dog when you cross the street on a walk signal while they blow through a red light?
- do you follow all the rules of the road?
Generally yes but sometimes it is safer to break the law due to some infrastructure here and aggressive motorists. But I don't claim to be perfect.
Do you stop fully at stop signs? Use your cell phone when driving? Use your horn only for emergencies?
- do you even know when bicycles have the right of way?
Yes I do.
- maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings
Can only do so much when motorists are distracted by their cell phones
- even the Pope thinks valuing a dog is a sad millennial affect
lol what
- according to data your personal experience is wrong
I mean thats just like, your opinion dude
- anecdotal evidence may sound powerful but the real objective evidence doesn't back this up, you're taking advantage of human psychology
Taking advantage of what now?
- safely walking around your neighborhood shouldn't be a right so long as safely bicycling the city isn't a right
I don't know what you're getting at here, are you saying pedestrians and cyclists don't have a right to safety?
- what you want to do is less important than what I need to do
Again what?
- do you even know anyone ever impacted by a fatal cycling accident?
Unfortunately, yes I do
- in x European location this never happens because they actually work from an assumption of multiple forms of transportation in city design and governance
Ok?
- you're missing the point. sure, some bad apples run red lights but this is about something far larger if not completely outside that and you shouldn't muddy the two because it only impedes progress and contributes to further incidents
This is so incoherent
Remember when you wrote above
Remember when you wrote above, from the viewpoint of someone you disagree with? Apply that lens here, it may just help it make more sense for you.
But I appreciate the deeply well-reasoned breakdown of my incoherence. We can't get anywhere without juvenility, as they say.
Nice deflection Doug
But its well wide of the net and ignoring the questions I asked you.
The framing of my comments as disagreement with known reactionary statements to mere mentions of cycling safety is wonderfully obtuse too.
Fix the root cause
There's nothing wrong with cyclists in Boston that improved enforcement of motor vehicle laws won't solve.
Fix the root cause and the sequelae will (mostly) sort itself out.
I'd like to think it would help
But I think the responsibility that falls on law enforcement will continue to be poorly addressed.
I mean look at the feedback from NYC just recently turning on speed enforcement cameras 24/7, its seen solely as a crash grab.
Yes to cams!
Say we could put traffic cams to a referendum for just the city. How would it poll?
Aren’t ordinary Bostonians who don’t frequent these boards tired of the degenerate driving culture? Or is there some kind of Stockholm syndrome thing going on here?
Would love to see the traffic cams!
But if I recall correctly, there is an issue with the State Constitution that doesn't allow for it, so it needs work at the state level. But I haven't found much since this story from last year, might need to dig further:
https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/04/26/massachusetts-road-safet...
And I think we'd get plenty of bad faith arguments and astroturfing from the car lobby, already present in that article. Fines capped at $25, concerns about privacy and was only aimed at speed enforcement, red light enforcement wasn't in the bill.
Only fixes when the students have left for the summer
Pre-pandemic, I drove to the Huntington/Longwood intersection for work (intersection of several colleges). During the school year, I was always in fear that some student biker would do something stupid that I couldn't avoid no matter how much attention I paid or how carefully I drove. It was such a relief each summer to mainly have adults biking there.
I totally agree with you. A
I totally agree with you. A cyclist recently hit my car at a stop sign when I was waiting for another car on the drivers side to go, and the cyclist claim that I hit him. Some of them never respect traffic laws, and I still can’t believe this cyclist claim I run into him, when he actually run into me and hit the passengers side of my car whiles I was turning on the right side of the road. He would not have run and hit the passenger side of my car if he was respecting traffic laws.
right
Because Spandex & Lycra is a privilege, not a right.
Tampa Bay Lightning Shirt
How appropriate.
A shirt from a team that plays outside the rules and thumbs their nose at everyone else who does.
Bruins STH here John
Tampa didn't break any rules that the rest of the league agreed to in the CBA.
Also the Hawks took advantage of that in 2015 too, maybe you forgot?
Something something coherent point right?
No teams like that around here, huh?
Bill Belichick and Brad Marchand look around nervously...
We Are Talking About Salary Cap Space
Not playing within the rules set up by the NHL to make things fair for everyone.
PS - Bill and Big Nose have received sanctions for their misdeeds, unlike some bike riders......
The NHL investigated and said the TBL did nothing wrong
so I'm not sure where you're getting "not playing by the rules" from.
Honest question
If a ballot question proposing cyclist be made to register their bikes and pay an annual fee in Boston was included in the upcoming election, how do you think people would vote.
People are getting sick of the entitlement of cyclist in the city. Many who don’t actually reside here.
See all those parked cars?
See all those parked cars? See all the cars driving on the roads? They indicate a usage by ... wait for it ... cars.
Not everyone can ride a bike. Its a very small group of people who can ride a bike to work. Parents have children to take to daycare, the disabled need parking close to their office, the weather is a daily factor (100 degrees and humid!) . A tiny portion of the population demanding accommodation is the height of elitism.
Thanks for the strawman
Thanks for the strawman argument KAREN
So how about rigorous traffic enforcement instead of bike lanes?
Since clearly bike lanes are a problem, let's amp up enforcement and penalties for everybody! Automatic tickets and points on your license for running red lights and stop signs (including "rolling stops" and drafting behind somebody turning at a light), blocking curb cuts and other crappy parking behaviors (sorry, your hazards don't abridge the law), trying to race the yellow, passing on a double yellow line, going against a one way sign, etc.
I am sure for those insisting cyclists must follow the rules of the road with great rigor, this won't be a problem at all.
Most urban cyclists prefer
Most urban cyclists prefer riding in the street taking the full lane, which they consider safer AND it is LEGAL, fyi all you cyclist haters. I do get however that suburban cyclists visiting Boston feel more comfortable riding in a protected bike lane.
Wrong
About what urban cyclists prefer. Take a look.
Right. Taking the lane is perfectly legal for any reason what and it’s safer when the bike lane is not safe. As many aren’t.
Hope they had breakfast at the Paramount...
Yummy!! Otherwise, I'd recommend pizza at Bel Canto but alas they no longer exist;(
Yes!! Breakfast at Paramount
Yes!! Breakfast at Paramount — tasty and fresh! Just don’t take a seat before you get your plate. ;P
I'm afraid to comment but I will
My problem with bike lanes is even when they are available, the cyclists often choose to bike among the cars. Or even up on the sidewalk.
Go ahead, scream away.
(And I totally agree with the Huntington/Longwood thing. It's a free-for-all down there. Every time I go through I wait for a cyclist to ram into my car, and it will be automatically my fault, because car.)
One point in my favor though, my car is a Prius.
You spelled "unprepared" wrong
You are unprepared to comment.
Cyclists are permitted to ride in any lane of travel, except highways where signs forbid this.
Cyclists are permitted to ride on sidewalks except in downtown business districts.
When drivers of motor vehicles injure and kill cyclists by such moves as opening doors into traffic without doing a head check, turning without doing a head check, backing without doing a head check, not stopping at lights, not properly staying in marked lanes, they are extremely rarely charged with causing bodily injury or death. If they are charged at all, it is typically only for the lane violation. It's well-known that if you want to kill someone and not be held responsible, you should do it with a motor vehicle.
Who the fuck cares what kind of car you have?
eeka!
The Prius part was a joke. Sheesh!
And no matter what the police said or did about said hypothetical accident, it would definitely be my fault according to the cyclists on Universal Hub.
Bro,
The Longwood Medical Area is not Charles Street. Brookline Ave gets treated like a fucking speedway between Park Drive and the JWay. They need more bike accommodations down there.
I can’t tell you how many medical personnel I know down there that bike to work. Why?
They don’t trust the T.
They need bike lanes both
They need bike lanes both places
OK fine
I take back not giving a fuck about your hypothetical Prius.
But as "the cyclists on Universal Hub," yes, it's typically the motor vehicle operator's fault when they maim or kill a cyclist. There is typically operator error, usually in the form of not physically checking all blind spots before moving into them. But they're not typically charged or convicted.
Always the victim, even in your imagination
https://twitter.com/dril/status/1035218616403128320?lang=en
has a local motorist ever been prosecuted for killing a cyclist?
A trucker ran over and killed a cyclist just the other day. no charges filed yet, no arrest. Matthew Levari crushed Anita Kurmann with an oversized truck while flooring it through a corner, and then drove away, and no charges. Why do you think you'd be in trouble for getting hit by a cyclist?
Even 19 license suspensions won't get you convicted
Case in point was the death of Alex Motsenigos in Wellesley.
https://theswellesleyreport.com/2013/02/grand-jury-no-criminal-charges-i...
Cambridge tried
That was a dump truck that backed over a pedestrian in an intersection. The jury did not convict because they found head phones under the body. Not in their ears, just nearby. And this truck had a backup camera that was broken.
But, but
A bike lane on Charles Street would mean that only one of the travel lanes would be available for double-parking. Although, of course, people would just double-park in the bike lane.
The goateed cycling bro in
The goateed cycling bro in the Lightning shirt just epitomizes this bunch.
https://www.bostonglobe.com
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/01/metro/mattapan-bike-lanes-divide-...
That's a pretty daring protest
ONE car could have wiped every one of them out. Dead.
Sure it would have marred the car's paint job but the driver would have just gotten a warning around here.