Neighbors for Neighbors

Do stuff with and for your neighbors

What is it with people ridding along the SW corridor and Jamaica Way bike trails at night without a powerful enough light. You may thing you can see but we can not see you and some of us are walk with small dogs and children. Please use common sense. Us cyclist have a bad enough reputation for being inconsiderate without having to prove it.

I ride everyday to work myself and there is no excuse to be cycling at night along the bike trail without a good enough light

My 0.02

loay

Views: 40

Replies to This Discussion

Below is a section from MA General Laws, Chapter 85, Section 11B

During the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, the operator shall display to the front of his bicycle a lamp emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet, and to the rear of said bicycle either a lamp emitting a red light, or a red reflector visible for not less than six hundred feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A generator powered lamp which emits light only when the bicycle is moving shall meet the requirements of this clause.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/85-11b.htm
That's great, but what is E-13 doing about educating bicyclists and enforcing the bicycling laws? I understand the SW Corridor is the realm on the State Police, but the rest of JP isn't. By the same token, it'd be nice if E-13 officers also stepped up enforcement of traffic laws on drivers, too- crosswalk laws, drivers running red lights, using bus spaces as parking (like in front of Bukhara, for example. $100 a pop...)

Some education in the form of flyers, traffic stops that are warnings, etc...followed by real enforcement, would be appreciated. Cambridge PD have a reputation for going after cyclists for the laws on sidewalk riding, lights, etc...but cyclists really hate the fact that Cambridge PD doesn't seem to care about people blocking bike lanes.

I also have first hand experience (twice) with your officers not really caring when we're injured by drivers. Twice, I've been struck and in both cases, the drivers got nothing but a slap on the wrist. In one case, I broke my hand and the driver got a "failure to yield to traffic device" because he went straight from the left-turn-only lane at Centre/S. Huntington/Boylston (which happens constantly...some enforcement there, please?) #2 was a dooring; despite their being a specific law against drivers 'dooring' cyclists, the officer who was in charge didn't cite the driver (and she left the scene while I was still on the ground! Ran inside and hid in the CVS!)

I also once had a road-rage run-in with one of your officers who chased me down with his cruiser while I was riding.

Loay: I agree and share your frustration with rides who don't use lights. I hear all sorts of excuses, ranging from lights being expensive (or stolen often- people don't realize you can't leave them on your bike), to batteries and "the environment" (apparently rechargeables are too "complicated") In fact, I had a conversation once with two BPD officers riding on the SWC about their lights, and how important a front light is (helps prevent doorings and oncoming left-hand-turn collisions, and warns pedestrians.) Both of them were surprised to hear that a front light was so important, and said thank you...
The mistake here is to assume even for a minute that "law enforcement" is there to help. Of course I'm posting this on the wrong forum (Porcelli's cop-loving ning site).

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