SFPD Enforcement Highlights Need For 'Dismount Zones'

     

                                                    Bicyclists in Boulder, CO talk about dismount zones and riding responsibly

  Does Streetsblog hate the SFPD? It seems they do by their latest reaction to a traffic enforcement sting along Market Street recently, and the subsequent investigation by Streetsblog showing how many operators where cited. Streetsblog doesn't like to acknowledge the reality that exists at most intersections within San Francisco; bicyclists break the law most often (with pedestrians being a close second). Finally, factual evidence has emerged to support what we already know, there are just as many douchebag bicyclists as there are douchebag drivers (this includes motorcycles that use the bike lane/shoulder), as there are douchebag pedestrians.  Basically, we all suck at paying attention when it really matters.

Double Deuce: SFBike.org Caught Flexing Again

  Last time I checked, there is no 3-foot passing law between bicyclists and vehicles currently on the books in either San Francisco or The State of California. But the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has made it there duty to foresee the future and provide us with a seemingly inane safety video on their website entitled Riding Predictably where they show us the law:

                   

                                              video courtesy of SFBike.org

  Even Celeste LeCompte from today's SFGate.com has been getting her ledes from SFBike.org  "Ride safely. Even though you're riding slowly, don't forgo the helmet, stop at traffic signals and ride predictably." Her great article about the Slow Bike Movement is where it IS.

  So anyway, after being pleasantly surprised at finding a quirky and informative safety video on their website (I always ask them for safety literature when I see them on the street, but they never seem to have any), I was shocked to hear @ 2:56 the declaration that the 3-foot law is "The law." (People without brakes on their bicycles:  Please watch 2:11) SB910 passed the senate this spring, but as of the date of this posting it has not become law.