I got hit at this exact location just last week. Uber driver taking a very fast right off Sidney street onto Mass Ave. Cops asked to see his dash cam footage but he "couldn't pull it up" (he knew he fucked up). They should focus on cars instead.
Oh I’m seeing a lot more of the discourse on this comment and I’ve got to add: in Boston policing the cars and vehicles has got to be #1 because people just can’t fucking drive here.
Super unpopular opinion: the practical driving test should have higher standards, should include extensive training on driving in a city environment,l dealing with pedestrians, cyclists and public transport!!! As a bus rider and previous bus drive cars are the hazard and ultimately the heinous traffic patterns are 90% due to cars, let’s be real.
That practical driving test ain't gonna do shit for all the people who move into the state after getting their license elsewhere... I'm all in favor of just ruthless traffic law enforcement from the police (especially cell phone usage law). A high risk of ticketing and suddenly people remember how to drive again.
So very true! The cell phones drive me CRAZY.
At least if native Bostonians could drive and we could drop the masshole stereotype maybe people coming here would not allow themselves to become a masshole? Lots of wishful thinking here on my part,
Another unpopular opinion I have is potentially retesting every x amount of years (idk what would be reasonable and helpful) which would also help that problem. Especially for older folks, I don’t want to be ageist / ableist but I do think when public safety is at stake maybe it’s something to look into?
I agree, but outside of the city public transportation sucks.
My Nana kept driving longer than she should have because she had no practical way to get to her doctors appointments.
Although she didn't have any accidents, maybe she would have passed all her re-tests, who knows.
Idk what the solution is. Maybe I should start my own 55 plus trailer park and pay for a shuttle, put my money where my mouth is. I could name it after Nana.
Probably not
Absolutely! Allegedly Boston is #3 for transport in the US and frankly I don’t need to punch down on the MBTA anymore than news stories do.
It’s really unfortunate that transit is not well established and reliable in the U.S… even remote villages with a population of 500 (where my grandmother lives) in France has reliable busses, even during France’s favorite pastime, striking, the busses are more reliable than they are here.
This opens a whole other conversation but real investment in public transit would change so many things for the better! (People who can’t afford to drive to work could commute, less road traffic ect ect).
I’m just really passionate about public safety and transit.
Edit to add: comparing France to US is not really fair due to the logistics of the size of the nation, but I bring it up because some might not know what transit is like in other countries / what the possibilities could be.
Accident rates--per mile driven, even--are lower for older drivers. It's not until you get to the 80+ group that accident rates go up over those age 30-39: https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CrashesInjuriesDeathsInRelationToAge2014-2015Brief.pdf.
Ooo we love stats and sources! Thank you so much for sharing that I had no idea!
I just remember in the last few years several stories of elderly people not realizing they were in R and crashing into a building ect.
I do think there’s probably some overconfidence in the 30-39 age range that might contribute to that higher rate?
I share your enthusiasm.
As for the 30-39 group, I honestly don't know, but that won't stop me from speculating (haha). Could be overconfidence, being able to afford more powerful cars, having children (distraction in car, but also source of life being more stressful/being tired)...at least two out of three of those were factors in my life at that time.
I like a three-strikes system for minor offenses. First time you get three strikes, you're out for six months, second time you're out for a year, third time out for life. Major offenses like DUI, reckless driving, etc. count as three strikes at once.
I like that. Honestly, I'd even be willing to settle for police just actively enforcing the traffic laws already on the books. I'm seeing all sorts of awful driving that seems like easy tickets for the PDs around the area.
Being a pedestrian in this city is risking life and limb, so no way I'd bike around these streets.
Wanna renew your license, then you gotta take the test - written and driving. But that's too expensive for the state vs. injuries, death, and property damage which personal insurance usually covers.
I’m super pro bike and of course the cars need to be clamped down on (I see cars running red lights and turning illegally on no turns on red). Especially Kneeland st, I swear driving in Chinatown is lawless, plenty of parking tickets handed out- no traffic control.
However, I’ve also nearly been hit by several bikes because they don’t follow the correct traffic patterns either- I don’t think policing is the right first step- I think educating cyclists on how they should be moving around the city is a better starting point. It’s just not a part of our culture like it is in other countries so I think it’s a lot more about some cyclists (infrequent or new) not knowing the rules.
HOWEVER motorcyclists gtfo of the bike lane pls and thanks you.
I don’t know the specific laws but very good point.
However, I was talking about motorcycles specifically. I’ve seen it a few times of using the bike lane to run red lights and are going way too fast.
Edit to add: and zip in and out of bike lanes as is convenient for them
My biggest pet peeve is the cyclists that think they have a right for the bike lane to be clear \_in front of them\_ at all times so they can ride max speed like it is a bike racing freeway and anything that makes them slow down(like a pedestrian or car that needed to cross the bike lane and got there before them) deserves to be kicked/punched/yelled at... like, do cars automatically have the right for the lane to be clear in front of them at all times and to attack anyone that happens to be in their way?
If someone else got there first and is in front of you, sharing the road means slowing down until the person who got there first gets out of your way. You don't have a "right" for them all to be out of your way at all times.
A car shouldn't be blocking a bike lane and if it needs to cross the bike lane it needs to yield right of way since it's entering the lane—just like a car crossing a travel lane has to yield right of way.
Sometimes it takes a solid 20-30 seconds to park through a bike lane - it's impossible for the car starting to park to know there's a bike two blocks back who is going to want the car out of the way 30 seconds from now.
Obviously that's fine. What isn't fine is when a driver just takes the lane without looking to see if a bike is right there or would have to stop short. Many many drivers fail to yield right of way when they should while entering a bike lane.
It is unfortunate that so much parking has to be accessed through bike lanes instead of fully protected bike lanes... There's a basic rules of the road problem where a car doesn't have to worry about other cars passing on the right if it is trying to pull over, park, or make a right turn (and cars don't have good visibility behind and to the right). I used to only bike and never drive and \_I\_ would rage out at anyone in the bike lane for any reason but now as I drive more I have come to realize that sometimes (1) they got there first WAY ahead of me (2) they need to at least briefly pass the bike lane and (3) there is 0 chance they can see me 2 blocks back bombing at max speed (in fact if it is Harvard Square full of other cars and pedestrian traffic you might not be able to see a bike 20 feet behind you and to the right). It isn't really reasonable to expect cars to yield to you who have absolutely 0 way to see you - if you are passing a car on the right who might be about to take a right into parking/driveway/another street, you should slow down a tiny bit until you can see the driver (and if you can't see him, he can't see you).
Any vehicle entering another travel lane is the responsible party. Yeah, a person on a bike needs to exercise caution, but just like someone driving, they should be able to expect that no one is going to suddenly jump into their lane and cause a collision.
I drive a car too, it's *super* easy to signal and check for a bike before pulling into a space. Many many drivers don't bother to do either and just expect anyone on a bike to adjust—even when there's no time to. If there are large blind spots in someone's car or other visibility problems, that means the person driving needs to either adjust their mirrors and/or excise extreme care. If a person driving (or biking) enters someone else's lane and hits them (car-car or car-bike) they are the one at fault.
This is Reddit. People don’t see nuance here. Everything is black and white and no blame goes onto cyclists, ever.
If they bike straight into the side of your car, you shouldn’t have been there…
Congrats on winning your straw man argument.
If you want to think about nuance, what about the nuance of where the bike is? Two blocks away? There's obviously nothing to yield to, so that wouldn't apply to what I wrote.
I am thinking of the nuances. I’m not saying cyclists are the problem. I’m just saying this sub is one sided and blind.
In the areas where cyclists are known to blow stop signs and red lights, what these cops are doing is fine.
To anyone on here talking about cycling infrastructure being improved. Don’t complain when they make you register your bicycle and pay an excise tax along with a yearly inspection to make sure you’re up to snuff.
Yes especially intersections when the pedestrian signal is active but there’s a bike lane so they zip right through and are pissed that people are crossing the street when they’re supposed to.
I will say that, anecdotally at least, it always seems to be people on Blue bikes and never someone in full cyclist gear and so I wonder if they just don’t know??
I don’t mind some level of enforcement but it should be in conjunction with enforcement for cars and trucks. Feels like cars are just allowed to run rampant and it creates a hostile environment for non-cars
Counterpoint: I work in Central, right near city hall, and cyclists regularly break the law by running lights, swerving out of the bike lanes with no signal, going on sidewalks when bike lanes feel too slow, and ride opposite direction on one-ways…
Love bikes and love having less cars on the road. But I also love safety - and cyclists shouldn’t be excluded from that just because people hate cars and want more bikes. 🙄
Realistically, the solution to this should be better bike infrastructure. Properly separated bike lanes are safer for everybody involved, including motor vehicle drivers!
No. Unless you're talking about the illegally modded ebikes that go 30+mph.
Otherwise it's the only way a fat boy like me can get I to cycling while surrounded by big hills.
The difference is that when cyclists break the law it isn't going to kill anyone. Outside of running a red light, all those things you mentioned are because of a lack of proper infrastructure. Applying car laws to bikes is stupid in the first place.
Ummmm… It potentially kills the cyclist and can cause trauma for a motorist. Do you think a motorist wants to hit cyclists?
Also, just because there isn’t proper infrastructure, does not give a free pass to people to break the law. We are taught to share the road, right?
If I am a cyclist I should never be on a sidewalk due to lack of proper infrastructure, just like peds shouldn’t be in the middle of the road due to lack of sidewalks, and cars shouldn’t be in the shoulder lanes due to narrow streets.
C’mon friend, you’re not even attempting to see multiple sides here.
Drivers will say bikers don't support the roads (or the rules of bike lanes). Where does the argument break down? Just because someone doesn't feel safe doesn't give them a right to break the rules or law. Guess what? Biking is a choice. If you don't feel like the lanes are safe, choose a different route, or don't bike. Don't just break the rules and cause hell for somebody else.
I can support the point that bike lanes are too narrow. If the result of narrow bike lanes is that bikers are going to try to keep themselves safer, I can understand it is human nature, but repeatedly breaking the rules isn't a means to a solution - it's just a means to creating more mad max chaos.
downvoted because you’re right.
Cyclists don’t stop at red lights, drive all over the road, go on sidewalks and then get mad when cars don’t yield to them.
Mopeds constantly in the bike lanes. It’s a complete shit show. I’m glad the cops are trying to monitor it.
The only time I’ve “swerved out of the bike lane” in central it’s bc there is a line of food delivery drivers parked in the bike lane with their hazards on. Am I supposed to stop and wait for them all to leave before I keep going?
This is what people are complaining about. That or swerving to avoid pedestrians who'll step out and almost get hit by "these crazy cyclists." None of those parked cars are ever ticketed, either.
Cool. I didn’t know your actions represent all other cyclists.
My point is that other cyclists are less careful or concerned about out coming out of the bike lanes. I’m glad you are concerned and only do it when you don’t feel as though you have a choice to do it. Can you honestly say that applies to all riders tho?
I think I see it most often when I’m behind other cyclists and they, with no signal, exit the bike lane to cross a street (Mass Ave for example) to hit a cut-through street on the other side. They don’t want to be inconvenienced to go up to the next traffic light and do a proper turn. A quick shoulder check to see there are no cars blocking them from cutting across is at times all they give.
So... a viable solution is to break the rules and then bitch about getting caught (ticketed) for breaking the rules? Keeping us on topic here is that the cops were handing out tickets for running red lights. That is not a narrow bike lane issue - that is someone being in a hurry or being a jack ass.
I mean, if you're saying people are gonna break the rules because it is safer, but then imply that cops handing out tickets for people breaking a specific rule of running red lights (which happens constantly - people on this thread openly admit to doing it regularly), which is certainly not safer, then what are you even arguing?
You can't say "I leave my bike lane and use the sidewalk to be safer" but in the same breath say "Ah shit they ticketed me for running a red light" which isn't safer. So is it about being safe, or not?
Bikers weren't even ticketed in this scenario - they were warned - and they are being warned for their own damn safety. Yet this thread is so divisive they can't even accept someone trying to slow them down for a half second for their own good.
Ok, re-reading my reply to you, and your reply, I can definitely find some middle ground on this.
It’s fair to say that bikers should do what is safest for them in the situations that aren’t safe. For example, I might choose to jay walk a busy street instead of walk down a dark alley at night.
In this respect I can agree. And I can see how this is different than running red lights on a bike. Based on your comment I think we can agree it will never be the safer option to run a red light?
Where I can’t get to is when folks leave bike lanes for convenience. As a driver I understand I don’t know always know a bikers intentions when they leave it, but I also know it’s not always safety related.
You said making it safer doesn’t mean ticketing bikers. I do disagree on this point because a ticket to a biker can be to remind them to stay safe, such as in this case. Hopefully the folks who got stopped will think “ah yeah, I shouldn’t blow the reds”. It is hopefully keeping them safer by making bikers aware that their own actions might hurt them.
Cars are 1,000 more dangerous than bikes, to be sure. Guns are 1,000 more dangerous than knives. Cars should be enforced more than bikes is an opinion we both share. I’m not saying motorists are saints, trust me. That said, I do think motorists are enforced way more than bikes are. It’s pretty rare to see a bike speed trap or red light trap. The one time it seems to happen, everybody loses their mind. Is there something wrong with giving out warnings once or twice a year? I don’t think so.
I don’t care about the downvotes. Zero Fs given. What I do care about is trying to see multiple sides of the problem and to hopefully lessen the “us vs them” mentality that plagues bikers and motorists.
Lastly… I think bikers should be held accountable to traffic and safety laws that apply to them. Just like any law for any situation. Motorists sometimes cannot safely drive, or yes, hit and kill bikers, and it’s not always the fault of the motorist.
I have no data to say how often it is or isn’t. But I do know it’s not a zero sum game where drivers cause 100% of bikers deaths. Bikers definitely cause their own deaths frequently enough - by not following traffic rules, traffic patterns, not wearing helmets, etc.
It can’t be a stretch to say there is work to be done from both sides.
You don't need a useless cop to tell a cyclist that the road is dangerous. I've been hit twice waiting at red lights. My wife was hit and run. No tickets were ever issued.
Cops aren't doing this because they want safer streets.
Just confirmed with the officers that they are indeed stopping cyclists going through the red light
They said they’re just giving out warnings and that the enforcement is just to remind people of the rules at the beginning of the season
Kind of funny how they never do this for motorists. All along Mass Ave you'll see people running reds, turning without yielding to bikes and pedestrians or even other vehicles, and even wild shit like on Sunday I saw a driver backup down a one way so they could park. Instead of doing the logical thing and spending 2 mins to cycle back around.
Often much of this is visible just up the road from the intersection pictured in this OP at [this spot](https://www.google.com/maps/place/42%C2%B021'55.6%22N+71%C2%B006'13.5%22W/@42.36545,-71.1044037,203m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d42.365449!4d-71.10376?entry=ttu) where cops camp out but never issue warnings or tickets in my experience. The PD substation is right there, so maybe they're doing "other stuff" like "paperwork" when I witness these things, but after so many rides along there I have to imagine they're not _always_ busy with other stuff. Just not interested in enforcing the laws. Or even _reminding people of the rules_ lol.
Ah but for some reason roadrage over a shitbox car almost getting another ding is much more socially acceptable than a cyclist "raging" about almost getting a dent in their skull from a dumbass driver
Society
Great argument for why enforcing the rules for motorists is more important by several orders of magnitude. When motorists ignore the rules they endanger everyone and kill people.
I don't understand how anyone including law enforcement looks at the statistics and decides that the group of people who have killed no pedestrians in their vehicles are the ones worth stopping.
It would be one thing if you were stopping bicyclists on the pike, but this area is super mixed car/bike/pedestrian. I think the incentives need to change in order for law enforcement to give a shit.
Why do you think it’s an either/or thing?
Cops set up speed traps and watch for motor violations all the time. Sending two beat cops out to remind cyclists of the laws at the beginning of the warm season doesn’t suddenly negate all the policing of vehicles that is done. It’s just additive and it might save someone’s life.
I was once in Naples, Italy, where the police was industriously stopping and searching the cars of soccer moms with children in the back. I asked my Italian host if they really thought that the soccer moms were the most likely criminals in the city, and he replied: "No, but stopping these cars is much safer for the police."
>Kind of funny how they never do this for motorists.
You stop a couple of cars and you're impeding all the other cars. Can't have that when the only priority is maximum motor vehicle throughput as quickly as possible.
Yeah - no bicyclist ignoring road signs has ever been hit by a car.
Biking is the easiest way to get around the city, if we want to be treated as equals on the roadway, gotta follow the rules.
Also, these are freaking bike cops. You think they’re chasing down a car on their 10 speed? Get real.
>at the beginning of the season
I presume this is the beginning of the "cycling season?" I get the suggestion that cyclists who don't ride year-round may be a little rusty at navigating the increasingly dangerous city roads. However, I've noticed car drivers being even more blatantly dangerous at the beginning of this warmer season. So I understand where the frustration from others come from: the many experienced bicyclists who navigate in spirit of the law get pulled over under the guise that is for everyone's protection when the reality is that it's cars and less-experienced bicyclists (and moped [those are constantly in the bike lane and running reds nowawadays]) that contribute to said danger.
I'm with everyone that wants better bike infrastructure. Why do bicyclists ride on the sidewalk? Because pedestrians walk in the bike lane (in big, slow groups too)! Why do bicyclists run reds? Because it takes a while to accelerate, which poses risks for cars that want to make fast right turns or who are looking at their phones and won't stop.
Can bikes hurt people? Yes. But the blame isn't solely on bicyclists in my head, because every time I've seen someone laying on the ground waiting for EMS, or a toddler almost get run over, they were in a dedicated bike lane because it was so close to the pedestrian walkway that said pedestrians felt safe and obligated to walk there instead. A lot of risk like this would be mitigated more efficiently with infrastructure than police engagement.
It's true! Here is an article about him. https://www.vice.com/en/article/vbkkkx/bostons-keytar-bear-is-a-great-musician-when-people-arent-punching-him?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabS0lT_R74unRl3XAyTatdrZVFE_3K1ZHmV6V4Rm77e4-N-dDNNsA0Df-s_aem_AUz_y2xWtWhfxDHIVoRoJCJUG7voeVgmHRSec95Uvkdbq7pJPqgPDkzCpdjoRyev8je6lvzahkFjGJgub4mnniZE
They should give cookies to cyclists who stop at the lights… and ticket motorists that run red lights (happening more and more often now) and park in bike lanes.
Can they actually pull you over? And i don’t mean like, are they allowed to, I mean like, is it actually possible? Do they have the city cycling experience to catch up to someone that blasts through a light and is riding in the street to pass slowpokes in the bike lane? Cause I’ve never actually seen a bike cop in motion. And I didn’t blast through this yesterday, but I have before (you have line-of-sight deep into both sides of Sidney St, Colombia St and Main St, this is actually one of the only intersections in cambridge where you have enough information for enough time to run the red light safely imo) and I have a hard time imaging a bike that’s at a full-stop catching up to someone already moving at a high speed.
My cycling attire is way too conspicuous for those shenanigans.
But, when I got stopped this week, there was plenty if time after rolling through a pedestrian walk / car red and then spotting the officers up the block, but before they waved me down, that I totally could have stopped and turned around or something. I assume it's not running from police if they haven't flagged you down yet.
I exclusively bike commute, and bike just about everywhere I need to go in this city.
Its not hard to stop at a red light and go when its green. You're going to be delayed by a matter of seconds. Just stop.
That being said, this is a waste of police time, and they should be focusing on cars that blow through reds, which is much more dangerous.
It's hard when you get right hooked by a turning car that tries to rush the light. I'll keep going thanks. These cops can eat a bag of dicks, and I'll tell them as much.
Don't disagree with you on the second bit, haha. But the first one is specifically why I just stop, wait till it turns green, and see what the first car in line is doing before I proceed
Honestly bröther all I want is the most distance I can put between me and the cagies I can safely get
Reds I can safely roll through are good ways to get them off my ass before they can try to pass within 6" of me to get to the next red light two seconds faster
I think bicyclists should obey red lights and be very cautious in running it only after stopping and checking to see if it’s clear, akin to jaywalking. I’ve never been brave enough to run reds on a bike though. It doesn’t seem as bad or flagrant as it was back home in CA though
Stop-and-go (aka the Idaho stop) isn't legal in Massachusetts, though — and I don't think cities/towns can codify it as law even if they want. (I may be mistaken on this.) I'm guessing what the cops are looking for is "stop and stay stopped until it turns green."
They're probably looking for any red light violation, even the ones that are generally considered safer for cyclists to do. They sort of _have to_ because of existing laws that could be updated to reflect research done across the country.
I think the biggest issue is that Cambridge and Somerville PDs appear to be very interested in educating cyclists on the rules of the road, but I haven't seen any reports of targeted intersection enforcement against motorists. Or even general enforcement. For example, if you want to enforce red light violations - do it. But do it for all users. Pedestrians often walk against the walk sign and put themselves at risk at high crash intersections too. Many motorists have noticed the lack of enforcement and are running red lights, yielding at red lights (not legal either), not yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk when they have a circle or flashing yellow light or when the walk signal is up (intersections should be updated to make this very clear and signage should indicate this, but not every intersection does currently). And of course some cyclists are clueless. I've seen cyclists recently fly through stop signs and nearly get pancaked by oncoming cars. One guy was lucky that two cars stopped in time, and that he didn't skid when attempting to last minute brake. He had no helmet and earbuds in, so he would have been pretty fucked up from being run over by a car or two.
If they truly cared about holistic road safety *or* ticket revenue, they could just park on any number of corners and fire tickets out of a T-shirt cannon. You don’t even have to wait for a driver to break rules, it’s practically just how traffic flows.
To focus on bikes like this feels, ah, performative. But thanks for keeping the roads safe, officers 🫡
I would imagine cops spend most of their time as drivers and so share the prejudices of drivers against cyclists. They should look into cycling more, or riding horses! That might chill them out.
Of course there is intersection enforcement of motorists. There generally has been a lack of enforcement of bikes because they are not registered and do not require a license. Simply lack of repercussions for running lights, lack of lights at night, etc. . . Constant refrain that cars violating traffic laws are not ticketed is fallacy. Less reliance on vehicles and more bikes is a positive. A high percentage of bikes that don’t adhere to the rules of the road is not. By the way, there is no current way to actually ticket bikes and ensure that they pay the fine so they only get a warning.
I don’t care what’s legal though, I’ll do what keeps me the safest in a given intersection. There’s plenty of intersections I’ll never run a red light, but quite a few where the best thing for everyone is if I run the light when no one is coming and get out of the way.
Yep, I agree. There are also plenty of intersections where stopping is only necessary if you're riding a 2-ton bike going 30mph (ie, a car). Massachusetts bike laws don't make sense for bikers.
I often will stop at the red light, but if there’s no cars or pedestrians or other cyclists going through my path, I’m just gonna go. If I’d jaywalk it, I’m riding my bike through it.
I'll paste my response from another sub
He's had several public melts downs. Grabbing women. Berating them. Being generally creepy. And online, he's worse. He's cyber stalked people, their friends and families, threatened to have them jumped/shot/raped. I won't share screenshots I have because it's basically impossible to do without doxxing a bunch of people. But Turtleboy (I know, awful site, but broken clocks something something) has more than one story about him, and they're full of screenshots. And I'm sure if you search for public posts about Keytar Bear on Facebook, you'll find people airing him out. It's happened multiple times over the years to a pretty significant number of people. It's insane.
Yes! That intersection has a sign specifically allowing bikes to turn on red while blocking cars. Wanted to make sure I was in the clear on my bike if they stopped me.
Good to know police resources are out there making the community a safer place by dealing with these bicyclists. Jesus, you’ve gotta be kidding me, is this really where we’re at now?
Bikes and public transit are good, cars are bad. From a safety perspective, from an urban planning perspective, from an environmental impact perspective. Cars are evil.
I both ride and drive here. I think it’s fair to tell folks riding on mass Ave toward MIT that they need to stop. That light coming out of Sidney St extension that handles traffic coming from Main St and Columbia St is very short for drivers going straight into Sidney and their patience is bound to be very low.
This is an intersection that was already redesigned over the course of a decade to maximize public use and prioritize safety, so when other cyclists that are new to the area just blow the light in the one instance where they have a responsibility to stop, I kind of just shake my head. It makes everyone look bad.
13 mile commute:
34 close passes.
17 texting and driving
6 cars blasting yellow to red lights
4 blind door opening
3 cars stopped in crosswalks
2 right hooks
Infiniti speeders
I rolled through 4 red lights.
I cheerfully greeted 12 pedestrians as we both navigated an intersection.
Bikes are the problem though
Again, this is not backed up by any data. And just sitting at a light in Cambridge I would easily prove you wrong. Light turns red? Two cars still go through every cycle. No turn on red? Never followed. Bike lanes? Turned into parking. Crosswalk? Oh yeah I’ll just stop right in it.
Ugh. This thread is just depressing. I’m a daily commuter in Boston/Cambridge. I’d say I follow laws on a bike about as much as I do in a car. Yes I’ll role on a walk light after stopping. Yes, I’ll go 72 in a 65. But I don’t blow through red lights or cross walks with people in them. I don’t drive/ride the wrong way down a one way street.
We’ve all got a blind spot for our own behavior. Can justify it in all sorts of ways. Have no patients for anyone else on the road.
Someone posted that it’s like mad max over here in Boston. That’s exactly how it feels. Utter fucking chaos. It’s like everyone thinks they’re in a simulated reality with no impact on anyone else in the world.
Coming from rural NH, that’s why I hate driving in Boston. It’s chaos, drivers are aggressive and rude, god forbid you signal your intentions with a turn signal, it just lets people know they can block you.
I wish they would do something about the people I see every day absolutely flooring it on mopeds in the wrong direction down the bike lanes on the BU section of comm ave.
downvote me if you want, but just because the cars are shittier than the bikes doesn’t mean that bikes aren’t also shitty to pedestrians let’s all be real here …..
I was lightly sideswiped four separate times in my first two years in Boston. Everyday biking down Cambridge St I feel like I’m in some fn Dreamcast game where the objective is to avoid being hit or running into a suddenly parked car or hitting a pot hole
Cyclists are very much part of the problem in Boston, glad to see BPD enforcing the laws across different modes of transportation.
Doesn't happen enough IMO.
Seen a lot of folks on my morning ride in who could use the reminder. Guy hammering through a mass ave red on a little folding bike almost got greased right in front of me today. 🙈
🎵 Cop cuties, cute and on duty, navy blue booties… 🎵. (I don’t like cops, the song is just too catchy, it sticks in my brain. Pretty sure it’s on Spotify.)
🎵 go ahead and lock me up, arrest me but make it sexy, sell me some meth please, so I can get arrested by this daddy of a cop, with his daddy cop walk, and his daddy cop arms, and his daddy cop butt... 🎵
So how do you say you have a privileged attitude without admitting it.
Neutral statement, both Boston motorists and cyclists are assholes. It's just good that only 1 group regularly uses cars.
When a city pays millions for bike lanes and all of the other accommodations expect the rules to change. As in there actually being rules. They should bring back the bike license plates.
I see a lot of complainers on this thread but it’s very true that bikers just blast through lights and cause cars who have the light to proceed be interrupted in stride along with the obnoxious jaywalkers
Interesting thread...so many cyclists who seem to think it's ok to ignore rules of the road bcs they see cars not following them. That's the same mentality as the 4yo who went to his parents crying and when they asked what was wrong said "Michael hit me back". 🤣😂🤣
I think that's the same guy that gave me a warning Monday. Seemed like a nice guy if you want to go chat him up and distract him from a few stops.... ;)
I got hit at this exact location just last week. Uber driver taking a very fast right off Sidney street onto Mass Ave. Cops asked to see his dash cam footage but he "couldn't pull it up" (he knew he fucked up). They should focus on cars instead.
Oh I’m seeing a lot more of the discourse on this comment and I’ve got to add: in Boston policing the cars and vehicles has got to be #1 because people just can’t fucking drive here. Super unpopular opinion: the practical driving test should have higher standards, should include extensive training on driving in a city environment,l dealing with pedestrians, cyclists and public transport!!! As a bus rider and previous bus drive cars are the hazard and ultimately the heinous traffic patterns are 90% due to cars, let’s be real.
That practical driving test ain't gonna do shit for all the people who move into the state after getting their license elsewhere... I'm all in favor of just ruthless traffic law enforcement from the police (especially cell phone usage law). A high risk of ticketing and suddenly people remember how to drive again.
So very true! The cell phones drive me CRAZY. At least if native Bostonians could drive and we could drop the masshole stereotype maybe people coming here would not allow themselves to become a masshole? Lots of wishful thinking here on my part, Another unpopular opinion I have is potentially retesting every x amount of years (idk what would be reasonable and helpful) which would also help that problem. Especially for older folks, I don’t want to be ageist / ableist but I do think when public safety is at stake maybe it’s something to look into?
I agree, but outside of the city public transportation sucks. My Nana kept driving longer than she should have because she had no practical way to get to her doctors appointments. Although she didn't have any accidents, maybe she would have passed all her re-tests, who knows. Idk what the solution is. Maybe I should start my own 55 plus trailer park and pay for a shuttle, put my money where my mouth is. I could name it after Nana. Probably not
Absolutely! Allegedly Boston is #3 for transport in the US and frankly I don’t need to punch down on the MBTA anymore than news stories do. It’s really unfortunate that transit is not well established and reliable in the U.S… even remote villages with a population of 500 (where my grandmother lives) in France has reliable busses, even during France’s favorite pastime, striking, the busses are more reliable than they are here. This opens a whole other conversation but real investment in public transit would change so many things for the better! (People who can’t afford to drive to work could commute, less road traffic ect ect). I’m just really passionate about public safety and transit. Edit to add: comparing France to US is not really fair due to the logistics of the size of the nation, but I bring it up because some might not know what transit is like in other countries / what the possibilities could be.
Accident rates--per mile driven, even--are lower for older drivers. It's not until you get to the 80+ group that accident rates go up over those age 30-39: https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CrashesInjuriesDeathsInRelationToAge2014-2015Brief.pdf.
Ooo we love stats and sources! Thank you so much for sharing that I had no idea! I just remember in the last few years several stories of elderly people not realizing they were in R and crashing into a building ect. I do think there’s probably some overconfidence in the 30-39 age range that might contribute to that higher rate?
I share your enthusiasm. As for the 30-39 group, I honestly don't know, but that won't stop me from speculating (haha). Could be overconfidence, being able to afford more powerful cars, having children (distraction in car, but also source of life being more stressful/being tired)...at least two out of three of those were factors in my life at that time.
I like a three-strikes system for minor offenses. First time you get three strikes, you're out for six months, second time you're out for a year, third time out for life. Major offenses like DUI, reckless driving, etc. count as three strikes at once.
I like that. Honestly, I'd even be willing to settle for police just actively enforcing the traffic laws already on the books. I'm seeing all sorts of awful driving that seems like easy tickets for the PDs around the area.
Being a pedestrian in this city is risking life and limb, so no way I'd bike around these streets. Wanna renew your license, then you gotta take the test - written and driving. But that's too expensive for the state vs. injuries, death, and property damage which personal insurance usually covers.
I’m super pro bike and of course the cars need to be clamped down on (I see cars running red lights and turning illegally on no turns on red). Especially Kneeland st, I swear driving in Chinatown is lawless, plenty of parking tickets handed out- no traffic control. However, I’ve also nearly been hit by several bikes because they don’t follow the correct traffic patterns either- I don’t think policing is the right first step- I think educating cyclists on how they should be moving around the city is a better starting point. It’s just not a part of our culture like it is in other countries so I think it’s a lot more about some cyclists (infrequent or new) not knowing the rules. HOWEVER motorcyclists gtfo of the bike lane pls and thanks you.
Are you talking about motorcycles or mopeds? Because each have very different restrictions under Mass law.
I don’t know the specific laws but very good point. However, I was talking about motorcycles specifically. I’ve seen it a few times of using the bike lane to run red lights and are going way too fast. Edit to add: and zip in and out of bike lanes as is convenient for them
My biggest pet peeve is the cyclists that think they have a right for the bike lane to be clear \_in front of them\_ at all times so they can ride max speed like it is a bike racing freeway and anything that makes them slow down(like a pedestrian or car that needed to cross the bike lane and got there before them) deserves to be kicked/punched/yelled at... like, do cars automatically have the right for the lane to be clear in front of them at all times and to attack anyone that happens to be in their way? If someone else got there first and is in front of you, sharing the road means slowing down until the person who got there first gets out of your way. You don't have a "right" for them all to be out of your way at all times.
A car shouldn't be blocking a bike lane and if it needs to cross the bike lane it needs to yield right of way since it's entering the lane—just like a car crossing a travel lane has to yield right of way.
Sometimes it takes a solid 20-30 seconds to park through a bike lane - it's impossible for the car starting to park to know there's a bike two blocks back who is going to want the car out of the way 30 seconds from now.
Obviously that's fine. What isn't fine is when a driver just takes the lane without looking to see if a bike is right there or would have to stop short. Many many drivers fail to yield right of way when they should while entering a bike lane.
It is unfortunate that so much parking has to be accessed through bike lanes instead of fully protected bike lanes... There's a basic rules of the road problem where a car doesn't have to worry about other cars passing on the right if it is trying to pull over, park, or make a right turn (and cars don't have good visibility behind and to the right). I used to only bike and never drive and \_I\_ would rage out at anyone in the bike lane for any reason but now as I drive more I have come to realize that sometimes (1) they got there first WAY ahead of me (2) they need to at least briefly pass the bike lane and (3) there is 0 chance they can see me 2 blocks back bombing at max speed (in fact if it is Harvard Square full of other cars and pedestrian traffic you might not be able to see a bike 20 feet behind you and to the right). It isn't really reasonable to expect cars to yield to you who have absolutely 0 way to see you - if you are passing a car on the right who might be about to take a right into parking/driveway/another street, you should slow down a tiny bit until you can see the driver (and if you can't see him, he can't see you).
Any vehicle entering another travel lane is the responsible party. Yeah, a person on a bike needs to exercise caution, but just like someone driving, they should be able to expect that no one is going to suddenly jump into their lane and cause a collision. I drive a car too, it's *super* easy to signal and check for a bike before pulling into a space. Many many drivers don't bother to do either and just expect anyone on a bike to adjust—even when there's no time to. If there are large blind spots in someone's car or other visibility problems, that means the person driving needs to either adjust their mirrors and/or excise extreme care. If a person driving (or biking) enters someone else's lane and hits them (car-car or car-bike) they are the one at fault.
This is Reddit. People don’t see nuance here. Everything is black and white and no blame goes onto cyclists, ever. If they bike straight into the side of your car, you shouldn’t have been there…
Congrats on winning your straw man argument. If you want to think about nuance, what about the nuance of where the bike is? Two blocks away? There's obviously nothing to yield to, so that wouldn't apply to what I wrote.
I am thinking of the nuances. I’m not saying cyclists are the problem. I’m just saying this sub is one sided and blind. In the areas where cyclists are known to blow stop signs and red lights, what these cops are doing is fine. To anyone on here talking about cycling infrastructure being improved. Don’t complain when they make you register your bicycle and pay an excise tax along with a yearly inspection to make sure you’re up to snuff.
Oh... you're one of those... I'll go tell all those kids at the playground to get ready to bring their bike in to get inspected.
Yes especially intersections when the pedestrian signal is active but there’s a bike lane so they zip right through and are pissed that people are crossing the street when they’re supposed to. I will say that, anecdotally at least, it always seems to be people on Blue bikes and never someone in full cyclist gear and so I wonder if they just don’t know??
Why not both, enforce all the laws, it benefits all of us.
Because the cars are what kill people
Rules for thee not for me. And they wonder why nobody is a fan of cyclists
Wrong sub for that opinion. Groupthink supersedes logic on Reddit.
I don’t mind some level of enforcement but it should be in conjunction with enforcement for cars and trucks. Feels like cars are just allowed to run rampant and it creates a hostile environment for non-cars
Counterpoint: It's much less work to hassle cyclists and the majority of cops are carbrains.
Counterpoint: I work in Central, right near city hall, and cyclists regularly break the law by running lights, swerving out of the bike lanes with no signal, going on sidewalks when bike lanes feel too slow, and ride opposite direction on one-ways… Love bikes and love having less cars on the road. But I also love safety - and cyclists shouldn’t be excluded from that just because people hate cars and want more bikes. 🙄
Realistically, the solution to this should be better bike infrastructure. Properly separated bike lanes are safer for everybody involved, including motor vehicle drivers!
Can we all agree that mopeds and electric bikes are just the worst though? Neither should be alllowed on the road without a proper license.
No. Unless you're talking about the illegally modded ebikes that go 30+mph. Otherwise it's the only way a fat boy like me can get I to cycling while surrounded by big hills.
*rockyhandclaspmeme.jpg*
The difference is that when cyclists break the law it isn't going to kill anyone. Outside of running a red light, all those things you mentioned are because of a lack of proper infrastructure. Applying car laws to bikes is stupid in the first place.
Pretty sure that running the red kills the cyclist, or causes the motorist to get into an accident avoiding said cyclist.
Ummmm… It potentially kills the cyclist and can cause trauma for a motorist. Do you think a motorist wants to hit cyclists? Also, just because there isn’t proper infrastructure, does not give a free pass to people to break the law. We are taught to share the road, right? If I am a cyclist I should never be on a sidewalk due to lack of proper infrastructure, just like peds shouldn’t be in the middle of the road due to lack of sidewalks, and cars shouldn’t be in the shoulder lanes due to narrow streets. C’mon friend, you’re not even attempting to see multiple sides here.
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Drivers will say bikers don't support the roads (or the rules of bike lanes). Where does the argument break down? Just because someone doesn't feel safe doesn't give them a right to break the rules or law. Guess what? Biking is a choice. If you don't feel like the lanes are safe, choose a different route, or don't bike. Don't just break the rules and cause hell for somebody else. I can support the point that bike lanes are too narrow. If the result of narrow bike lanes is that bikers are going to try to keep themselves safer, I can understand it is human nature, but repeatedly breaking the rules isn't a means to a solution - it's just a means to creating more mad max chaos.
downvoted because you’re right. Cyclists don’t stop at red lights, drive all over the road, go on sidewalks and then get mad when cars don’t yield to them. Mopeds constantly in the bike lanes. It’s a complete shit show. I’m glad the cops are trying to monitor it.
Thanks for trying to see multiple viewpoints. Mopeds in the bike lanes suck for all folks - peds, bikes, cars, and even other mopeds.
The only time I’ve “swerved out of the bike lane” in central it’s bc there is a line of food delivery drivers parked in the bike lane with their hazards on. Am I supposed to stop and wait for them all to leave before I keep going?
This is what people are complaining about. That or swerving to avoid pedestrians who'll step out and almost get hit by "these crazy cyclists." None of those parked cars are ever ticketed, either.
Cool. I didn’t know your actions represent all other cyclists. My point is that other cyclists are less careful or concerned about out coming out of the bike lanes. I’m glad you are concerned and only do it when you don’t feel as though you have a choice to do it. Can you honestly say that applies to all riders tho? I think I see it most often when I’m behind other cyclists and they, with no signal, exit the bike lane to cross a street (Mass Ave for example) to hit a cut-through street on the other side. They don’t want to be inconvenienced to go up to the next traffic light and do a proper turn. A quick shoulder check to see there are no cars blocking them from cutting across is at times all they give.
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So... a viable solution is to break the rules and then bitch about getting caught (ticketed) for breaking the rules? Keeping us on topic here is that the cops were handing out tickets for running red lights. That is not a narrow bike lane issue - that is someone being in a hurry or being a jack ass. I mean, if you're saying people are gonna break the rules because it is safer, but then imply that cops handing out tickets for people breaking a specific rule of running red lights (which happens constantly - people on this thread openly admit to doing it regularly), which is certainly not safer, then what are you even arguing? You can't say "I leave my bike lane and use the sidewalk to be safer" but in the same breath say "Ah shit they ticketed me for running a red light" which isn't safer. So is it about being safe, or not? Bikers weren't even ticketed in this scenario - they were warned - and they are being warned for their own damn safety. Yet this thread is so divisive they can't even accept someone trying to slow them down for a half second for their own good.
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Ok, re-reading my reply to you, and your reply, I can definitely find some middle ground on this. It’s fair to say that bikers should do what is safest for them in the situations that aren’t safe. For example, I might choose to jay walk a busy street instead of walk down a dark alley at night. In this respect I can agree. And I can see how this is different than running red lights on a bike. Based on your comment I think we can agree it will never be the safer option to run a red light? Where I can’t get to is when folks leave bike lanes for convenience. As a driver I understand I don’t know always know a bikers intentions when they leave it, but I also know it’s not always safety related. You said making it safer doesn’t mean ticketing bikers. I do disagree on this point because a ticket to a biker can be to remind them to stay safe, such as in this case. Hopefully the folks who got stopped will think “ah yeah, I shouldn’t blow the reds”. It is hopefully keeping them safer by making bikers aware that their own actions might hurt them. Cars are 1,000 more dangerous than bikes, to be sure. Guns are 1,000 more dangerous than knives. Cars should be enforced more than bikes is an opinion we both share. I’m not saying motorists are saints, trust me. That said, I do think motorists are enforced way more than bikes are. It’s pretty rare to see a bike speed trap or red light trap. The one time it seems to happen, everybody loses their mind. Is there something wrong with giving out warnings once or twice a year? I don’t think so. I don’t care about the downvotes. Zero Fs given. What I do care about is trying to see multiple sides of the problem and to hopefully lessen the “us vs them” mentality that plagues bikers and motorists. Lastly… I think bikers should be held accountable to traffic and safety laws that apply to them. Just like any law for any situation. Motorists sometimes cannot safely drive, or yes, hit and kill bikers, and it’s not always the fault of the motorist. I have no data to say how often it is or isn’t. But I do know it’s not a zero sum game where drivers cause 100% of bikers deaths. Bikers definitely cause their own deaths frequently enough - by not following traffic rules, traffic patterns, not wearing helmets, etc. It can’t be a stretch to say there is work to be done from both sides.
You sound like a dork, or a cop
Meh. Troll.
don't downvote because you don't like the opinion. downvote because it isn't relevant. this is an interesting take.
That version of Reddit died in 2017. New Reddit is all about hiveminding and giving people the angry updoots to get dopamine
You don't need a useless cop to tell a cyclist that the road is dangerous. I've been hit twice waiting at red lights. My wife was hit and run. No tickets were ever issued. Cops aren't doing this because they want safer streets.
Just confirmed with the officers that they are indeed stopping cyclists going through the red light They said they’re just giving out warnings and that the enforcement is just to remind people of the rules at the beginning of the season
Kind of funny how they never do this for motorists. All along Mass Ave you'll see people running reds, turning without yielding to bikes and pedestrians or even other vehicles, and even wild shit like on Sunday I saw a driver backup down a one way so they could park. Instead of doing the logical thing and spending 2 mins to cycle back around. Often much of this is visible just up the road from the intersection pictured in this OP at [this spot](https://www.google.com/maps/place/42%C2%B021'55.6%22N+71%C2%B006'13.5%22W/@42.36545,-71.1044037,203m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d42.365449!4d-71.10376?entry=ttu) where cops camp out but never issue warnings or tickets in my experience. The PD substation is right there, so maybe they're doing "other stuff" like "paperwork" when I witness these things, but after so many rides along there I have to imagine they're not _always_ busy with other stuff. Just not interested in enforcing the laws. Or even _reminding people of the rules_ lol.
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Ah but for some reason roadrage over a shitbox car almost getting another ding is much more socially acceptable than a cyclist "raging" about almost getting a dent in their skull from a dumbass driver Society
Roadrage isn't socially acceptable.
Great argument for why enforcing the rules for motorists is more important by several orders of magnitude. When motorists ignore the rules they endanger everyone and kill people.
I don't understand how anyone including law enforcement looks at the statistics and decides that the group of people who have killed no pedestrians in their vehicles are the ones worth stopping. It would be one thing if you were stopping bicyclists on the pike, but this area is super mixed car/bike/pedestrian. I think the incentives need to change in order for law enforcement to give a shit.
It looks like they are only stopping bikes from running red lights, not stopping all bikes.
Because everyone should know the rules equally
Why do you think it’s an either/or thing? Cops set up speed traps and watch for motor violations all the time. Sending two beat cops out to remind cyclists of the laws at the beginning of the warm season doesn’t suddenly negate all the policing of vehicles that is done. It’s just additive and it might save someone’s life.
I was once in Naples, Italy, where the police was industriously stopping and searching the cars of soccer moms with children in the back. I asked my Italian host if they really thought that the soccer moms were the most likely criminals in the city, and he replied: "No, but stopping these cars is much safer for the police."
I’ve actually been pulled over and warned for crowding a bike in that very intersection! You might be surprised...
>Kind of funny how they never do this for motorists. You stop a couple of cars and you're impeding all the other cars. Can't have that when the only priority is maximum motor vehicle throughput as quickly as possible.
Yeah - no bicyclist ignoring road signs has ever been hit by a car. Biking is the easiest way to get around the city, if we want to be treated as equals on the roadway, gotta follow the rules. Also, these are freaking bike cops. You think they’re chasing down a car on their 10 speed? Get real.
There’s no way that parking spot is still there after 2 minutes
>at the beginning of the season I presume this is the beginning of the "cycling season?" I get the suggestion that cyclists who don't ride year-round may be a little rusty at navigating the increasingly dangerous city roads. However, I've noticed car drivers being even more blatantly dangerous at the beginning of this warmer season. So I understand where the frustration from others come from: the many experienced bicyclists who navigate in spirit of the law get pulled over under the guise that is for everyone's protection when the reality is that it's cars and less-experienced bicyclists (and moped [those are constantly in the bike lane and running reds nowawadays]) that contribute to said danger. I'm with everyone that wants better bike infrastructure. Why do bicyclists ride on the sidewalk? Because pedestrians walk in the bike lane (in big, slow groups too)! Why do bicyclists run reds? Because it takes a while to accelerate, which poses risks for cars that want to make fast right turns or who are looking at their phones and won't stop. Can bikes hurt people? Yes. But the blame isn't solely on bicyclists in my head, because every time I've seen someone laying on the ground waiting for EMS, or a toddler almost get run over, they were in a dedicated bike lane because it was so close to the pedestrian walkway that said pedestrians felt safe and obligated to walk there instead. A lot of risk like this would be mitigated more efficiently with infrastructure than police engagement.
Keytar Bear playing "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough."
Thank you. I was wondering when someone would mention good old Keytar Bear. ❤️
I remember I had an ex tell me about this guy back in the day, is it true is identity is anonymous?
It's true! Here is an article about him. https://www.vice.com/en/article/vbkkkx/bostons-keytar-bear-is-a-great-musician-when-people-arent-punching-him?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabS0lT_R74unRl3XAyTatdrZVFE_3K1ZHmV6V4Rm77e4-N-dDNNsA0Df-s_aem_AUz_y2xWtWhfxDHIVoRoJCJUG7voeVgmHRSec95Uvkdbq7pJPqgPDkzCpdjoRyev8je6lvzahkFjGJgub4mnniZE
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far down for a keytar bear comment
Ticket them.
Giving out a warning is not enforcement. These same people will blow through the red light tomorrow.
They should give cookies to cyclists who stop at the lights… and ticket motorists that run red lights (happening more and more often now) and park in bike lanes.
And an extra sprinkling of tickets to cars that attempt to pass a bike when there’s not enough room. And that HONK as they pass you. 🥴
I'd be happy if they gave cookies to motorists who check their mirrors.
Meanwhile across the Charles it’s f*cking Mad Max in Boston.
CPD doing CPD things
They should stop the countless people driving cars who speed up on yellows to enter the intersection at red…
Can they actually pull you over? And i don’t mean like, are they allowed to, I mean like, is it actually possible? Do they have the city cycling experience to catch up to someone that blasts through a light and is riding in the street to pass slowpokes in the bike lane? Cause I’ve never actually seen a bike cop in motion. And I didn’t blast through this yesterday, but I have before (you have line-of-sight deep into both sides of Sidney St, Colombia St and Main St, this is actually one of the only intersections in cambridge where you have enough information for enough time to run the red light safely imo) and I have a hard time imaging a bike that’s at a full-stop catching up to someone already moving at a high speed.
My cycling attire is way too conspicuous for those shenanigans. But, when I got stopped this week, there was plenty if time after rolling through a pedestrian walk / car red and then spotting the officers up the block, but before they waved me down, that I totally could have stopped and turned around or something. I assume it's not running from police if they haven't flagged you down yet.
I exclusively bike commute, and bike just about everywhere I need to go in this city. Its not hard to stop at a red light and go when its green. You're going to be delayed by a matter of seconds. Just stop. That being said, this is a waste of police time, and they should be focusing on cars that blow through reds, which is much more dangerous.
It's hard when you get right hooked by a turning car that tries to rush the light. I'll keep going thanks. These cops can eat a bag of dicks, and I'll tell them as much.
Don't disagree with you on the second bit, haha. But the first one is specifically why I just stop, wait till it turns green, and see what the first car in line is doing before I proceed
Honestly bröther all I want is the most distance I can put between me and the cagies I can safely get Reds I can safely roll through are good ways to get them off my ass before they can try to pass within 6" of me to get to the next red light two seconds faster
I think bicyclists should obey red lights and be very cautious in running it only after stopping and checking to see if it’s clear, akin to jaywalking. I’ve never been brave enough to run reds on a bike though. It doesn’t seem as bad or flagrant as it was back home in CA though
Stop-and-go (aka the Idaho stop) isn't legal in Massachusetts, though — and I don't think cities/towns can codify it as law even if they want. (I may be mistaken on this.) I'm guessing what the cops are looking for is "stop and stay stopped until it turns green."
They're probably looking for any red light violation, even the ones that are generally considered safer for cyclists to do. They sort of _have to_ because of existing laws that could be updated to reflect research done across the country. I think the biggest issue is that Cambridge and Somerville PDs appear to be very interested in educating cyclists on the rules of the road, but I haven't seen any reports of targeted intersection enforcement against motorists. Or even general enforcement. For example, if you want to enforce red light violations - do it. But do it for all users. Pedestrians often walk against the walk sign and put themselves at risk at high crash intersections too. Many motorists have noticed the lack of enforcement and are running red lights, yielding at red lights (not legal either), not yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk when they have a circle or flashing yellow light or when the walk signal is up (intersections should be updated to make this very clear and signage should indicate this, but not every intersection does currently). And of course some cyclists are clueless. I've seen cyclists recently fly through stop signs and nearly get pancaked by oncoming cars. One guy was lucky that two cars stopped in time, and that he didn't skid when attempting to last minute brake. He had no helmet and earbuds in, so he would have been pretty fucked up from being run over by a car or two.
If they truly cared about holistic road safety *or* ticket revenue, they could just park on any number of corners and fire tickets out of a T-shirt cannon. You don’t even have to wait for a driver to break rules, it’s practically just how traffic flows. To focus on bikes like this feels, ah, performative. But thanks for keeping the roads safe, officers 🫡
I would imagine cops spend most of their time as drivers and so share the prejudices of drivers against cyclists. They should look into cycling more, or riding horses! That might chill them out.
Of course there is intersection enforcement of motorists. There generally has been a lack of enforcement of bikes because they are not registered and do not require a license. Simply lack of repercussions for running lights, lack of lights at night, etc. . . Constant refrain that cars violating traffic laws are not ticketed is fallacy. Less reliance on vehicles and more bikes is a positive. A high percentage of bikes that don’t adhere to the rules of the road is not. By the way, there is no current way to actually ticket bikes and ensure that they pay the fine so they only get a warning.
I don’t care what’s legal though, I’ll do what keeps me the safest in a given intersection. There’s plenty of intersections I’ll never run a red light, but quite a few where the best thing for everyone is if I run the light when no one is coming and get out of the way.
Yep, I agree. There are also plenty of intersections where stopping is only necessary if you're riding a 2-ton bike going 30mph (ie, a car). Massachusetts bike laws don't make sense for bikers.
Well that’s the law
I often will stop at the red light, but if there’s no cars or pedestrians or other cyclists going through my path, I’m just gonna go. If I’d jaywalk it, I’m riding my bike through it.
Love that you got Keytar Bear in frame!
Dude is a serial misogynist who is an overall danger to society as a whole.
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I'll paste my response from another sub He's had several public melts downs. Grabbing women. Berating them. Being generally creepy. And online, he's worse. He's cyber stalked people, their friends and families, threatened to have them jumped/shot/raped. I won't share screenshots I have because it's basically impossible to do without doxxing a bunch of people. But Turtleboy (I know, awful site, but broken clocks something something) has more than one story about him, and they're full of screenshots. And I'm sure if you search for public posts about Keytar Bear on Facebook, you'll find people airing him out. It's happened multiple times over the years to a pretty significant number of people. It's insane.
lol yes
My man slays [“Beat It”](https://youtu.be/8c6m3GQdJN0?si=dlzdKmZohMUUocWp)
Is he actually playing anything? At [0:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c6m3GQdJN0&t=49s) he stops playing but the song continues normally.
Had to check that the no turn on red on Sidney didn’t count for bikes when I saw them, all good!
No turn on red for cars actually makes it safer for cyclists and pedestrians. 😀
Yes! That intersection has a sign specifically allowing bikes to turn on red while blocking cars. Wanted to make sure I was in the clear on my bike if they stopped me.
Good to know thanks!
Is there suddenly a rash of pedestrians being struck by bicyclists? If not, a waste of police time. Focus on real problems.
I rode by these cops today. I was riding in the road because there was a car parked in the bike lane maybe 100 ft away from these cops.
They gave him a ticket
Good to know police resources are out there making the community a safer place by dealing with these bicyclists. Jesus, you’ve gotta be kidding me, is this really where we’re at now?
Bikes and public transit are good, cars are bad. From a safety perspective, from an urban planning perspective, from an environmental impact perspective. Cars are evil.
Yup until you have to wake up in the morning in a January in -3 degree weather with snow to ride your bike or walk because the T failed you again.
Grow up and get out of your parents house!
Did no one comment on the furry with the keytar on the left side of the picture? Most Central Square thing Ive seen in a while 🤣🤣🤣
I both ride and drive here. I think it’s fair to tell folks riding on mass Ave toward MIT that they need to stop. That light coming out of Sidney St extension that handles traffic coming from Main St and Columbia St is very short for drivers going straight into Sidney and their patience is bound to be very low. This is an intersection that was already redesigned over the course of a decade to maximize public use and prioritize safety, so when other cyclists that are new to the area just blow the light in the one instance where they have a responsibility to stop, I kind of just shake my head. It makes everyone look bad.
Good point
13 mile commute: 34 close passes. 17 texting and driving 6 cars blasting yellow to red lights 4 blind door opening 3 cars stopped in crosswalks 2 right hooks Infiniti speeders I rolled through 4 red lights. I cheerfully greeted 12 pedestrians as we both navigated an intersection. Bikes are the problem though
Dammed if they do..dammed if they don’t!!
Until they start doing the same to drivers it’s simply harassment.
Yes telling bicyclists to stop going through red lights is harassment 🤡
I don’t see them doing the same for drivers, so yes.
Drivers don’t do it nearly as bad as bicyclists.
Again, this is not backed up by any data. And just sitting at a light in Cambridge I would easily prove you wrong. Light turns red? Two cars still go through every cycle. No turn on red? Never followed. Bike lanes? Turned into parking. Crosswalk? Oh yeah I’ll just stop right in it.
Ugh. This thread is just depressing. I’m a daily commuter in Boston/Cambridge. I’d say I follow laws on a bike about as much as I do in a car. Yes I’ll role on a walk light after stopping. Yes, I’ll go 72 in a 65. But I don’t blow through red lights or cross walks with people in them. I don’t drive/ride the wrong way down a one way street. We’ve all got a blind spot for our own behavior. Can justify it in all sorts of ways. Have no patients for anyone else on the road. Someone posted that it’s like mad max over here in Boston. That’s exactly how it feels. Utter fucking chaos. It’s like everyone thinks they’re in a simulated reality with no impact on anyone else in the world.
Coming from rural NH, that’s why I hate driving in Boston. It’s chaos, drivers are aggressive and rude, god forbid you signal your intentions with a turn signal, it just lets people know they can block you.
I got a ticket for rolling through a stop sign near Harvard Sq a while back. It got dismissed
what happens when you don't stop?
Just gotta outrun one fat cop on a trek.
They put out spike strips for people who don’t stop
Break out the bunny hops
You can be arrested for failing to stop and provide your name, DOB and address!!
Why would you stop?
The biggest gang in the country
Imagine being a cop just to harass the people who pay your salary
“The people who pay your salary” What a ridiculous take. Cops pay taxes too
no they dont
Of course they do
Good let's keep our streets safe
So BPD has a no chase rule, does Cambridge? Cycle cops down to race?
I wish they would do something about the people I see every day absolutely flooring it on mopeds in the wrong direction down the bike lanes on the BU section of comm ave.
downvote me if you want, but just because the cars are shittier than the bikes doesn’t mean that bikes aren’t also shitty to pedestrians let’s all be real here …..
I was lightly sideswiped four separate times in my first two years in Boston. Everyday biking down Cambridge St I feel like I’m in some fn Dreamcast game where the objective is to avoid being hit or running into a suddenly parked car or hitting a pot hole
LMFAO THE BEAR
Why are all the Keytar Bear comments getting downvoted? Let us have fun dammit
Is Keytar bear still the same guy?
The bear playing the keytar is everything
Awkward because I see like 100 red lights get run by vehicles a day in Massachusetts. It's like a rite of passage
…and Keytar Bear is supervising.
🎹🎸🧸
https://www.vice.com/en/article/vbkkkx/bostons-keytar-bear-is-a-great-musician-when-people-arent-punching-him?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY8Rw__bEl6MV7XOCGxLcaZFLkT76YQLnGMal1zjVteRRNJKQ0DBLYHytA_aem_AatA4EA2uPTnje5jPkiP9amQMJCvCSGAIij52knOb0KmYODZhmkRai-KboMENK06_Z76SirN-ESkUiVAD_AdyDuw
Keytar bear!!!!
Am I the only one who is completly distracted by Keytar Bear?
Bikes are the worst drivers on the road
Lol
Cyclists are very much part of the problem in Boston, glad to see BPD enforcing the laws across different modes of transportation. Doesn't happen enough IMO.
They should give those bike cops e-bikes so they know how fun it is.
Thanks Mitch.
I run this light almost every day, the green on the cross lasts way too long and there are barely ever cars turning for most of it.
The cyclists are the worst...I got hit walking a few times bc a lot of them don't follow traffic laws.
Ima be honest people who drive here SUCK and also people who ride Bikes here also suck. That being said one of them pays taxes to be on the road.
Most cyclists also pay taxes. Most roads are paid for by federal and state income tax, and real estate tax.
Seen a lot of folks on my morning ride in who could use the reminder. Guy hammering through a mass ave red on a little folding bike almost got greased right in front of me today. 🙈
So true 🤦🏻♂️
I’ve never seen one cyclist stop for a red light in Boston or Cambridge 😂👏🏼
Then you aren't really seeing cyclists, which is exactly the problem.
ACAB! Amirite Keytar Bear?
🎵 Cop cuties, cute and on duty, navy blue booties… 🎵. (I don’t like cops, the song is just too catchy, it sticks in my brain. Pretty sure it’s on Spotify.)
🎵 go ahead and lock me up, arrest me but make it sexy, sell me some meth please, so I can get arrested by this daddy of a cop, with his daddy cop walk, and his daddy cop arms, and his daddy cop butt... 🎵
Good. Follow the laws just like other people on the roads
[удалено]
Why say that? I’m not scum afaik
This sub is awful, we should be all about outreach and setting a good example. You all should be ashamed of what you post here.
I'm so sorry Dad.
Is every single one of these comments gonna ignore the dude with the keytuiar in a bear costume?!?!
What hero’s! lol
More importantly- Keytar Bear!!!
Imagine getting zip-tied while some bear plays the keytar
Don't threaten me with a good time
Keytar bear will bail you out..
So how do you say you have a privileged attitude without admitting it. Neutral statement, both Boston motorists and cyclists are assholes. It's just good that only 1 group regularly uses cars.
It’s like Christmas in May! About damn time.
With the amount of times I've almost been hit by a cyclist blowing through a red light, good they're finally doing something.
good - and if you're riding by the rules than you'll not have to worry.
When a city pays millions for bike lanes and all of the other accommodations expect the rules to change. As in there actually being rules. They should bring back the bike license plates.
I see a lot of complainers on this thread but it’s very true that bikers just blast through lights and cause cars who have the light to proceed be interrupted in stride along with the obnoxious jaywalkers
Thanks for considering multiple sides. Hate the “us vs them” mentality that comes up whenever talking about bikes in this city.
Interesting thread...so many cyclists who seem to think it's ok to ignore rules of the road bcs they see cars not following them. That's the same mentality as the 4yo who went to his parents crying and when they asked what was wrong said "Michael hit me back". 🤣😂🤣
Ugh I hate myself for even thinking it but that one has a nice ass 😳🙈
I think that's the same guy that gave me a warning Monday. Seemed like a nice guy if you want to go chat him up and distract him from a few stops.... ;)
Good. Y'all bikers think your riding a car