oops, I meant want to be vehicles, yet want to ride on the sidewalk.

it is not only dangerous for pedestrians on the sidewalk, but makes the cyclists themselves more vulnerable to drivers turning in and out of driveways that would not expect them there.

And they sing too these biking buffoons. "29 bottles of booze in your bin ,29 bottles of booze..
let's put an end to this before a cyclist crashes into one of the overflowing blue bin and hurts dozens in the vicinity with flying glass of all colors

I want cyclists off the road period - sidewalk/street/everywhere - unless there is designated bike lane.

Orange Street is a very safe, almost ideal, street for cycling. Cyclists should use the road here as the sidewalks are heavily used. Personally, I've almost been hit by our former green alderman (On whitney), and by numerous other individuals on Orange.

IfIrunUoverImnot, the bicycle is the safest form of transportation & requires the least federal welfare to engage in. By requiring people to drive cars you are guaranteeing increased gridlock and dangers and a higher cost to the public in medical bills and deaths.

State law allows bicycles on sidewalks and New Haven is the only city not to allow riding on sidewalks based on an archaic 100 year old ordinance.

"archaic": This word doesn't mean what you think it means, Bill.

i could care less whether state law allows bikes on sidewalks or not, they are sideWALKS, meant for pedestrians. if you're not comfortable riding on the street amongst the other vehicles, then perhaps you should find another mode of transportation.

Who cares, we know what he meant. Its old law. But really, State of CT ALLOWS bike riding on the sidewalk?? How weird.

PS D.S.

Thankfully we don't see THAT many bikes on the road relative to cars. I don't see how removing that amount off the road would contribute to gridlock. Maybe in India. Or China. The real problem are the bike clubs and such and they're riding just because they like the way they look in lycra anyway.

"The real problem are the bike clubs and such and they're riding just because they like the way they look in lycra anyway."

This statement is so comical that I nearly soiled myself in my bib shorts....right after I finished admiring my appearance in the mirror like in a scene from Silence of Lambs. Indeed, everyone knows lycra-clad cyclists take every chance they can get to "check themselves out" in the reflections of passing vehicles or storefront windows.

The real problem is the lack of respect on both sides, drivers and cyclists. Some drivers seem to think that because they're encased in two tons of metal, giving them an aura of invincibility, they're entitled to behave like a jerk-off. Some cyclists tend to think that they can obey traffic laws at their choosing, putting themselves and others at risk. Mutual respect on both sides would go a long way in making the shared roadway amicable to all.

Of course, some drivers feel cyclists "get in their way" and "slow them down", and generally view them as an annoyance. I find fat and lazy people to be a general annoyance, however do not expect them to rid themselves of my sight because of this. The issue is not how to rid the community of things you find annoying, but rather how to accommodate the wants and needs of most without infringing upon the rights of one and all.

Streever,

Archaic can mean antiquated or outdated. As in, the sidewalk bicycling law is outdated. It was written in a time when the road were not dominated by speeding four-wheelers. At the time it was written, vehicles could very easily "share the road" with one another since no one particular mode of transport dominated the public realm that we call the street. Therefore, the sidewalk was designated specifically for pedestrians to protect them. But in 2010, can you really blame someone for being afraid to ride in traffic. That sounds like an archaic viewpoint.

Yes those horrible bicyclists - blasting their bike stereos, speeding, polluting the air, the loud exhausts, alarm systems... I agree bikes (generally) should not be on the sidewalk, unless they are being walked, or there are no pedestrians around. BTW, nice CAR crash on Orange St., across from Romeo's, last week. Can drivers and joggers please stay out of the bike lanes too?
Check out how many of the incidents in the crime report involve cars.
http://www.newhavencrimelog.org/cl/streets/1531/orange-st/

Glad you liked my lycra comment - or is it spandex?? Whatever it is, I almost soiled myself SAYING it. Glad somebody liked it.

Re-opening for continues discussion

to bob,
just because traffic can be aggressive and dangerous in 2010 as you mention, this does not mean that we overlook what the law says. a bicycle is a vehicle (and is safest when it travels as such, predictably and with traffic as traffic).

your comment leads me to this question: does our society bend the rules to accomodate more and more aggressive behavior by drivers, or do we work together to make the roads we've all invested our tax dollars in to work for everybody, regardless of our mode of transport?

Does anyone have a proposed fix here?

Honestly, you won't get bikes of the sidewalk until the road is made safer.

It may feel "safe" to more experienced bicyclists, but talk to most average residents and you'll get a completely different picture. I engage with residents almost daily, in many different neighborhoods, and the topic of whether they feel safe riding in the road comes up pretty frequently.

This is sad, considering how Orange Street is supposedly designed for bicycling (i.e., many other streets in New Haven are far worse). I think it has a lot to do with the speed of traffic. 30 and 35 mile per hour speeds, or higher, are quite common on Orange Street. Research shows that most people don't feel comfortable riding on streets when speeds are higher than 20 miles per hour.

Instead of focusing on how we might get more bikes off the sidewalk -- and yes, there are many on Orange Street, probably even more on the sidewalk than there are on the road, in my observations -- I think the discussion should instead focus on how we can make our neighborhoods more accessible to road users of all ages and abilities.

How about turning Orange Street into a Berkeley, CA-style bicycle boulevard?

In other countries, people actually ride bikes on the road rather than on sidewalks because they don't need to worry about being hit by cars as much as they do in the U.S., IMHO.

I personally always prefer to ride on the road, and I was shock to see people ride bikes on the sidewalks when I first came to this country. However, I start to feel really unsafe by cars riding along me on the road overtime. First, they are too close bikers (cannot blame the cars sometimes because there is no bike lane). Second, I was being cut off by cars at the intersection from time to time, and once by a police car.

I agree with some comments above that unless car drivers respect bikers more and share the road better, it's hard to get bikes off sidewalks.

When I first started this issue/thread, I was completely cognizant of the fact that some would deem it "unresolvable" due to the fact that it is almost impossible to enforce. Thank goodness for that. I for one do not want to live in a society that has a bloody law for everything, and a mechanism or agency to enforce it. Common sense and respect for others should suffice, and attempts to legislate such behavior usually fall short. Posting on this site was meant to appeal to those members of the community that are more engaged than the average citizen, who have undoubtedly witnessed this issue (and perhaps participated in it as well).

I am an avid cyclist, both for recreation and occasional commuting. I previously lived in a city where bikes are used as a form of transportation by a large portion of the population (Montreal). While having a significant bike path network, the majority of the streets are still shared by both bikes and cars with no distinguishable barrier. As a cyclist and a driver, you just get used to it.

Riding bikes on the sidewalk does nothing to help drivers adjust to the presence of cyclists on the road. Riding a bike in traffic is not very difficult, provided you pay attention and have decent bike control. If however, you're talking on your cell phone, trying to carry a week's worth of luggage, wearing stilettos, listening to an ipod with both earphones, or generally oblivious to your surroundings, bad things are bound to happen. As of now, riding a bike does not require a license, of which I am thankful for (although a strong argument might be made for it, similar to child-rearing...lol).

Mark, you always hit the nail on the head! Yes, we need to make Orange Street feel safer for everyone. And Berkley style roadway is a great idea.

BTW-- what about children riding bicycles on the sidewalk, would people object to this? Probably not, not until the road is safe enough for them too.

One more thought- in Germany the bicycle lanes merge off and on onto the sidewalks (usually well marked and extended to fit the bicycle lanes) where traffic is too heavy or coming from too many directions. It's not a black or white issue, it's a matter of accommodating everyone with the space available.

Awesome ideas, Melissa! I agree.

I should mention that another term for a bicycle boulevard is a "slow street." Vehicles are more than welcome on slow streets, they just need to travel at a speed that's appropriate for an dense urban area, not a highway. Redesigning roads as slow streets is great for drivers, because they are safer and drivers can see more, as well as for pedestrians and cyclists (for reasons mentioned above - driving at speeds of more than 15-20 miles per hour creates major discomfort, which is why it is specifically banned by law and discouraged through road design in many cities throughout the world).

Above all, slow streets are great for creating a prosperous, economically vibrant neighborhood. Businesses and residents desire to be on streets that are very walkable, peaceful, and not overwhelmed by the noise of speeding cars.

Without excusing the agressive drivers and selfish behavior, I think that a contributing factor to higher speeds occuring on Orange is because it is a direct route to the highway. There are no direct routes for commuters to places like Science Park (which usually takes 10-15 minutes to get to through at least 7 traffic lights although it is only about 2 1/2 miles from the highway. )

I totally agree with the issue as I always ride on the street. However, some streets are dangerous for bikers so I do try to adjust my route accordingly. For those who cannot, I understand the desire to ride on the sidewalk. HOWEVER, if people do ride on the sidewalk they should SLOW DOWN when they encounter pedestrians. Many bikers do slow down, but many more speed right by, and that is extremely dangerous. I have to always be aware when walking my dog for fear that he will get hit. If bikers on sidewalks just slowed down near pedestrians it would not upset me as much.

Orange is not "a direct route to the highway", that would describe Willow St. - which is really unsafe for bicyclists (and unpleasant/ unsafe for pedestrians), which is why I ride my bicycle on the sidewalk, from my house, to the intersection of Willow and Orange Sts., where I switch to the very badly potholed Orange St. bike lane. I agree cyclists should not ride* on the sidewalk - when there are pedestrians present; however, if one dismounts ones bike that seems okay (to me).

To clarify my statement - there is an entrance to 91 near the 95 merge directly off Orange at Trumbull. I'm not excusing bad drivers; I think the proximity to the highway and frustrated drivers contribute to the speed.

Bikes need to get off the sidewalk. If you can't handle your bike in traffic, then spend some time and learn how to ride it. All these privileged sidewalk surfers on Orange and Whitney and so on should be ticketed just as the poor kids are on Dwight.

bob,
I don't blame anyone! I understand the fear. However, the law is not archaic, it's been updated in current memory, and continues to be an issue. The sidewalks are too narrow on Orange Street, and with the wealth of side routes (Livingston, Foster) which see virtually no traffic & the bike lanes on Orange, it is a little much when someone is riding 18 mph on the sidewalk.

They are putting themselves in more danger than on the road--the majority of accidents occur at intersections, not while zipping along.

With that said, I agree with the common sense approach that Ned takes. If you live on a crazy street I see no problem with riding slowly & respectfully to the curb & then taking the safe, slow road.

A fix could take many forms: it doesn't have to mean "bikes just get off the sidewalk right now"--it could mean overall increases in infrastructure, education, & enforcement on bad drivers, encouraging more cyclists to ride in the road.

*comment removed

Bikes need to get off the sidewalk both out of respect for pedestrians and to educate drivers. The more you ride on the sidewalk, the more the drivers expect you to keep off the road. It would be great for all cyclists in the long term if there were numerous people cycling on the street all the time.

If you MUST get off the road, at least along the riskier stretches, there is an easy solution that harms no one: walk your bike!

But please let's get more active in educating drivers. If ConnDOT can require hours of 'education' on drug and alcohol consumption before granting a license, it should not be overlooking ignorance of cyclists and pedestrians.

Who wants to be a martyr to "educate drivers"? No, thanks.

ConnDOT -
Written by Gregory B. Hladky
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 22:15

"Connecticut's Department of Transportation has a long history of corruption, screw-ups, delays, and every other problem you can imagine. And now it turns out it's fair-haired commissioner, Joe Marie, left last week to avoid answering a sexual harassment claim."

I'm sure bicycle awareness was really high on the list of priorities at the DOT...

I think the point being made above was not to risk your life but to take opportunities to claim your space back when you see them. At the least they'll get used to having cyclists around.

My view is don't be a martyr to educate drivers. Just be as assertive as you reasonably can in exercising your rights to use the road, and courteous to pedestrians exercising their rights to the sidewalk.

If you see others cycling, for example, ride nearby to increase your presence.

It is also not a solution to learn to handle your bike in hostile traffic, either. This suggestion completely misses the point that we're dealing with illegal driving by a few bad drivers. No one should have to deal with that kind of activity in a civilized society.

simple problem, simple solution. Learn to ride your bike just as you have to learn to drive a car. You are far more likely to get hit crossing an intersection sidewalk to sidewalk, then you are in the street. You may think you are safer on the sidewalk, but you are not.

The aggressive attitude toward bikers in the preceding comments illustrates exactly why people bike on the sidewalk. Bikers are scared of the road even in this relatively tame neighborhood, and they have a good reason to be. I know someone that is an experienced biker who was biking on the road and got hit by a car leaving his house on clark and orange, cracked his skull. If you don't want bikes on the sidewalk, treat them with the appropriate caution and respect when you are driving. People in cars are constantly yelling at me to "get on the sidewalk" or "get off the road" when I'm riding my bike. Cars in this town are aggressive and intimidating to bikers. I want bikers off the sidewalk too, but I understand why they are there.
If you're a biker: pleeeease get off the sidewalk, for yourself and for other bikers, as well as pedestrians. More bikes on the road means more drivers that will be used to driving with bikes.

I added a few of the suggestions people have mentioned on the "Action items" above. Feel free to add more if I missed any.

If anyone wants to take them on, just click on organize -- I'm sure there are folks in New Haven who would be willing to help out. Think about contacting the alderperson here, Elm City Cycling and/or New Haven Safe Streets, or the various local neighborhood associations. There are plenty of ideas, it just takes a little bit of leadership and volunteer time to make progress on resolving these issues!

Loser:

Assuming you drive a car too, ask yourself 'why would drivers behave this way toward bikers?' What do you experience when you come upon a group of cyclists or A cyclist? Is there something odd about the way you have to drive other than just being aware of these cyclists? Are all those aggressive people driving cars just mean & scary type-A personalities? If you ask me, certain roads are just not designed for cars AND bikes. I think that is the problem. Bikes should be on roads that have bike lanes, and residential streets with little or no traffic. Otherwise leave it home and take the bus or drive your car.

I honestly thing the problem is that there are too many soft, timid, weak, and pampered so and sos in this town, many of which aren't even from New Haven.
You can get hurt just as easily playing basketball.
Toughen up and get in the road.

precisely

Seriously. Too many folks in this town (many of which are here but temporarily) want the whole world reshaped to make it more comfortable to them personally. It reeks of a very self-centerd and privileged existence.
That said, drivers that bully cylclists should have the book thrown at them.

Most of the comments are in favor of cyclists. No doubt I have an unpopular opinion. But it's an accident waiting to happen with the roads the way they are. Most of them just not enough room for bikes AND cars. It's dangerous. Hopefully in the future new roads will be designed and built for both.

Hey remember, they bikers don't want to get run over almost as much as drivers don't want to become part of a multi-million dollar lawsuit because one comes sailing through their windshield. Isn't that kind of how it goes?

"Hopefully in the future new roads will be designed and built for both."

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/transportation-department-embraces-bikes-and-business-groups-cry-foul/

Interesting NYT article. I don't see much impact on places where roads are already congested with vehicular traffic though. I assume they are talking about new projects and rebuilding projects.

"Share The Road" Now Law In Illinois:
"Senate Bill 2951, sponsored by Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) and Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills), makes it illegal for drivers to crowd or threaten bicyclists by unnecessarily driving close to a cyclist.

The new law increases penalties for attempting to harm or threaten bicyclists. Under the law, drivers who intimidate cyclists with threats, crowding or throwing items will be subject to a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine."

http://tiny.cc/pkq3q

Oh, I love that! I wish they had had that bill in Indiana, where, as a woman cyclist, not wearing spandex by the way, I was often yelled at, told to get off the road or to buy a car. It's odd how a petite female on a bicycle can be perceived as such a threat to the status quo.

closed for no reason at all.

the comments here are on as opposite sides of the spectrum as possible, and no solution has been reached, therefore this issue should remain open for continued dialogue.

I have ridden my bicycle in NH and whenever I could it was on the sidewalk, the way cars are driven in NH riding in the road would be a definite death wish. I have even encountered four wheelers and motorcycles in the parks

tired of wimps: please watch your language? even with your dollar signs, that was totally unneccessary. if i was a rider on the sidewalk, you berating me would not be the nudge i needed, only proof that people are cruel to each other.

fringelement: i ride on the streets of new haven every single day. if you ride WITH traffic, following traffic laws, and signal your turns, you are much safer because drivers can see you, and predict your path of motion.
when you are on the sidewalk, every driveway you cross over, and every street, drivers could collide with you, overlooking you and instead trying to see if there are cars coming in the street. they do not expect you there (nor should they).

I like the idea of small stenciled signs on the sidewalk / curb cuts that someone proposed on the suggested "Community Actions" list on the page above . I saw lots of these the last time I was in Cambridge, Mass.

i am confused...bike safety is to ride against traffic so you can be aware of what is coming toward you.peddling in the vehicle lanes like a car, then disobeying traffic laws when you see fit are contradictory. has anyone noticed that the police target urban youths that ride on the sidewalk(in order to search them), but never enforce these same rules for the other bikers in other neighborhoods?funny eh?

it is actually way more dangerous to ride against traffic, because collisions are the impact of the velocity of two vehicles travelling the opposite direction.

cyclists are safest when riding with traffic, as traffic, following traffic laws, riding predictably.

I'm all for better education. However, better infrastructure is the only way to really reduce sidewalk biking, without creating other adverse impacts.

The bike lanes on Orange are not buffered, and are often passed by vehicles and large buses at high speeds (above 25 miles per hour), so while they are a big improvement and help reduce travel speeds, they aren't sufficient infrastructure for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

The city either needs to create a buffered lane system or reduce travel speeds on Orange Street to 15 miles per hour (in effect, creating a Berkeley "bicycle boulevard" or "slow street") - that would be the only way to get significant numbers of bikers off the sidewalks here.

--

A NYC DOT spokesperson said today that preliminary data shows that
BEFORE the new bike lane, three out of four cars on Prospect Park West
were speeding. The agency says that number has dropped to one in
seven.

And the DOT says almost half of all cyclists used to ride on the
sidewalk. That number has decreased to four percent.

http://transportationnation.org/2010/10/21/nyc-dot-says-brooklyn-bike-lane-dramatically-reduces-speeding-sidewalk-bicycling/

I would really like to see this solved. I think making the streets more bike safety is the most important.

Isn't this city in financial straits? As a cyclist, i'd rather see money spent on schools.
Y'all are soft. Get out and ride.

Based on discussion below, I think the next step here is for the neighborhood and those concerned to fill out a complete streets request form at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Engineering/completestreets.asp.

Major traffic safety improvements to Orange Street and surrounding cycling conditions would dramatically reduce the incidence of sidewalk bicycling.

Please feel free to contact newhavensafestreets (at) gmail.com or your local Alderpersons if you need help filling out a form. Getting these types of requests on the official public record will really help the city improve the safety of its transportation system for all users, while significantly raising property values.

I'm sure well see increased enforcement of sidewalk offenders.
Especially this spring time.Remember thee do-gooders that it will be your co-worker or girlfriend receiving the first ticket.
I'm sure you wont complain and just pay it like the responsible adults you are. After all, it's submitted already to City Hall as future general fund income.
Bike advocacy groups will welcome safety measures, but will always emphasis and encourage that the Police and on-line enforcers will slow vehicles down, stop sign running,right on reds etc. As they cause the most harm and danger.
As in the ward 9 alder absolutely ignoring the throng about motorcycle violaters the last 2 summers, this major hazard in regards to autos will be addressed first

This content is currently blocked. The content is either under review by SeeClickFix or has been confirmed by SeeClickFix for violation(s) of SeeClickFix Terms of Use (https://www.civicplus.com/terms-of-service). Content that aligns with SeeClickFix Terms of Use will be posted, and content that does not align with our Terms of Use will not be permitted for public viewing.

I've lived in East Rock for 10 years and I've never noticed that bicycle riding, on the sidewalk, is a major ( or even a minor ) problem. Occasionally, there are bike pedestrian, runner pedestrian, dog pedestrian, stroller pedestrian conflicts, but cars (or their drivers) are the worst offenders - by far - of civil behavior, in this neighborhood: speeding, not yielding to pedestrians, harassing cyclists, running red lights, loud exhausts, loud car stereos, garbage flung from car windows, parking across sidewalks, water and air pollution.
What I do notice is that, due to the extremely heavy, speeding traffic on Willow St., that I would not expect anyone to ride a bicycle on that street, so I don't begrudge cyclists who use the sidewalk. Also, would you want your child riding a bike in the garbage and glass covered, door zone "bike lane"?
The city has been asked repeatedly to mitigate speeding, on Willow St., Orange St., Canner St., English Drive, etc., but the city's priority is to move as many cars, as fast as possible, throughout the city.

I agree that cars are the major offenders (but, obviously, bikers aren't perfect either when it comes to traffic laws).

Let's be clear: kids should be allowed to ride on sidewalks, and the law is generally not enforced for them. For everyone else, it's dangerous to ride on the sidewalk, and the fine is $93 for riding a bike on the sidewalk. If you refer to page 8 the Smart Cycling handbook (http://bit.ly/f1t8Jd), bikers are twice as likely to be injured or involved in an accident when riding on the sidewalk versus the street.

I ride my bike on Willow St. all the time. While it isn't pleasant, I don't consider riding on the sidewalk an option.

I agree that cars are the major offenders (but, obviously, bikers aren't perfect either when it comes to traffic laws).

Let's be clear: kids should be allowed to ride on sidewalks, and the law is generally not enforced for them. For everyone else, it's dangerous to ride on the sidewalk, and the fine is $93 for riding a bike on the sidewalk. If you refer to page 8 the Smart Cycling handbook (http://bit.ly/f1t8Jd), bikers are twice as likely to be injured or involved in an accident when riding on the sidewalk versus the street.

I ride my bike on Willow St. all the time. While it isn't pleasant, I don't consider riding on the sidewalk an option.

Oh for god sakes this in my inbox again.

Particularly bad in the Tomlinson Bridge area, Long Wharf Drive, and Sargent Drive. It became really bad about 2-1/2 years ago, and is now a daily hazard to pedestrians.

This issue was recategorized from Uncategorized to Traffic/Road Safety.

If they're not paying taxes on that bicycle that they want to drive in the street like the rest of us pay taxes on our cars that we drive in the street then they should be on the sidewalk.

I see bicyclists in Boston riding on the road all the time even at night and when it is raining. Because many of them do not use lights I would rather have them ride the sidewalks than see them hit with the car. Unless there is a designated sufficiently wide bike lane that is not blocked by parked cars, I do not see how this issue can be solved

Cyclists belong in the street, not crashing into pedestrians on the sidewalk.

If they don't have the bike handling skills to ride in the street, they shouldn't be riding until they can do so with confidence.

It feels like turning the streets back to two ways would help this a lot.

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve and as a result a number of historical issues are being closed. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please open as a new See Click Fix issue with updated information and details. Thank you.