SFist: Yield to Life

dale

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:53:48 -0800

This announcement from Zabriskie is exciting because the racing cycling community has a huge untapped potential to bring some focus to safety. It's fantastic to see them step up and figure out how to do this work.

dale

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:53:30 -0800

dale

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:53:21 -0800

murphstahoe

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:34:43 -0800

Spandex clad scourge and stupid hipsters on two wheels don't kill pedestrians? Amusingly, I got hit by a "biker" while on the sidewalk today fixing a flat tire. I am part of the Spandex clad scourge. I was not hit by either one of my brethren or a stupid hipster. I was hit by a decidedly non-hip resident of the mission, who simply said "Lo Siento" after rolling over my foot. I think his cousin was the one who almost took me out on 14th St riding the wrong way in the bike lane. The sidewalk bike/wrong way bike mafia is dominated by recent immigrants (culturally trained to ride on the sidewalk and the wrong way) and crackheads. I don't have anything against recent immigrants, the crackheads I don't care if the cars run them over. But don't run me over because of them.

SFistJim

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:05:19 -0800

It can take a long time for traffic legally in an intersection to clear out. Green does not mean go in CA. It means go if traffic legally in the intersection has cleared out. If you see green and then just start walking, you could very easily be the party at fault in a resulting bike/ped accident. You seem to not know this. But of course, do as you wish. Ain't that America?

SFJoe

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:33:01 -0800

It's telling that the cyclists automatically assume that a pedestrian getting hit by a cyclist is automatically the pedestrian's fault. The arrogance of the bike crowd is off-putting to say the least.

MisterPlow

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:09:51 -0800

Death Machines!!! Death Machines!!!

SFist_Dan

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:06:00 -0800

It's definitely better than getting clipped by things on four wheels...

zippy_monster

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:17:02 -0800

murphstahoe: blah blah blah. Spandex clad scourge and stupid hipsters on two wheels don't kill pedestrians? Is that supposed to make getting (nearly) run over by things on two wheels better?

KWillets

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:35:05 -0800

I don't think motorists should drive on these streets either, because they get in my way.

SFistJim

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:30:12 -0800

If you get hit by a bike within 2 steps of taking off on a green as a ped, the resulting collision is probably your fault under CA law. Strange but true. Green doesn't mean go, it means go only after letting cross traffic that's legally in the intersection out of the intersection. i call 26th Navy Street, if that helps.

murphstahoe

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:19:16 -0800

Your anecdotes prove nothing. Cars killed many pedestrians last year in SF - bikes none. Usually because both driver AND ped were ignoring the law. I hit one ped a month while riding. Always on Valencia. Some hipster headed for Casanova or Marina girl late for her reservation at Limon. Their parents never taught them not to run into the middle of the street between 2 parked cars. Usually I spot them and let them off with a love tap on their Jimmy Chus or Doc Martens. Just kidding - fortunately I am not that subversive. But don't think I don't dream of it ...

jacksevanroo

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:13:06 -0800

I ride a bike every day and agree that there are streets that aren't safe for cyclists. I'm always amazed that a cyclist would dare to ride on 25th Ave in the Richmond, especially when all the parallel streets are much safer. Of course, riding on the side streets means bikes must run stop signs. Sorry cars, but it seems like a fair trade off. Let's all agree: Bikes will stay off major thoroughfares that aren't meant for us, and cars won't get pissed when bikes run stop signs on side streets. Agreed? Good.

underachieving

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:53:36 -0800

As a pedestrian, I have nearly been hit by a cyclist in this city far more times than I have nearly been hit by a car. The signal turns green, I take a step or two onto the crosswalk, and I'm a hair's breadth from having a concussion, broken glasses, broken ribs, cuts, etc, delivered to me by an indifferent, non-apologetic cyclist. I would run after one and beat the hell out of him if they bothered to obey any stoplights.

bluecanary

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:43:11 -0800

I have to agree with cranky on this one. There are simply some roads you shouldn't ride a bike on. It would be NICE to be able to ride safely anywhere. It would be nice to be able to go for a nice jog through the Tenderloin at night. You CAN, if you want. But should you? No. Is it safe? No. I'd rather just use that common sense than wind up as a hood ornament just to make a statement.

murphstahoe

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:38:33 -0800

were you Jaywalking Joe? no fibbin now...

SFJoe

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:35:36 -0800

Maybe the best thing they could do would be to teach traffic regulations to cyclists. As a pedestrian, I get nearly run over almost daily by cyclists who don't see any need to stop at stoplights or ride in the street or follow any other traffic regulation that doesn't suit them.

mpantone

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:28:23 -0800

Army Street is still a valid name for the road, at least according to the US Postal Service, Google Maps and Yahoo Maps.

murphstahoe

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:25:45 -0800

if you admit you might accidentally kill a cyclist, you don't deserve a drivers license. You are just as likely - in fact more likely to kill yourself, your passengers, or the drivers of other cars. If you can't manage to keep from hitting something that is 4 feet long and 12 inches across, how can you be trusted not to careen into a motor vehicle, a tree, or drive safely into a parking garage.

underachieving

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:17:19 -0800

Very impressive takedown of Cranky's argument, manys.

manys

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:10:47 -0800

Imagine that, an anti-bike rant by someone who still calls it Army Street.

cranky

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:32:00 -0800

Dave really should start a protect pro cyclists from his crashes foundation. And yes, bikes should be scared of cars. But bikes should also learn that there are streets in San Francisco where they shouldn't ride. Fell, Oak, Army, Lincoln, 19th Ave (have seen a hip fixie doin' that), Sunset, Sloat. These are de facto freeways. We didn't build freeways but we have 'em anyways. Stay off of these streets and we won't accidentally kill you because you are stupid enough to ride on these streets.