[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of May 6, 2011. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN RICHARD CORRIEA’S MESSAGE
Our Richmond District Police Community Advisory Board continues to work on projects and advance ideas designed to enhance traffic safety in the District. The Board asked me distribute the following letter to you concerning bicycle safety:
Letter Regarding Bicycle Safety in Traffic
Dear Richmond District Resident:
Q: What happens when a 2,000 LBS vehicle comes into contact with a bicycle?
A: A Disaster
There are many serious injuries and fatalities that occur annually resulting from automobilists colliding with bicyclists. Even more tragic is when children are involved in such accidents when seated in bicycle trailers or kids’ seats. Many of these accidents are preventable when traffic rules are followed. It is critical that automobilists and bicyclists observe the rules of the road. Regarding bicycle safety, it is important to:
- Wear helmets
- Do not talk on a cell phone while riding a bicycle
- Do not use headphones/ear buds to listen to music when riding a bicycle
- Obey stop signs, traffic lights, and traffic rules in general
- Use bicycle lanes whenever possible
- Remain vigilant about traffic conditions
Be safe rather than sorry when riding your bicycle in traffic. Besides your own safety, riding a bicycle safely and observing the rules of the road, you will serve as a good role model for other cyclists. This, in turn, could prevent countless accidents.
Below please find a few informative resources regarding bicycle safety and traffic regulations.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
California Vehicle Code (2011)
Department of Motor Vehicles
Thank you for making a difference regarding bicycle safety!
Respectfully yours,
Richmond District Police Community Advisory Board
in Partnership with the Richmond District Police Station
During the past week in the District there were 22 traffic accidents 2 involving injuries.
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 04/30/11 at 1:30am an intoxicated motorist crashed his car into a concrete planter on Funston at Balboa. The car then proceeded south across Balboa and struck three parked cars on Funston between Balboa and Cabrillo. Both the driver and passenger fled the scene of the accident. The passenger was located 2 blocks away from the scene and had minor injuries. The passenger provided a statement to the officers as to what had occurred. At 2:10am, the registered owner of the vehicle, ultimately determined to have in fact been the driver of the vehicle at the time of the accident, called from his home on 3rd Ave to report that his car had been stolen. Officers responded to the home and took the driver into custody. The 21 year old male was charged with hit and run and driving under the influence.
On 05/01/11 at 1:35am on the 2700 block of Bush Street a victim, who had been working on his laptop at his kitchen table, turned off the lights and went to bed. Within minutes he heard the sound of glass breaking and went into his kitchen. He saw a suspect kneeling on the kitchen table reaching for the laptop. The suspect grabbed it and jumped out of a window. Officers conducted and investigation and physical evidence located at the scene led to the identification of the suspect. Officers from Northern Police Station located the suspect on Eddy and Van Ness on 05/02/11 at 900PM and took him into custody. The 29 year old male was charged with burglary and robbery.
On 05/02/11 at 9am officers responded to the 2700 block of Pine Street on a report of a male who was harassing employees in the building. The caller also stated that the same male had been in the building the day before and had brandished a large knife. The first officer on the scene was told by the workers that the male was on the second floor and they were afraid he was going to do something violent. They also pointed out a large metal rod that the male had come in with and that they were able to talk him into leaving it at the front door. As the officer was getting ready to take the stairs up to the second floor, a woman ran over and said that the suspect was coming down the elevator. The elevator opened and the suspect was standing inside carrying a large shoulder bag. The officer ordered the male out of the elevator and told him to place the bag on the ground. The officer told the suspect to turn around and put his hands in the air and when he did the officer could see a set of handcuffs sticking out of the rear waistband. The suspect kept trying to reach into his shoulder bag and was yelling at the officer that he was going to murder the officer and officer’s family. Additional units arrived and took the suspect into custody. The officer searched the shoulder bag and found a ski mask and 4 fixed blade knives, 3 having blades longer than 6 ½ inches, and the other 10 inches. The 56 year old male was charged with possession of weapons, aggravated assault and criminal threats.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 05/01/11at 700pm and 05/02/11 at 700am on the 300 block of Clement Street, a suspect gained entry into a business by prying open a rear door. The suspect took cash.
I laughed long and loud when I read that bike riders have to:
“Obey stop signs, traffic lights, and traffic rules in general”.
Bicyclists do NOT have to follow any rules. They make their own. Red lights and Stop Signs are not for them. They can easily breeze through dangerous intersections without a thought. If they should happen to be struck by a car (oops, splat) than it’s: the driver’s fault, the pedestrian’s fault, the streets are badly designed… But bike riders are NEVER at fault, and woe to anyone who hints otherwise.
AGREED! I am a long-time cyclist, and when I bike, I always come to a stop when there are cars. Even when there aren’t, I slow down to almost nothing, because who knows what will come through the intersection. Saving a few seconds of time to not check for traffic is not worth it, I don’t want to end up road kill. On the flip side, when I’m driving, I am always weary of bicyclists when it is clearly my right of way. I can’t tell you how many times I was going through an intersection after stopping at a stop sign, only to see a bicyclist come out from the side and blow through the stop sign, forcing me to slam on my brakes. No “sorry” or courtesy wave, just a big middle finger and an angry rant about how I suck for driving a car.
Most bicyclists in San Francisco today are trying to win the Darwin awards. Funny thing though, I have seen bicyclists in the mission WALK their bikes across intersections. Yep, the fixie gear, hipster-jean wearing cyclists on that area are starting to take their safety into consideration. Cyclists in GG park, on the other hand, are the worst.
Typo:
*of that area
I do not stop at all stop signs, unless there are other cars stopped or approaching in opposing directions, and I never will. The amount of stop signs in the city is ridiculous (even for drivers) and it would be inefficient as well as extremely exhausting, making biking around the city pointless (imagine all those cyclists in cars- you think traffic is bad now?), to come to a complete stop at every stop sign. Let’s not put all the blame on bikes here, even though we like to make them out to be the perfect scape goats- how many cars do you see come to complete stops at stop signs, even when there are other cars in the intersections? And I always stop at traffic lights, even when there is no traffic coming.
Also, it would really be helpful as well as courteous for bikes to use hand signals and cars to use their turn signals. All the time I am cut off by a car without a turn signal on that makes a sharp right as I am going past, expecting them to go straight.
tyler, the only way you can get away with that law-breaking behavior, is because you expect everyone else to obey the traffic laws. I grew up in a bike-centric town which had plenty of stop signs, and it did not stop any of us from biking, though auto parking was plentiful everywhere. I hope the driver of the car that hits you is not too traumatized from the experience.
@tyler: Not sure if you don’t value you safety or not, but it definitely seems like you don’t. As a cyclists myself, I always take the time to approach all intersections with caution. And I will always stop when there are cars. You are saying that you will NEVER stop. These are the kind of actions that lead cyclists to be six feet under. And no, I am not making you out to be a “scape goat.”
If you want to share the road with drivers, you need to go to the DMV, pickup a handbook and read up on the laws. Once you begin to follow the rules, then you can share the road with drivers.
As a driver, I ALWAYS stop at stop signs. I even stop at a red light making a right turn at a protected intersection. Yes, I see other drivers do a “California Roll” when stopping, but nothing close to what cyclists do when they blow past a stop sign at 15mph without even looking at cross traffic (often forcing them to stop abruptly).
This argument can continue ad nauseum, but there is one thing that is clear: both sides need to follow traffic rules, and neither can be exempt because it’s “too difficult.” That kind of whiner attitude doesn’t get anything done.
@ Serge- I did not say “I will NEVER stop.” Geez, this is why you can’t have debates on the internet, even though its documented 2 inches above exactly what I said. If you choose not to be so lazy you will see that I say (copied and pasted from above) “I do not stop at all stop signs, unless there are other cars stopped or approaching in opposing directions, and I never will.”
And I am a driver as well. Yes I hate bikes when I drive and I hate cars when I ride- it’s human psychology, which is a whole other topic.
hello, as a cyclist who follows ALL the traffic laws, i can tell you that yes, stop signs suck, but if you don’t like them you can always ride on roads that have lights instead. even obeying all traffic laws i’m still MUCH faster than a car in most situations. it’s because the cars are so wide as to not be able to pass each-other without their own lane. in a car you’re constantly waiting for the person in front of you to move, on a bike, you go around that person. please observe the laws of the road, and share the road with cars. when i’m going faster than the cars, i pass on the right.. when i’m not as fast (say climbing turk st. on the way home from downtown) i get over as far right as i can without endangering myself and often wave the cars by. please be considerate and keep the streets safe. DRIVERS USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL PLEASE, IT’S RIGHT NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. (ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE)
* i meant to say i pass on the left.. sorry hahaha.
@ serge, the “hipsters in the mission” are walking their bikes because they’re not really cyclists. their bike is more of a fashion symbol and just another way to conform to the masses (who are all trying to look like they don’t conform). that’s just my “roadie” point of view anyway. hahaha.