Phoenix media blitz addresses wrong-way riding

[Update — a newer presentation of more-or-less the same material can be found at azbikelaw.org/ride-with-traffic ]

Phoenix last week rolled out a major media blitz to target wrong-way riding

bike-sign-2-tipsThey all struggle with the fact that the direction of riding on sidewalks, in Phoenix, is not regulated. In other words, it’s not illegal to ride counter-flow on Phoenix sidewalks. But they didn’t do a scrupulous job of noting the difference between legal counter-flow sidewalk riding, and the (always) illegal counter-flow street riding. Since the State of Arizona has chosen not to regulate riding on the sidewalk at all, and individual cites do, the topic is voluminous —  for much much more about sidewalk riding see sidewalk-cycling-in-arizona.

So some of the stories take odd turns, like the the notion that “…because riding a short distance against traffic sometimes might be safer, Wilcoxon says”.  Oh my. Continue reading “Phoenix media blitz addresses wrong-way riding”

Alameda Drive Tempe Bicycle / Pedestrian Proposal

Alameda / Tempe funding proposal http://www.azmag.gov/Documents-Ext/ModalApps_2018/BP/TMP-19-BPB-001_Complete-Application.pdf
Door Zone Bike Lanes figure prominently in the Alameda Drive / Tempe funding proposal

If you’ve never read one of these funding proposals before, they’re pretty interesting. This is one of some number of TA / CMAQ Application for FY 2018, 2019, and 2020 Projects submitted to MAG. Phew, lots of initials: TA / CMAQ Transportation Alternatives / Congestion Mitigation Air Quality. MAG is the Maricopa Association of Governments, who has some sort of process to score these things and recommend (decide?) who gets what. They also have relatively detailed cost estimates, e.g. this project’s bottom line is just shy of $2M total; the kicker is the cost split Continue reading “Alameda Drive Tempe Bicycle / Pedestrian Proposal”

Out of control drivers kill man on Phoenix sidewalk

2CDFB38F00000578-3252553-image-m-111_1443474861187-Yes,  another sidewalk death caused by out of control drivers; Sunday 9/27/2015 — Seriously, how often does stuff like this happen?

According to the story, this was an apparent left turn 2-vehicle collision that sent two out-of-control drivers all over the place. The man who died, Juan Mena-Brito, is credited for shoving his wife to safety just before getting mowed down. 43rd Ave and Peoria, Phoenix, AZ. Continue reading “Out of control drivers kill man on Phoenix sidewalk”

Tucson-area Bike Lane rear-end fatal

9/29/2015 05:25am 30 y.o. Daniel Wilson was struck and killed “riding east in the bike lane of Orange Grove Road approaching La Cholla Boulevard when he was struck from behind by an eastbound passenger car merging into the right turn lane,” Casa Adobes, AZ; apparently Pima Co Sheriff investigates there. [note this is not a “criss-cross” design; the BL projects straight ahead]

It would have been dark at 525a , and police confirmed the cyclist had a tailight, sunrise wasn’t until 6:16am this day.

If you click thru to the street view above, you’ll see the area has two thru lanes, a bike lane, and a very long right-turn-only lane. It’s not clear exactly where along the approach the collision occurred.

Continue reading “Tucson-area Bike Lane rear-end fatal”

Driver charged w/hit-and-run in Chandler ped fatality

photo: MSCO
Hit-and-run suspect Wanda House. photo: MSCO

[UPDATES plea deal January 2017, then imprisoned due to probation violation Sept 2017]

Driver Wanda Snow House has been charged with hit-and-run in connection with the death of a pedestrian. According to police she “was driving in a bicycle lane on Dobson Road near West Canyon Way on Jan. 14 2015 when she hit a pedestrian, identified as Frances Johnston”. Continue reading “Driver charged w/hit-and-run in Chandler ped fatality”

Tucson bicyclist dies after falling

According to a TPD press release, e-bicyclist 49-year-old Joseph Brzuchalski died after wobbling, falling, and hitting his head. The incident occurred 9/21/2015 ~ 1730, and police believe alcohol was invovled. The press release goes to great lengths to say this incident did not involve train tracks.

In any event, I’m labeling this as non-traffic because

  • an electric bike is a motorized bicycle and, as such, does not “count” as a bicyclist fatality — its operator is a “DRIVER” and not a “PEDALCYCLIST”. And/or:
  • Traffic crashes that do not involve any motor vehicles do not “count” as traffic crashes

In other words, I’m not expecting this to show up on state or federal traffic crash stats.

Continue reading “Tucson bicyclist dies after falling”

Pickup driver plows into Police car; 2 officers seriously injured

Photo: Paulina Iracka
Photo: Paulina Iracka

Police work entails risk, and the risk  from a traffic crash is a leading cause of death among officers; e.g. see more-police-killed-by-traffic-than-guns Continue reading “Pickup driver plows into Police car; 2 officers seriously injured”

74 year-old cyclist struck, killed on Tucson eastside

9/16/2015 74 y.o.  bicyclist John Venneman was killed as he cycled north on Craycroft Rd at the intersection of 22nd st. Police said he had a red light, and was struck by an eastbound driver. “Police say drivers in two of the eastbound 22nd Street lanes of traffic spotted the cyclist riding in the crosswalk against the light, but a driver in the lane closest to the median did not see Venneman and struck him.” Continue reading “74 year-old cyclist struck, killed on Tucson eastside”

Driver strikes 4 in crosswalk; flees

Incident 9/5/2015

Gerald Taylor, 45Man accused of hitting four U of A students faces 9 counts … Tucson Police believes Gerald Taylor, 45, ran through the crosswalk and hit four of the five students crossing. Investigators revealed that Taylor did not stop at the scene and continued driving. About two hours later, he turned himself in. Three children were in the car with him when the incident happened. One student is in the hospital with life threatening injuries. Two suffered serious injuries and one had minor injuries…

Apparent hit and run bicyclist fatality in AJ

[ Update Sept 3: they seem to be implying this was not a vehicle involved, there was no hit-and-run, thus this was not a traffic crash, so I added the non-traffic tag, and am removing the hit-and-run tag. There is some sort of fairly deep ditch/canal(?) running in the median]

Sept 2, 2015. Police were notified of a dead body and nearby mangled bicycle in the median of Apache Trail near Ocotillo 8:30am. Though this is apparent hit-and-run traffic fatality, it’s not clear and the investigation will have to confirm.

Apache Trail near Ocotillo road has three lanes in each direction plus a BL. East and West are separated by a VERY wide median (I see ~ 65′ on google maps). Continue reading “Apparent hit and run bicyclist fatality in AJ”

What’s wrong with sharing? What’s wrong with courtesy?

image: www.bikede.org
image: www.bikede.org

Bicyclist advocates have been pointing out for years that the “Share the Road” message is problematical for bicyclists — that nobody really understands what it’s supposed to mean — the meaning is, at best, unclear and therefore readily mis-interpreted. Continue reading “What’s wrong with sharing? What’s wrong with courtesy?”

Dangerous driver gets a sweet deal

It seems to me there are many un-charged crimes here by Pinal prosecutor Voyles. How is this not reckless driving? Endangerment? Fleeing from police? You gotta love this part:  “He said he was working and talking on his cellphone and that ‘I always use all lanes of traffic when I drive.’ “.

He netted 48 hours in jail; and what i suppose is whatever the standard suspension is for a 1st time simple DUI. Continue reading “Dangerous driver gets a sweet deal”

“Shoehorn” Bike Lanes

Attention bicyclist advocates: resist the urge to desire dedicated bicycling facilities when they won’t fit safely.

In the accurately scaled example diagram below (visit iamtraffic.org to tweak the dimensions and vehicle choices. A very cool tool!) a cyclist riding an upright bike is riding centered in a 5′ BL w/curb abreast of a Ford F-150 driving centered in the right general purpose travel lane (and DON’T say “car lane”, or somesuch).

illustration from iamtraffic.org interactive tool
illustration from iamtraffic.org interactive tool

Continue reading ““Shoehorn” Bike Lanes”

Phoenix bicyclist killed in nighttime hit and run

names not yet released. 8/13/2015 ~ 1AM. Near 51st Ave near Southern Ave in Phoenix. Both driver and bicyclist were southbound.

Suspect vehicle is a white chrysler minivan with heavy passenger-side damage has been located and police have spoken with the registered owner. KPHO Continue reading “Phoenix bicyclist killed in nighttime hit and run”