New Haven Independent

Posted by: yohance | August 10, 2009 5:13 PM

This is just terrible. I hope the girl is OK and recovers well. However, this is yet ANOTHER example of how bikers and pedestrians need to be more cautious. "Share the road" means cars need to be considerate towards bicycles, but it also means bicycles need to be considerate and cautious of vehicles. Both this and the recent State Street accident are tragic examples of what can happen when pedestrians and bikers throw caution to the wind when interacting with motor vehicles. Follow lights, and look both ways, and remember that a car is a lot bigger, stronger, and more powerful than you. I hope this girl pulls through and recovers well.

Posted by: sharonb | August 10, 2009 5:51 PM

Perhaps the Elm City's bicycle elitests can put together a class for urban youth about how to correctly ride your bike in traffic, rather than keep spewing about how those of us who drive cars are evil and worthless.
I'm all for widening the road to share with cyclists, however until then, the roads are the domain of the car, for better or worse, and people of all ages need to understand that.
I'm glad the girl is alive though, and once again, gratefull we still have a fine group of professionals in our emergency responders.

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | August 10, 2009 6:14 PM

The city of New Haven needs to make clear bike demarcations in the road that encourage bikers to bike in the correct direction with traffic off the sidewalk.

While police ticketing and safe streets literature comes from the right place, traditional infrastructure improvements will have a much more lasting effect.

Sharrows or bike lanes where possible will go a long way towards making city streets less like the wild west of the bike/ped movement.

There are very few indicators that New Haven City Streets are for cyclists so instead many make up their own rules.

The in-road signs are a great start towards educating pedestrians and drivers. Lets do the same for bikes.

Posted by: fingers | August 10, 2009 6:23 PM

Your account is so much better than WTNH.com

Thank you.

Posted by: City Hall | August 10, 2009 6:26 PM

We've come a long way in NH in the last year, at least the crowd didn't lynch the van driver!!

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | August 10, 2009 6:35 PM

Sharon,
The roads have been and will always be the domain of the car and the bike and the pedestrian equally regardless of road width.

If you have to slow to 12 Miles/Hour for a slow biker on a narrow road then just be patient because you are not granted any legal rights to do anything else.

P.S. I am not a bitter cyclist who thinks drivers are evil. I drive as well and feel that cars are generally respectful of cyclists in New Haven as long as cyclists follow traffic laws.

I get honked at maybe once every 2 months and its usually when I'm out in the burbs somewhere.

Until Elm City Cycling can spray the roads with bike lanes and sharrows education is probably best left to the city in the form of bike markings in the roads.

Posted by: frank b | August 10, 2009 9:18 PM

Thank you sharon. i feel you.
i see ben's chimed in already, maybe steever, norton street and the other cyclecentrics realize for once it's possible for a person on a bike to be at fault.
keep writing those tickets n.h.p.d., and you cyclists who feel it's o.k. to ride all over the streets in traffic, please take heed. i disagree with you, but don't want you hurt.

Posted by: Norton Street | August 10, 2009 9:40 PM

SharonB,
Thank you for contributing to asthma in children, a lifestyle of accepted obscene grandiosity, and horrible public urban spaces by continuing to drive through a dense, old New England city; you are truly a model for us all.

Obviously, the young girl was at fault in this incident. Unfortunately she is one of the many who do not know the rules of the road. However, through initiatives like New Urbanism, New Pedestrianism, smart growth, recentralization, reindustrialization and other pro-urban ideas, we might hopefully see a diminishing presence of automobiles. Anybody who has done the minimal amount of research of the automobile's massively negative effect on our country knows how important it is to move away from a car-centric society and back to one focused on social progression fueled by a physical environment that reflects the society and not one that means nothing to anyone, which is what we currently have. Our streets should get to the point where one can cross anytime they please without having to look both ways; we have to bring back an efficient public transportation service (ideally trolleys because they are fixed path and make enough noise that they warn pedestrians they are coming without the pedestrian having to look), and we must reinvest in urban centers so that we can have work forces that care about where their surroundings rather than seeing the workplace just as a paycheck and the community as a main street that allows them to leave the area.

Posted by: Streever | August 10, 2009 10:05 PM

Frank B:
Spew whatever nonsense you'd like to. I've pointed out the MANY instances in which cyclists were at fault in the last year.

If you spent half the time reading anything I've written that you spend commenting on me you'd see what a nuanced view I hold on these issues.

My sympathies to the cyclist AND the driver--and I hope that this girl's very painful lesson in proper cycling (ride in the street where drivers see you. Obey traffic laws. Stop at red lights) will serve as a piece of free education for her friends & neighbors, so that other accidents can be prevented.

As I've pointed out many times, the majority of accidents are CYCLIST at fault. While I can't argue that New Haven has some awful infrastructure that desperately needs repairing, I also can't say enough times that EVERYONE needs to be concious of their surroundings, and pay attention to the traffic lights & vehicles around you.

I defended the police when they ticketed the cyclists. I work with the city on Street Smarts--a program designed to teach cyclists, walkers, & pedestrians the rules of the road.

To be lumped into the same category asNorton Street--who I view to be a nut case--is disheartening, and makes me wonder if Frank has read a thing I've written.

Just look at Norton Street's latest insane comment about how Sharon is causing asthma & obesity. Is that really me? no.

Posted by: William Kurtz | August 11, 2009 2:49 AM

Sharon,

Representatives from Elm City Cycling, (aka "Elm City's bicycle elitests" sic) have done that twice in the last couple of weeks, as we have several times each year over the last several summers. We encourage anyone interested in helping to educate area youth in safe bicycling habits to get involved.

Does your school, church, company, community management team, youth group, or other civic organization want to host or help organize a bicycle skills class? Email bicyclenewhaven@gmail.com.

Posted by: Bill | August 11, 2009 7:03 AM

The wacky liberal want to go back to horse and buggy days, but in the meantime kids need to learn how to ride their bikes. I was traveling down Whitney last Sunday and saw an urban youth blow through a red light and almost got nailed by an SUV. These kids will someday drive cars the same way they ride their bikes.

Posted by: fairhavendoc | August 11, 2009 7:45 AM

sharon b...before you go labelling Elm City Cycling as an elitist organization and accusing them of having a narrow agenda, maybe you should learn more about them. they do plenty for the kids...witness this (which is something they often do) from last summer:

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/09/chatham_square_6.php#entry-011424more

Posted by: Streever | August 11, 2009 8:17 AM

Thanks Fairhaven Doc (and Mr Kurtz & Berkowitz)

ECC spends an inordinante amount of time investing in bike education in New Haven, considering we have no staff & no regular source of funds. Our group has historically supported the City & NHPD on all educational & enforcement priorities--perhaps surprisingly, almost 100% of our members own cars & drive regularly.

We're far from elite, & if you'd like to work with us to increase bicycle education, please do write the address that Kurtz posted above.

You can also visit our webpage to see what we're about & what we're up to, including our public meeting agendas & minutes.

elmcitycycling.org

Posted by: robn | August 11, 2009 9:11 AM

We've got a long way to go in this city. I've seen very very dangerous behavior by teens on bikes crossing Dixwell at odd angles, capriciously swerving into traffic... riding up the middle of Chapel in the wrong direction. The parents of any child with a bike must teach them how to properly use it or they may suffer the sad consequences of seeing their child injured. Likewise, Yale grad students and other downtown residents need to set and example and not blow through signals. A bike is a vehicle, not a toy.

Posted by: ltmike | August 11, 2009 9:45 AM

Good reporting on the story, it is amazing to me how little pedestrians and bike riders respect drivers. I have found this more and more in Fair Haven, specifically Ferry Street. Nobody uses intersections to cross, mothers are slowly crossing the street with infant in arms with NO regard to the cars moving. Bike riders come at you in the middle of the road. expecting you to avoid them. It is suprising more people are not hit. I understand police have way too much on their plate (especially in Fair Haven) to worry about such a small infraction. But if Police took a day to cite people for all these jay walking violations it might make just a few more people less inclined to face a fine. Nobody wants to hit someone and have that weighing on them, but the foot and bike traffic HAVE to abide by the laws put in place. Hopefully this bike rider makes a full recovery and others use this as a lesson.

Posted by: frank b | August 11, 2009 11:38 AM

aaahhh..... that's the sounds i was waiting for.
listen all of you pious bicycle snobs, nobody here doubts that we should lay off the fossil fuels and that a good brisk bike ride is good for one's body. that said, i for one am sick of your snobbery and attitude towards those of us who drive cars and don't feel shame for doing so. it angers me because you've got valid points but the way in which you choose to explain them, makes many of us want to go out and run over our own bicycles with our beloved detroit v-8's just to spite you.
you can get your point across without the insincere nastiness in your postings. lighten up will you.
that's all i'm saying.
and let's also remember, a young girl is badly hurt, and will now face the hell that is our health care system, maybe we can put some thought into how we can make her next step better.
this is her story.

Posted by: William Kurtz | August 11, 2009 11:42 AM

Bill,

I haven't yet heard anyone calling for horses and buggies to come back as a viable transportation choice, but I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post, especially the observation that kids who ride recklessly will grow up to drive recklessly. I have said before that the dividing line should not be between motorists and cyclists and pedestrians, but rather between safe and responsible road users and reckless and dangerous one. See? Despite all our philosophical differences, we've found some common ground on which we can all stand: rightie, lefty; wacky liberal and reactionary conservative, cycling elite and "real Amurican."

Remember: any ideas on how to promote safe cycling habits among area children (and adults) and any offers to help advance this agenda are encouraged.

Norton St.: It will always be a good idea to look both ways.

Posted by: Norton Street | August 11, 2009 12:14 PM

Streever,
I'm not really sure why you were put in the same category with me, anyone who reads half the comments in which we both have posted would know better. These are probably the same people that see a group of kids hanging in front of a store and assume they'll shoot them for walking around which is part of the reason why they drive a car so much.

Many the of the cyclists who post on this site drive as well as bike and see the importance of having roads that benefit all road users.
I, on the other hand, want to see a complete societal overhaul which results in the demise of the automobile culture for the benefit of everyone. That does not mean there are no cars, it just means people won't feel the need to use them to get a gallon of milk at a Walgreens a 1/4 of a mile away. I have this view because I know what it's like to grow up here and how frustrating it could be at times to not be able to play outside because of either crime or traffic. In american cities, the street is the public realm, it is there for all to enjoy; unfortunately cars have dominated the streets for 50 years. This made it impossible to play hockey in the street or bike (which for kids is a toy) or cross the street to your friends house. Just like a son who grows to beat his kids because his father did it or leaves his family because his father left him or (Streever, you might understand this one) when they are seniors at some suburban school they prank the freshman because it happened to them, kids who grow up frustrated with the traffic get their license and continue the problems for the next generation. I am one of the few of my friends that decided to break the trend and actually learn about this stuff. A lot of you probably don't understand just because you are not from here or a place like New Haven. So until you know what its like to have to grow up in a place that outsiders view as a wastehole, a commute route and an unpleasant city, I would not try to act like I know what I'm talking about. Your posts are the equivalent of "I like turtles". Read a book (I suggest City: Urbanism and Its End, A Better Place to Live, or any history book on New Haven).

And if I could afford it, I'd take the bus, but since I can't I ride my brother's hand-me-down bike with bent spokes. There are people out there who just want better streets not ones that are just capable of holding more diverse traffic.

Posted by: Norton Street | August 11, 2009 12:18 PM

BTW, that entire post was not a response to streever.

I do invite everyone to visit Farnman Court and see if their child is disproportionately affected by the highway traffic and has a higher chance of having asthma.

Posted by: juli | August 11, 2009 12:42 PM

LTMIKE:
"...how little pedestrians and bike riders respect drivers"

you say this as though the mere ownership of a vehicle demands respect?

i see far more blatant disregard for the rules of the road being committed by the drivers of these vehicles, none of whom deserve my respect as they constantly put the lives of my neighbors and i in jeopardy, and then speed away, hiding behind the anonymity their vehicles provide.

i am a law-abiding cyclist and pedestrian. i am equally frustrated with actions like these. i don't appreciate being represented by cyclists or pedestrians who do whatever they want on the road, whether because of a lack of education or a "who cares" attitude. but to place more blame on them is simply picking the low-hanging fruit. you have more time to notice the lawless actions of slower moving vehicles.

meanwhile, i (and many others) will keep stopping at red lights, circling around countless one way streets in the direction of traffic, wear a helmet/visible clothing/lights at night, use turn signals, stop at crosswalks, and wait behind drivers fiddling with their cellphones too much to notice when lights turn green... all this, patiently, to be a good representative of cyclists.

to those who criticize that not enough is being done to educate each other on the rules of the road, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY? seriously, WHAT? for every minute you judge everyone not protected by a metal cage on the roads i suggest you balance it with spreading street smarts your damn selves.

how about you start by emailing everyone you know the following links:

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

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/trafficparking/bikenewhaven.asp

Posted by: good advice | August 11, 2009 4:43 PM

frank b:
None of the replies proved your point. They were sincere & direct. Not sure what else to say to you, except don't be hating.

NortonStreet:
No, I don't understand your point. Like many of the points you make, it alludes me. Sorry for viewing you as crazy, but reading your posts leaves me quite confused & I have a hard time understanding them.

Posted by: 87774441000 | August 11, 2009 10:11 PM

In fact the ECC speak out with such nuance,they are practically the Blue Dog Coalition of Credenza's so-called radical bikists. Want healthcare reform? Wear a helmet, especially in a Melinda Tuhus photo.

Posted by: Frost | August 12, 2009 6:54 AM

"As I've pointed out many times, the majority of accidents are CYCLIST at fault. While I can't argue that New Haven has some awful infrastructure that desperately needs repairing, I also can't say enough times that EVERYONE needs to be concious of their surroundings, and pay attention to the traffic lights & vehicles around you."

I'll agree with the second part, but I don't know about the first. The two times *I've* been hit while riding (neither was in CT) were both the fault of the driver, as assessed by cops and insurance companies--once, the driver's fault for running a red light, and and once for not yielding right of way.

But set that aside.

Yes, EVERYONE needs to be aware, and that means LOOKING. Everyone complains about the drivers where they live (the old joke in upstate NY, as everywhere else, was "turn signals optional") but in the last year I've been observing from bike, car, and bus, and I have to award drivers in CT the dented bumper award.

I've seen drivers as well as cyclists roll blithely through red lights and stop signs. In a state where one of the first things I saw was a sign telling me cell phone use by drivers was illegal, I watch drivers around me (and behind and in front of me) will hand glued to ear. Signals? Hmm, I guess I'd have to put down my cell phone. And cyclists need to learn to signal, too. Both drivers and cyclists need to actively look for others around them.

Cyclists and drivers both have a right to more than using the roads; they have a right to expect courtesy and safe behavior from others as well as themselves, which amounts to a right to arrive safely at their destinations.

Here the cyclist was clearly at fault; in the previous case, it was clearly the driver. Keeping score doesn't matter. What matters is that EVERYONE learn to respect the consequences of their position on the road for themselves and for others.

Take responsibility, people!

Posted by: streever | August 12, 2009 11:43 AM

877xxxx:
No one requires you to wear a helmet. If we are paying for insurance on a ride you come on, then you must wear a helmet, because it's a requirement of the insurer.

We choose to promote helmet use, because the facts show it strongly affects your ability to survive a crash.

Nuance doesn't really start & end with helmets, but with the sensible & mature positions members of our group typically take--
be careful
pay attention
be responsible
have fun on your bike

Posted by: jack | August 15, 2009 11:44 AM

The Traffic Laws are for everyone,motorist,cyclist,and pedestrians. Stricter Law Enforcement and better public awareness is what is needed. This is the only thing that will prevent death or serious injury on the road. This is why I supported last summers ticket blitz on cycling scofflaws.This case is a perfect example of an accident that did not have to happen.