Is $270 A Reasonable Fine For Bicycling Through Red Light?

[ccnyc]

If any of you are in groups or have influence on other cyclists, please ask them to help preserve the relative peace of Riverside Park.

There's already a requirement that cyclists dismount in one area of Riverside, and this is entirely the result of cyclists going much too fast for conditions.

Some good news:
"While Central Park cyclists are being forced to slow down, cyclists in Riverside Park received good news in the form of a compromise from the Parks Department regarding contentious dismount signs along the path connecting West 72nd Street and Riverside Drive with the Waterfront Greenway along the Hudson River. After months of debate and issues with people removing the signs or ignoring them, Riverside Park Administrator John Herrold announced to the Parks Committee that new signs will soon require cyclists to proceed at walking speed and yield to pedestrians, but not require them to dismount."
http://westsidespirit.com/2011/03/02...-central-park/

[PamNY]

Wonderful! At least there's a spirit of compromise.

I hope cyclists cooperate, and I wish the city would enforce the law that prohibits dog leashes longer than six feet. ETA: The controversy in that area had a lot to do with a small dog park located nearby.

I have a sentimental attachment to that spot because it was my "practice hill" when I first bought a bike.

[ccnyc]

http://www.nycc.org/message-board/ac...ral-park/50270
Your presence is requested at the Central Park Precinct Community Council Meeting on March 14.

Massive attendance by NYCC members, by all cyclists who care about Central Park will make an impression here.

Date: March 14, 7pm.

Place: Unitarian Church, 160 Central Park West at 76th Street

[PamNY]

I saw a motorcycle cop pull a cyclist over on the Hudson River Greenway just north of Chambers St. this afternoon.

I don't know what happened, but the cyclist later caught up with me and she stopped at every single red light on the bike path, which no one ever does. I'm guessing it was a ticket or warning regarding traffic lights.

Of course, the unlighted delivery bikers going the wrong way on dark streets tonight were, as far as I could see, unmolested by law enforcement.

[ccnyc]

http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/03/1...k/#more-253023

I was at this meeting. The NYPD Central Park Precinct officers will continue to actively target "spandex" cyclists in Central Park while looking the other way re speeding motorists, tourists on bicycles going through red lights, and jaywalkers.

Some local politicians (Scott Stringer and Gail Brewer) showed up vowing to support ending the red light ticket blitz and working to change the red lights to flashing yellow when cars are not allowed in the park.

DOT is the key to changing the lights. They were invited to the meeting but no one showed up.

[Eden]

http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/03/1...k/#more-253023

I was at this meeting. The NYPD Central Park Precinct officers will continue to actively target "spandex" cyclists in Central Park while looking the other way re speeding motorists, tourists on bicycles going through red lights, and jaywalkers.

Well then..... that sounds rather unfair.......

[PamNY]

Well then..... that sounds rather unfair.......

Eden, the problem is that cyclists do laps at speed when Central Park is very, very crowded. They travel in packs and they yell at pedestrians.

Is it fair that a child learning to ride his bike with training wheels has to put up with this? Remember, in the city, he has nowhere else to ride.

Is it fair that an elderly woman with an oxygen bottle and a rolling walker has to cross the street in fear of groups of cyclists going 20+ mph?

Is it fair that ordinary cyclists like me have no choice but to cycle past the aforementioned woman, because there is nothing I can do to help her? Even if I come to a dead stop for 20 minutes, the road is wide and it won't matter. There could be a speeding pack bearing down on her, and I can't stop them.

Is it fair that a few cyclists who want to train can inflict annoyance and anxiety on literally hundreds of people?

With hills, curves and crowds on the street, you can't see them coming, even if you know they might be there. And tourists, of course, don't know to watch for them.

Ironically, it was reading this forum that turned me against the Central Park cyclists. How many threads are there pointing out that it isn't safe for a cyclist going fast to stop?

I'd never thought about that since I don't go very fast. But now that I know, my question is: what are these people doing in a crowded urban park at 2 pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon?

As I stated earlier, I don't know what the answer is, but the situation as it existed was untenable. I do hope that something can be worked out to give cyclists more freedom during the early morning hours. That would be a reasonable accommodation.