I don't have a picture of it, but one of my favorite signs -- placed by the crosswalk through the bike lane on Washington Avenue bridge-- reads "Do you feel safe here?" It's ironic because I doubt anyone feels particularly safe when attempting to walk through bike traffic coming off the bridge at high speed. In fact, quite the opposite is true.
When a cyclist appears to be heading close a pedestrian, whether on the sidewalk or not the body will automatically attempt to move out of the way. Pedestrians also feel safer in groups when there is bike traffic near, as they move closer together when bikes are approaching.
Of course, the rhetoric from signs and notices is all from a pedestrian point of view. What about the cyclists? When crossing the street, pedestrians often completely stop (even in the middle of the street) when they see a bicycle coming. However, bikes are moving much faster than people and the body practice of stopping is especially hard to predict for a cyclist expecting the person to keep walking. Estimating the where people will be is an important skill while biking, as it allows a cyclist to maneuver around moving obstacles (like people). When the body decides it's in danger of being hit, it stops, which in fact makes it almost more likely to be hit.
With Washington Avenue turned in to a large pile of dirt constantly being shifted around, it's nearly impossible to bike all the way to a class without dismounting. Cyclists are forced to either go far around, dismount and walk, or take the risk of being fined on the sidewalk. While it used to be less of an issue the once accepted practice or praxis or riding on the sidewalk is now forbidden. And hopefully everyone will be safer because of it.
This topic definitely hits home for me. I am a freshman this year and ride my bike everywhere. I am from a small town of 1000 where basically anything goes and it was so hard to figure out the biking system. There is no book, pamphlet or anything of the sort to let us know where we can and can't bike. It feels like biking in the city is a "social construction." I was never taught, I just frequently observe everyone around me trying to ride just like them. I have finally gotten the hang of it but pedestrians how stop for no apparent reason other than seeing me coming on a bike is so unpredictable. I always feel as if I'll hit them because they assume I'm not stopping or slowing down. They just stop right in the middle or in front of you. It would be amazing to see everyone in the "know" about how to bike and walk in the city. I do not ride on the side walk but others do which often makes it hard when I am riding a bike. Also pedestrians sometimes take up the entire lane because they are walking four across which makes it hard for anyone in either direction to get around them.
ReplyDeleteAll of this definitely makes sense, but it's one of those things you never think about until someone points it out. I don't ride a bike, but I always have to watch out for them. I really do feel like bikers are everywhere and you have to be aware of that because you don't want to get hit. The Washington Ave bridge is the one place I feel like that the most, but because of the construction I feel like I see more bikers all over campus. Another place I think seems dangerous is the circle where all the traffic goes through now. I do think I have a bias because I don't ride a bike and I think some bikers can be rude, but I always have to try and think about it from their perspective because I'm sure they look at me like the stupid pedestrian. Any way you look at it, our bodies all practice what we know.
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