ouch! I sympathize. I was almost hit in the same spot (by a then politician no less, who didn't even say excuse me as he rode past!)

I hope your husband is OK.

i know im in the minority here but i think the bicyclists in this city are a little out of control. They yell and scream for their own lanes and then i see them blowing red lights, holding up traffic, almost hitting pedestrians, riding on the sidewalk. while some are traffic wise, most are not and if they get hit. ive had too many close calls in my car almost hitting them when it was clearly their fault.

i have been hit twice by cyclists who were riding on the sidewalk. both times i hurt my knees badly and scraped my elbows (cement is not forgiving). i was running in my neighborhood and both times a cyclist came up fast behind me, clipping my elbow and taking me down.

i am an avid cyclist. i ride on the road. it is not always easy (traffic can be aggressive and ---seemingly/in actuality--dangerous) but the law supports me being there, and together, we make the roads safer for each other if we ride there.

Obviously, I would like bikers to bike only on the road or in designated lanes (as I do).

Except for the popo being more aggressive in ticketing, what else can be done?

Anonymous,
the only reason you are in a minority is because you confuse the behaviors of some with the behaviors of others. Those of us actively advocating for better cycling conditions (like Brian, Juli & myself) tend to be just as frustrated as you by dangerous biking.

The problem with your viewpoint is you assume that EVERYONE who rides bikes must engage in the same behavior. It'd be like me assuming that ALL people who drive are bad because of how many bad drivers I see every day.

Does that make sense?

Streever. I drive downtown professionally, and sorry to inform you, but you are the one who is confused. The MAJORITY of cyclists are dangers to themselves and a nuisance to drivers. They weave in and out of traffic. They ride against traffic. They ride on sidewalks when they find it more convenient. They have no regard for the safety of others.

Thanks David for your well-wishes- he's OK, his arm got banged into by the handlebars. I agree with Juli, riding bikes in the road makes it safer for all, although I know it can be hazardous when cyclists are not treated respectfully by drivers.

So what can actually be done to help encourage bicyclists to stay on the street?

Maybe some signs would help? Reminding riders to use the road and bike paths when available.

Perhaps an information campaign - postering both on the street and at bike shops? A PSA on CTV?

And then there's enforcement. I know that last year, NHPD actively ticketed bicyclists riding on the sidewalk downtown - can that be revisited, perhaps with a press release to local papers to let people know that more attention will be paid to this issue?

"sorry to inform you, but you are the one who is confused."

The confusion you are exhibiting is that the cyclists who frequent this website are the most common posters of "bad cycling", "sidewalk bicycling", etc.

The people you see breaking laws don't come to our advocacy meetings, don't show up at events where we ask for bike infrastructure, and never ever come to Aldermanic meetings to request bike lanes/sharrows.

As someone who has worked in the cycling community for 8 years--not just someone who drives downtown!--I actually DO know who is requesting improvements from the City.

So, when you say "bicyclists are out of control, demanding infrastructure but riding on sidewalks", I am pretty sure that you are confused. The people who request infrastructure are the same ones posting complaints about bad bicycling on this site.

I have NO doubt that you see a TON of bad behavior in yale-centric downtown with a huge increase of new cyclists every year, from all over the world, who have never lived in New Haven (many have never lived in any city at all), and may not know that in New Haven, unlike the vast majority of the world, bicycling on sidewalks is illegal. (It is allowed by law in almost every town in CT, and in most towns in America)

I don't disagree with you that it is a problem and that bicyclists should safely ride in the street. That is a given.

I posted here about how I was almost run down at the same spot as this woman, and Juli (another cycling advocate) posted how she was run down TWICE by cyclists.

What I'm trying to explain to you is that those of us who are ADVOCATES and ASK FOR INFRASTRUCTURE agree with you. The people who flagrantly break laws DO NOT advocate with us.

I'm not sure how much more clear I can make this.

Walk to There:
A big part of the problem is the constant influx of new people to the city. I think the problem is that people don't feel safe in the road.

While statistically they are far safer (and less dangerous to others!) in the street, it is very hard to educate them when it's always a new crowd.

Many of them come from places like Portland or New York City, where infrastructure for bikes is abundant.

I honestly think the most effective long-term solution is going to be an increase in infrastructure (sharrows, bike lanes), because it's a clear signal to bikes & drivers that bikes belong in the road, sharing the lane with cars.

That doesn't help much in the short-term. I know that the ticketing blitz last year didn't produce much in curbing dangerous riding, and only resulted in a lot of anger on both sides... I was initially supportive because I thought it could lead to more safe riding, but it did not seem to be effective. So, it leaves me thinking that we just really need to keep education as a year-long initiative (even perhaps painting "No Bikes" symbols in the curb cuts?) and really knuckle down on adding cycling infrastructure to the roads.

See Attached Photo of Signage Solution inspired by UC Berkeley. Encourages walking by all on sidewalks.

I like that sign! Nicely done.

Thanks for posting the info about the sign, I think this type of sign would be great to implement and less expensive than other solutions.

As a recent Yale student to the area, I have talked to some students about this and can say that the issue is that people do not feel safe on the streets. Even though there are bicycle signs on Whitney, for example, designating it as a bike road, cars do not respect bikes. I have seen bikers harassed, honked at and almost hit many times. (it is my daily commute road)

It seems like there are bikers who ride on the street because they want to make a point and I honestly think this is admirable. But many people that just want to get from A to B safely use sidewalks out of fear of winding up in the hospital.

It's true there's considerable evidence "on the street" of a shared feeling that pedestrian injury is justifiable collateral damage to compensate for the "fear of winding up in the hospital," but with all due respect, pedestrians take exception. A higher road, if less facile, would be to make streets safer, and many people are already doing this. NACTO (The National Association of City Transportation Officials) is leading a nationwide collaboration of cities at the forefront of establishing common ground techniques that make streets safe for cycling, and are now in place with proven success. They call their movement Cities for Cycling. More than just safe streets, their goal is to erase barriers to a huge population of Americans now identified as wanting to cycle but who don't because of discomfort, i.e., their goal is more about carbon footprint. These forerunner cities started by observing the only known successful techniques in the Netherlands and Denmark, but now base their recommendations on the 100s of American cities that have, and share with others, their successfully instituted programs. See: www.nacto.org

I love this idea. Do you know if New Haven currently has any plans to install bike lanes?

Note many car lanes with bike designations.

paul, i understand your hesitation to ride on the streets of new haven, but please add yourself to our ranks. the more of us there are, the more visible a contingent we are, and the more aware of us drivers become, thus the safer we all are.
i have been riding on the streets of new haven, as traffic following traffic laws and making myself visible for years and the close calls i have had have been the exception. if you ride predictably and lawfully, generally people are considerate.

Pedestrians have the right to use the sidewalks without fear of getting hit by cyclists. I know cars are not always respectful of cyclists on the street and it's a problem, but the bottom line is bikes are vehicles and as such belong on the road. Cyclists cannot use the sidewalks because they choose to, even if they're nervous about using the road. Whitney Avenue is very busy, but if as a cyclist you're too nervous to use it please use an alternate route but stay on the road.

Better infrastructure is the only way to reduce sidewalk biking without creating other adverse impacts.

--

A NYC DOT spokesperson said today that preliminary data shows that
BEFORE the new bike lane, three out of four cars on Prospect Park West
were speeding. The agency says that number has dropped to one in
seven.

And the DOT says almost half of all cyclists used to ride on the
sidewalk. That number has decreased to four percent.

http://transportationnation.org/2010/10/21/nyc-dot-says-brooklyn-bike-lane-dramatically-reduces-speeding-sidewalk-bicycling/

Also see http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/44725

Ever since this posting I have been careful to use the streets. I don't always feel safe, though, and cars do not believe that bicycles belong on the road.

Shared Streets - Part 1 - Ben Hamilton-Baillie

Shared Streets - Part 2 - Ben Hamilton-Baillie

(NB. First Post is Part 3)

Shared Streets - Ben Hamilton-Baillie

How about posting "non-adversarial" signs per photo below:

After more than 5 years as a pedestrian, I have been hit so many times by bicyclists on sidewalks that the whole experience of walking has become extremely stressful. Invariably, I arrive at my destinations in a foul mood, even if I never see a bike. And what about personal motor crafts: I rounded a corner on Church Street to get nicked by a golf cart, and I mean no disparagement to the disabled, but electronic wheelchairs aren't called "scooters" for nothing. There should be a speed limit on those things. I can report first hand, they deliver a real wallop!

Since this thread started, things have gotten worse for pedestrians, not better!

Cheap and easy Burlington, VT solution. Why not New Haven?

I think it is reasonable to say that without improved bike lanes (preferably between the sidewalk and the parked cars), riding on the streets is very dangerous. However, it is also reasonable to say that bicyclists should be able to access the sidewalk at a low rate of speed but that they must yield to and dismount for pedestrians.

Pat, if you're suggesting posted speed limits on sidewalks, good luck. Even better luck getting cyclists to dismount every time they encounter a pedestrian. I admit that pedestrians, including myself, walk erratically and probably cause collisions with bicyclists who can't turn fast enough. But I don't accept the rational that my injuries from such encounters as a pedestrian are just compensation for perceptions of danger in the roadway.

This issue was recategorized from Uncategorized to Traffic/Road Safety.

Problem persists with no visible efforts to stop. As frequent pedestrian experience collision with bike on average every 5-6 weeks. Serious collision on average every 2-3 months.

...many pedestrian/bike collisions occur on quiet back streets where there is NO danger in the streets, and the problem is NOT bike lanes and designated sharrows, which are not shown to significantly reduce collisions between bikes and cars.

The short term solution is to just start enforcing laws already in place, through signage and arrest.

The long term solution is to change street design for ALL streets from 45 mph (current) to 20 mph — NOT posted speed limits, which have little effect on speeds, but actual street design such as max 9' lane widths, 2-way streets throughout, INCLUDING on one lane streets, sharp curb corners at intersections, etc. to create feelings of actual discomfort for drivers, not annoyance for drivers from fruitless speed bumps on streets otherwise designed for high speeds, etc. Basically, the opposite of whatever traffic engineers require.

Studies prove that incidents at 20 MPH or less do NOT result in serious injury, make the roadway feel safe for bikes AND pedestrians, make jaywalking safe and encouraged, make all traffic lanes "sharrows," and dramatically increase prosperity of retail, house values, and tax revenues.

Start with designing all streets for the priority of people, where cars are cautiously allowed rather than the other way around, which has been the only pattern since the beginning. Hire only "recovering" traffic engineers.

"20 is Plenty!"

...latest collision from bicyclist on sidewalk knocked me on ground, from where I received lecture to teach me how such accidents are better than potential accidents bikers face in streets. aagh!

It's been 6 years, 1 month, and 7 days, or 2,229 days since this issue was first reported, and no action has been taken. Not one finger lifted, even after all the comments confirming the problem. This has to be one of the best contenders for the longest unresolved issue in the history of SeeClickFix.

...some of us take a licking and keep on ticking. 6 years now.

Harvard Yard. If the Cantabs can do it, why not New Haven?

Yale Security, says "no biking on sidewalks" doesn't apply to them.

Open 2,174 days.

It is illegal to bike on the sidewalk in New Haven. There is a $75.00 fine. Read about Biking Smart at this link:

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/TrafficParking/BikeSmart.asp

It is illegal to bike on the sidewalk in New Haven. There is a $75.00 fine. Read about Biking Smart at this link:

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/TrafficParking/BikeSmart.asp

Concern for bikers, not pedestrians.

Still nothing done.

Still Open.

Still not addressed.

No progress.

Please leave open.

Awaiting action.

No progress.

What a great number of comments, suggestions!

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve and as a result a number of historical issues are being closed. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please open as a new See Click Fix issue with updated information and details. Thank you.