Slow by nature

slowMovingVehiclesCollageAlthough the vast majority of vehicles are driven at the “normal speed of traffic” — there are many classes of vehicle (or device) which are by their nature sometimes or always driven at less than the normal speed of traffic, yet are generally allowed on the roadway. These include both motorized and non-motorized vehicles. Operation of these vehicles/devices is allowed unless specifically prohibited; for example bicyclists and motor-driven cycles are not permitted in the roadway on limited access highways. They can also be prohibited by minimum speed limits, however as noted here, in Arizona “Posted minimum speeds are rare. There are NO KNOWN posted minimums on any street in Arizona”.

Besides bicycles, there are many classes of vehicle permitted on any street in Arizona with limitations as noted, these are just examples, there are probably others: Continue reading “Slow by nature”

Childtime Sign Killed

Driver kills Childtime Sign
Driver kills Childtime Sign

A westbound driver apparently failed to negotiate a slight bend in the road and drove up on the sidewalk, killing the Childtime Sign. July 19, 2016 ~ 8AM. Warner Rd, just west of 51st St.

This is the same spot where another dangerous driver drove up on the sidewalk and killed the bus stop structure in February last year. Continue reading “Childtime Sign Killed”

Tucson Bicyclist dies after last week’s intersection crash

Victim: Roger Haar

Witnesses say a female driver ran a red light and collided with Haar July 11, 2016 at Fort Lowell Road and Mountain Avenue, Tucson. The bicyclist was seriously injured, and died about a week later.

A July 19th AP story was somewhat more detailed with crash specifics “Tucson police say in a news release that the 65-year-old had been headed south on his bike along a road when he stopped for a red light. After the light turned green, police say he entered the intersection and was struck by a westbound sedan that ran a red light.”

Continue reading “Tucson Bicyclist dies after last week’s intersection crash”

Bicycle Laws in the United States-Past, Present, and Future

Bicycle Laws in the United States-Past, Present, and Future is an ambitious, scholarly article written by attorney Ken McLeod, who also happens to be a member of LAB’s s Legal Affairs Committee. And has written much of the content available on LAB’s site relating to laws and legal matters, e.g. bike-law-university and the paper is reflective of the information there, just perhaps in a more technical/scholarly format. Continue reading “Bicycle Laws in the United States-Past, Present, and Future”

Arizona’s FTR Law

Arizona, like the large majority of other states, as well as the UVC has a bicyclist-specific rule about “where to ride” laterally; enjoining bicyclists to ride toward the right edge, but with a wide variety of exceptions [The LAB says 42 states plus D.C. has some form of this rule bikeleague.org/content/bike-law-university also see bicycle-laws-in-the-united-states-past-present-and-future ] Continue reading “Arizona’s FTR Law”

Flagstaff Bike / Ped Crash Report

The City of Flagstaff has put together crash data DRAFT Working Paper 4 Pedestrian and bicycle crash data. This report released in Oct 2015 geographically covers Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO) region — so the city of Flagstaff and surrounding area —  for the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. It is well documented and uses the ADOT Safety Data Mart exclusively. As such, it doesn’t add any additional data of the sort that was added by the City of Phoenix’s collision summary. E.g. The City of Phoenix summary breaks down the cyclist’s position (accurately, by reading each crash report narrative) to reveal 70% of cyclists involving in collisions were on the sidewalk just prior to the collision (either at a crosswalk, or driveway). Continue reading “Flagstaff Bike / Ped Crash Report”

Wrong-way driver stopped on SR-87

Photos: MCSO and DPS.
Photos: MCSO and DPS.

Driver Barbara Christine McLaughlin was arrested after driving the wrong way on Arizona SR-87 near Bush Highway Thursday afternoon. DPS Trooper Pedro Rodriguez heroically intentionally caused a crash in order to stop McLaughlin’s 5,000 pound pickup; probably doing her a big favor, because people who drive pickups the wrong way tend to kill people and go to prison (for a long time). Oh, and after the minor collision, McLaughlin tried to drive away (hit and run). Nice. “impairment is suspected” DPS says. Continue reading “Wrong-way driver stopped on SR-87”

Two “missing” 2015 hit-and-run fatalities

I found these two only because they appear in asdm data for 2015. I find nothing googling. Given the paucity of data and the profusion of UNKNOWNs these two appear to simply have the hit-and-run flag mis-coded?? These both have absolutely no location information, i.e. no streets, and no Lat/long. Continue reading “Two “missing” 2015 hit-and-run fatalities”

Bicyclist killed in Gilbert hit-and-run

(Source: KPHO/KTVK)
(Source: KPHO/KTVK)

June 7, 2016 ~ 5:30A 73 y.o. bicyclist Calvin Ray Sapp was killed after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in a bike lane —  southbound on Higley Road midway between Ocotillo and Chandler Heights roads. A vehicle matching the description was found a short time later and a suspect was arrested. A later news story that evening said that the suspect “…told police he fell asleep and didn’t know what he hit. Officers said the bike and victim were dragged about 80 yards”. And carried some more-graphic pictures of the smashed in windshield. They also identified the Phoenix Police officer credited with finding the suspect vehicle. Continue reading “Bicyclist killed in Gilbert hit-and-run”