>You can be neither.
Bicycle is a vehicle.
>>I am ... blamed for running over bicycles that are
>>violating traffic controls when I am operating correctly.
>When, when has this happened? This doesn't sound like a reference to any recent event I know about.
No actual event...but there is an assumption of blame whenever there is
contact between a bike and a bus (or other vehicle)
--- Neat bicyclist trick...pull up alongside a bus at a light, grab the mirror to steady yourself, push off to get a jump on the green light (also keeps bus from moving as the mirror is readjusted).--->>I would have more respect for bicyclists if they respected traffic laws and controls.
>>Supervisor Barbara Kaufman said it this way: "I don't know if I've ever seen a bicyclist stop at a stop sign or traffic light."
>It's very hard for me to assess comments like these. Your "respect[ing] traffic controls" could mean many different things. Kaufman's assertion is like most political speech, a memorable combination of CYA ignorance ("I don't know") and easily disproved hyperbole ("ever").
>Both comments, though, indicate 1) an observable common behavior among *some* people on bikes, which I don't deny!!!!! and 2) discriminatory perception by *some* people in motor vehicles, which I hope no one else would deny.
>Robert, do you have counts of how many bikes you encounter, and how many of them violate traffic controls?
re: 2) you are far safer assuming that every bicyclist will violate traffic controls/laws.
I don't have counts (I'll check today)...but I assume bicyclists sometimes multiples: 16th(Valencia-Church); Church(16th to Herman); Hermann; Fillmore(Hermann to Waller); occassionally elsewhere. I would guess that while they are near my bus, 90 to 95% of the bicyclists violate at least one traffic control or law. 95-100% of the bicyclists do something that is unsafe or unsensible (meaning they do something that I wouldn't do when I bicycle). Perhaps 5-10% of encounters require me to avoid bicyclists in violation of traffic controls or laws. Well under 10% signal.
--- Going up 16th St, commonly buses and bicycles hopscotch at each light, bicycles go around at the light, bus goes around during the block, then all stop at the next light...any suggestions?Robert Parks 22-Fillmore