ACPD Community Engagement Survey

[dasgeh]

@hozn 142263 wrote:

My experience as a driver has been that if there are problem areas (where drivers are routinely breaking the law), the police sit there and issue tickets.

Really? When is the last time anyone saw ACPD write a ticket at Lynn & Lee?

[Steve O]

@hozn 142260 wrote:

I realize you, and others, are suggesting that the law should not apply equally to cyclists because they are less likely to cause damage/injury. I have never expected law enforcement to work that way.

Not in the US, anyway. From a previous thread

To illustrate how traffic regulations in the Netherlands differ from those in America, here are a few mostly hypothetical Dutch cases to consider.

• Let’s say a truck is making a turn onto a high-speed four-lane street in The Hague, and rides over a cyclist in the bicycle lane. The accident is witnessed by a very reliable observer whose testimony is likely to stand up in court—say, the prime minister of the country. Who is at fault, and will have to pay damages and/or face criminal penalties? Answer: the truck driver.

• But what if the same accident occurs on a two-lane street with no designated bicycle lane, so the bicycle is riding out in traffic? And what if there are no witnesses or video evidence? Who is at fault then? Answer: the truck driver.

• What if there was a separate traffic light for bicycles at this intersection, and the cyclist was clearly running a red light? Answer: still the truck driver.

• Okay, so…what if the bicycle was coming the wrong way up a one-way street, arrived at the intersection at the same time as the truck, and despite the fact that the truck was on the right, the bicycle seized the right-of-way and dashed straight across the intersection? Answer: the truck driver would have to pay at least 50% of the cyclist’s damages, unless he can prove there was no way he could have seen the cyclist.

• Fine. What if a tornado is racing through the streets of some Dutch town, picks the truck up, and hurls it into the bicyclist, who is in the middle of running a red light while going the wrong way up a one-way street, no hands? Answer: the truck driver will probably not have to pay the cyclist’s damages, unless the cyclist was 14 or younger, in which case the truck driver will have to make an extra effort to prove that there was nothing he could have done to avoid the accident.

[dasgeh]

@hozn 142260 wrote:

I realize you, and others, are suggesting that the law should not apply equally to cyclists because they are less likely to cause damage/injury. I have never expected law enforcement to work that way.

I, for one, am not suggesting that the law not apply equally. I am saying that law enforcement should prioritize its efforts to stop dangerous behavior. I believe this is what many call “good law enforcement”.

[Tania]

@dasgeh 142296 wrote:

Really? When is the last time anyone saw ACPD write a ticket at Lynn & Lee?

Monday.

[dasgeh]

@Tania 142303 wrote:

Monday.

When? They’ve even admitted they stopped patrols there…

[Tania]

@dasgeh 142304 wrote:

When? They’ve even admitted they stopped patrols there…

Strava says I came through there around 7:38am.

[dasgeh]

@Tania 142305 wrote:

Strava says I came through there around 7:38am.

And someone was getting a ticket? Did you see what for?

[Tania]

@dasgeh 142307 wrote:

And someone was getting a ticket? Did you see what for?

I saw a motorcycle cop standing by the driver’s side window of a black crossover type SUV in the far right lane of Lynn right about 50 yards east of the light at Lynn and Lee. (About where you have to cross the exit lane from GW Parkway and before the “Welcome to DC” sign.)

Best not to get me started on the IOD. I was waiting for someone there at the monolith at evening rush hour a few weeks ago and saw all sorts of bad cyclist behavior — and yes, some bad driver behavior, but most of it was by cyclists.

[americancyclo]

@dasgeh 142304 wrote:

When? They’ve even admitted they stopped patrols there…

Tuesday at 7:49am when I rolled though the IOD, a german sedan tried to right turn out in front of me, I slowed and stared them down. There was an officer in a hi-viz vest standing on the east sidewalk, and shrugged at me in a “what are you gonna do?” manner as I rolled on towards the Key bridge.

They’re still out there sometimes, but not always educating drivers.

[dasgeh]

@Tania 142309 wrote:

Best not to get me started on the IOD. I was waiting for someone there at the monolith at evening rush hour a few weeks ago and saw all sorts of bad cyclist behavior — and yes, some bad driver behavior, but most of it was by cyclists.

I’ve seen all sorts of horrible behavior there from everyone. The vast majority of people I’ve seen there — walking, biking, even driving – are being complete PALs. But I’ve only seen cars mangle a person’s legs, and I don’t think horrible behavior by a few means that drivers should be able to mangle someone’s legs (or worse) and get a pass.

[Tania]

@dasgeh 142313 wrote:

I don’t think horrible behavior by a few means that drivers should be able to mangle someone’s legs (or worse) and get a pass.

Neither do I.

[hozn]

@dasgeh 142296 wrote:

Really? When is the last time anyone saw ACPD write a ticket at Lynn & Lee?

I don’t ride through there often. Last time I did the police had a car pulled over. But it is too bad if they are no longer stepping up enforcement there, as I understand you are implying.

[bentbike33]

@bentbike33 142236 wrote:

Here they are.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12028[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12029[/ATTACH]

The sign at the intersection of N. Van Buren and N. Westmoreland/19th was gone yesterday (6/30) afternoon.

Mission accomplished, I guess.

[Author]

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