The one consistency in this story is YOU. What did you do to warrant all this negative attention? Im sure you are one of the cyclists who feel its your duty to show others your right to bike by intentionally blocking traffic and refusing to allow anyone to pass. You most likely weave between cars waiting at lights to get to the front, then obnoxiously move your bike to the middle of the lane. Does this sound familiar?

watcher:

thank you for illuminating perfectly how anti-cyclist and anti-pedestrian many people are in this area. why the knee-jerk reaction to blame the cyclist or walker? maybe because in this hurried car culture people are conditioned to think that drivers are entitled to a road without others to consider?

i calmly and rationally laid out scenarios where i was acting with all the rights and responsibilities afforded to me by law. i flagrantly broke no laws, the drivers around me did, and do every day, which is why i opened this issue.

I'm sorry to tell you this but that kind of attitude is all over the country. It seems to be especially
prevalent in CT, MA, and on Long Island. I have some friends in NY who said stop signs are
ignored as if they didn't exist. The drivers know there is no one watching. I believe there needs to
be more traffic patrolling

A timely new report from the Victoria Transportation Institute:

"Whose Roads? Evaluating Bicyclists’ and Pedestrians’ Right to Use Public Roadways"

(http://www.vtpi.org/whoserd.pdf )
Many people believe that non-motorized modes (walking, cycling, and their variants) have less right to use public roads than motorists, based on assumptions that motor vehicle travel is more important than non-motorized travel and motor vehicle user fees finance roads. This report investigates these assumptions. It finds that non-motorized modes have clear legal rights to use public roads, that non-motorized travel is important for an efficient transport system and provides significant benefits to users and society, that less than half of roadway expenses are financed by motor vehicle user fees, and pedestrians and cyclists pay more than their share of roadway costs. Since bicycling and walking impose lower roadway costs than motorized modes, people who rely on non-motorized modes tend to overpay their fair share of roadway costs and subsidize motorists.

support Juli

I couldn't agree more. We're a disgrace. But why is it so bad here? What is it about New Haven / Connecticut?

no leadership in the city!!

we need bolder, more innovative solutions to protect pedestrians & cyclists NOW

Department of Public Works assigned this issue to Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking

The emphasis should be enforcement of existing traffic laws. Behavior, under these circumstances, is driven by enforcement or a lack there-of. If the existing laws that incorporate all road users are not enforced, it basically falls upon the individual to demand enforcement. It is very important to understand that if a blame game is a part of a demand, the change will not occur. I've heard too many arguments on each end around which group is not obeying the law. Each group (Driver, Cyclist, Pedestrian) blames the other. This is not a solution. What makes me laugh, and believe me folks, I'm laughing right now, is that one person can be and often times is a part of each group, yet compartmentalizes their expected judgement based upon the current mode they are employing. Very funny and very human.

cyciatrist:

i didn't open this issue to place blame-- i understand what you mean. when you are traveling via one mode of travel, you can easily slip into thinking all other modes of travel are acting inappropriately, or just in your way.

but your point about individuals demanding enforcement-- there is obviously an unacceptable number of life-threatening traffic violations every day in new haven, and a lawless culture where, yes, in my opinion, specifically drivers feel they are above the law and will most likely not get caught. so, i opened this issue to demand more enforcement, while calling on the Dept. of Transportation, Traffic and Parking to take more serious steps towards protecting the citizens of new haven that are not protected by two tons of metal every time they travel.

the city and the police department need to do something! period.

I live at the base of east rock, it is literally my back yard we as a family use it everyday,;at a risk of our safety.To get to the summt one must walk a road travelled by walkers,joggers cyclist,and vehicles.the average speed either up or down in a vehicle is well over 35-40mph,even faster for the bikes travelling downhill.the posted speed limit in the park is 15 mph,when this was pointed out to a cyclist racing downhill ,we were told we wre ignorant and cyclist dont have a speed limiit .not only our streets are held hostage to persons who have no compassion for others but also OUR CITY PARKS are.

do something, The City!

How do you get 'violently' honked at?

I must Wikipedia this...

There's no such thing. I call bullcrap.

sparky:

laying on the horn for at least a solid three minutes while screaming profanity out the window at two pedestrians legally crossing directly in front of the vehicle isn't violent? you wouldn't take that as a threat?

It took you three minutes to cross a street? Were you just shot in the legs and dragging them lamely behind you as you desperately crawled across the street, clawing the pavement with your bloodied fingers in a epic attempt to get to the other side? Or are you going to blame the poor soul with the cane? In any event, I think you're exaggerating. And if you're not...that's at least 2 light cycles. I think there was violent honking justification in this instance.

Sparky,
I think most readers of this page can imagine what is meant by "violent" honking. And no, Juli probably did not take out a stopwatch at the moment the honking began.
But why the irritation? It seems odd.

Oh, KD...I think you'd like to interpret it as irritation. It's actually called 'humor'. And it's directed at those of us who aren't like you and Juli.

Thanks Sparky.

I guess I just find it difficult to see the humor in a description of motorists screaming profanities at pedestrians in a crosswalk.

KD, I believe you.

Stupid Sparky - it's violent when you get shouted and sworn at the same time. You dimass.

i agree, policies are a disgrace.
Please sign, related to this type of thing:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/petition-for-a-walkable-100-college-street-development.html
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/new-haven-petition-for-safe-streets.html
the lack of standard sidewalks here
combined with $3,000,000,000 spent to widen I95/I91 in the middle of the city,
including $200,000,000 for a gigantic flyover bridge to route 34
shows where the priorities of our city REALLY are

oh sean, you and KD must be dating. silly gooses.

Due to it's age, this issue is being closed. If this continues to be a problem, please reopen or create a new issue. Thank you.