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Post by jay on Oct 6, 2006 11:24:04 GMT -5
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Post by jay on Oct 6, 2006 11:25:39 GMT -5
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Post by gpickle on Oct 6, 2006 14:07:07 GMT -5
Navigation of the DI website is always annoying, here is the article:
Iowa City citizens are experiencing near-brushes with fast-moving objects these days. In fact, City Councilor Connie Champion almost got smashed by one recently.
"You walk right out a door, and you get hit by a bicycle," she said.
She was so concerned about people being struck by bikes in the downtown area that she addressed the issue at a City Council work session. The councilor said there have been seven serious bike injuries downtown, one of them involving a friend.
Those who share Champion's concern believe a city ordinance against biking on many Iowa City sidewalks is under-enforced, as is its walking cousin, jaywalking. Both fines, considered petty by violators and many UI students, have seen a resurgence in enforcement. Like jaywalkers, those riding bicycles unlawfully on sidewalks can be fined $70.
UI junior Tim Porter was one of the unlucky few caught riding illegally by police. He paid the fine but complained that cyclists were not well-informed about the law.
"After I got a ticket, I started to see the signs," Porter said.
Iowa City police Sgt. Doug Hart said it is the public's duty to be cognizant of the city ordinances.
"It's the citizens' responsibility to inform themselves of what the laws are," he said.
Hart said police started to monitor the situation after receiving complaints from motorists and pedestrians on the sidewalk, adding that the city doesn't see an increase in revenue from the tickets that are being written.
City Manager Steve Atkins said bicyclists on the sidewalks have posed concerns for a while; he cited possible collisions between walkers and riders and property damage as potential dangers.
However, not everyone is persuaded that the issue is important enough to garner attention from law enforcement.
Matt Mucci, a UI junior who used to ride his bike downtown, said he's frustrated by the police monitoring the situation.
"What happens is that one person gets hit [by a bicyclist], they complain, and they get a law made," Mucci said.
Julita Potter, a UI senior, said she rides her bike to classes frequently. While she feels students should keep their bikes off the sidewalks, she has conflicting feelings about the police handing out tickets.
"It's probably the best form of transportation that we have," she said.
Her other argument against ticketing was that the $70 fee would be too much for students to afford, noting that she rides her bike because of the cost of gas and auto insurance, as well as the downtown parking situation.
Champion encourages students to ride their bikes to school - just not downtown. She said the narrow sidewalks make the area less-than-desirable for biking.
As for bike lanes, Champion said they would be impossible to build, because the city can't move buildings.
But what about riding your bike on the street instead of the sidewalk?
"I'm not sure how safe that is," Champion said.
Students, it seems, may have to pick their poison.
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Post by gpickle on Oct 6, 2006 14:40:13 GMT -5
Okay so I posted the article, lets discuss!
The Iowa City Bike Library Commuter Breakfast this morning was a wonderful place to discuss this issue (and eat breakfast, of course) and the general feeling was that this is an opportunity for cyclists to advance some issues with the City Council. Contacting the council is easy, just send an email to council@iowa-city.org and it will be distrubuted to all seven members.
Most of the article seems to me to consist of the usual "MY LIFE IS SOOOO HAAARD" DI brand of "journalism" where they present their biased view of the poor-noble-honest-hardworking-yet-consistantly-drunk college student once again being the victim in predatory Iowa City. Most of this can be disregarded, I think. The policy is clear, no bike riding on sidewalks in the downtown business district and I think it makes sense. If it takes a $70.00 ticket to help a college student notice a clearly posted sign that is okay with me. The main problem I find in the article is this section:
Champion encourages students to ride their bikes to school - just not downtown. She said the narrow sidewalks make the area less-than-desirable for biking.
As for bike lanes, Champion said they would be impossible to build, because the city can't move buildings.
But what about riding your bike on the street instead of the sidewalk?
"I'm not sure how safe that is," Champion said.
Wow! Riding in the street may not be safe in Iowa City! I seriously doubt this is the sort of statement that Iowa City wants associated with it's downtown so lets call them on it. Go ahead, send an email to the council and ask for explanation. This is a great opportunity to get a seriously pro-bike statement so lets ask!
gpickle
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Post by jay on Oct 6, 2006 15:48:08 GMT -5
Hmm.....I guess, personally, I don't really have a problem with people riding in the ped mall, so long as they aren't riding like jackasses. That said, I can see where people might not like it either. I guess I just don't see it as that big of a deal either way. I usually walk my bike through, but sometimes (7 AM, for instance) I will ride slowly (and I mean sloooooooowly) through. There are just way too many other IC bike-related issues that are so much more pressing, as we all know.
In terms of the "MY LIFE IS SOOOO HAAARD" journalism of the DI, I couldn't agree more.
And, as gpickle says, what better opportunity to press the council on improving the bike-friendliness of IC than now.
Also, my favorite quote has to be this one by Champion. "You walk right out a door, and you get hit by a bicycle." Heh, if only that were the case.
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Post by cootie on Oct 6, 2006 20:02:10 GMT -5
Okay, kids. This is what I came up with:
Hello City Councilmember,
The article in today's Daily Iowan brought to my attention City Councilor Connie
Champion's feelings about cyclists in Iowa City.
"Champion encourages students to ride their bikes to school - just not
downtown."
Then, when asked about cyclists using streets instead of sidewalks, the reply
was, "I'm not sure how safe that is."
This is a terrible vision of our downtown. I am aware of the city ordinance to
keep the downtown area sidewalks clear of bicycles, and I believe it is a
necessary law. What bothers me about this is the blatant disregard of bicycling
as a viable transportation alternative.
The streets aren't safe enough? Well, what is the city council willing to do to
make cyclists safe? Check your statistics, and you will find that deaths and
injuries from motor vehicle accidents grossly outweigh those of bicycles. Iowa
City was once considered a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American
Bicyclists. We have that status no longer. Perhaps it is time to regain the safe
streets that we have lost, so cyclists will choose the streets over sidewalks of
their own will.
I appreciate your time.
Thank you,
Cody Gieselman
Iowa City Bike Library Coordinator
That gpickle sure was right about how easy that was. Yee-haw!
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Post by the weiner posse on Oct 7, 2006 0:12:55 GMT -5
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Post by gpickle on Oct 9, 2006 7:47:50 GMT -5
Here is my piece, has anyone else emailed the coucil? If we don't, nothing happens. Follow through, people.
I will keep you all posted.
gpickle
As a dedicated Iowa City bicycle commuter and activist I was dismayed as I read the Daily Iowan article "Bike complaints garner official attention". The comments attributed to City Councilor Champion do not make Iowa City sound like an attractive place to bicycle at all, which is well off the mark. I do not take issue with the sidewalk law, bicycles do not belong on sidewalks or in the pedestrian mall any more than cars do and enforcement of existing laws is neccessary to ensure the safety of everyone. I do take issue with Councilor Champions encouraging students to ride their bikes to school - just not downtown. This statement is simply not to be believed as anyone who is familiar with Iowa City knows that the campus is downtown. Bike lanes are not an issue and no buildings will have to be moved as the roads serve as perfectly good bike lanes already. As for the statement that riding bicycles in the streets of Iowa City may not be safe, I almost fell out of my chair! This is the vision of Iowa City? The laws of Iowa City regarding bicycles will ensure that riding them in the streets is safe, maybe the police could spend a day ticketing motorists that pass to close to cyclists or fail to yield the right of way to cyclists or maybe the city could more aggresively prosecute Girls Gone Wild buses when they run over cyclists (assault with a deadly weapon?) here in OUR town.
I could go on all morning and I welcome the opportunity to meet with each of you in person in your office or over coffee downtown to discuss bicycle related issues in Iowa City. I would urge you, in light of the recent article in the DI, to write an editorial to both the Daily Iowan and the Press Citizen clarifying the City Council's views of bicycles as part of Iowa City's transportation system. Thank you for your time, any of you interested in meeting I am available at this email address.
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Post by Mark Wyatt on Oct 9, 2006 11:48:58 GMT -5
I picked up the phone and called Connie. When I was done, she encouraged people to call her if they have any questions.
You're not going to change her mind and it's obvious she doesn't understand the points. She encouraged participation in the central district planning process. She was also open to funding some education.
Initally she said Iowa City did do education, they issue warning tickets and warning tickets have no effect. I told her we cannot continue to shout "You can't ride here" without teaching where you can ride and how you can do it. Here is where we can make an impact.
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Post by jay on Oct 9, 2006 13:21:29 GMT -5
It's unfortunate she wasn't more receptive to what you had to say, Mark. Maybe we should speak to others on the council as well?
I agree with gpickle on the bike lanes not really being necessary. The streets ARE generally safe to ride on, although many motorists do not understand what to do when encountering a cyclist. As mentioned in another topic, some of those "bicycles allowed use of full lane" signs would be a nice start in educating drivers. I can't remember the last time I've seen or heard of a driver being ticketed in IC for failure to yield ROW to a cyclist. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just that I don't see/hear it.
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Post by jaghouse on Oct 9, 2006 23:07:57 GMT -5
A perfect example of how uneducated, inexperienced and misinformed individuals look at urban bicycling. Too many people see bicycles on the streets as unsafe. Its not poisonous! Back in the day when I was going to school at the U, I would ride my bike on occasion to class... on the sidewalk. I had no idea how to ride in an urban invironment or how to pick the safest route. I actually crashed on the sidewalk going down Burlington St. when I was moving around some pedestrians and I got too squirley on the raised lip where the concrete and bricks meet. Bam. endo. and nice bloody leg for Trig. class. Education is critical. Bicyclists and city leaders need colaboration over confrontation. I would like to see classes for students and the general public. How about a mentoring program like Portland: bikeportland.org/2006/08/08/southeast-uplift-launches-bike-buddy-program/Or what about determining some bicycle safe routes like they do in Chicago: www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation/bikemap/and there is alot of other great information on that site as well. We need to develop resources of information (classes, books, websites, mentors) that the public can readily access to change this notion that bicycling on the streets is unsafe. |
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Post by Mark Wyatt on Oct 11, 2006 21:55:50 GMT -5
I have a meeting on Friday to discuss just that idea. Excellent suggestions and right on the money.
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Post by jay on Oct 17, 2006 12:31:25 GMT -5
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Post by lazybee45 on Oct 20, 2006 22:21:16 GMT -5
O "I'm not sure how safe that is," Champion said. [/i] gpickle[/quote] Wait a minute! Hold the PHONE here. she says that Bikes are a danger to pedestrians so bikes must be banned from the sidewalks and Ped mall, But bikes on the street are not safe because cars might hit them on the street so bikes are not to be on the streets??? wait a second here, if BIKES are dangerous on sidewalks because pedestrians are slower and more vulnerable, then CARS are dangerous on streets because they are too large and fast and are dangerous to vulnerable cyclists and cars should be banned from downtown streets! that being said, I get to Iowa city once or twice a year. a few years ago I was at a meeting in IC and rode through the Ped Mall (not knowing it was a prohibited space to bikes) on my Trike. No hassel at all, but then some people confuse my Trike (a low recumbent trike) with a "mobility device" such as a wheelchair. So maybe that is the issue here. I also ride quite slowly through any congested space. Wlaking the TT is not easy to do, by the way. A wedgie has those tall handlebars and seat up where you can grab them. A trike (or at least MY trike ) doesn't mark |
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Post by chenshui on Jun 23, 2011 2:13:58 GMT -5
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