🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <D.Nash-1411941046030001@bubba.ots.utexas.edu>,
Donald L. Nash <D.Nash@utexas.edu> wrote:
>On the UT Austin campus, the situation is almost the reverse.  Bikers get
>away with just about anything down here.  They ride on the sidewalks and
>run over pedestrians.  They run stop signs with wild abandon.  They speed
>on the downhill slopes (campus speed limit is 15 mph), and pass cars
>illegally while doing so.  About two years ago, UT hired some bicycle cops
>to help tame these people and they have had an impact, but not nearly
>enough.  It is this sort of behavior which engenders such hostility toward
>bikers.  I recognize and appreciate the responsible bikers when I see
>them, but around here that isn't very often.

UT police have a major ticket writing campaign at busy intersections
at the beginning of every semester to try and educate bikers on
cycling tips. They hand out some big tickets for running stopsigns
and riding on sidewalks.  Austin police have become very educated about
the importance of enforcing traffic laws on cyclists, thanks, ironically,
to Critical Mass.  A $60 red light running ticket, which goes on one's
driving record, usually get the attention of a cyclist.  But, just like
auto traffic enforcement, it's not a high enough priority with the 
police department to have much effect (perhaps rightly so).  Motorists
in Austin are terrifyingly dangerous, wild, and law-breaking in 
their habits.  The cops patrol Mopac like mad, yet people still speed
routinely, fail to signal, tailgate, etc, all of which brings about
far more fatalities than those suffered by lame-brain cyclists.  
Nevertheless, I haven't heard anyone advocating restricting the rights
of all motorists just because some or most abuse their privileges.

Ben
--
Benjamin Sloan	     "...the Oklahoma City police are a bunch of crazed
ben@utig.ig.utexas.edu  no-neck gestapo who don't know nothing about nothing 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and hate anyone who does."    -author Bruce Sterling