The coexistence of cars, bicycles and pedestrians is growing more complicated as we are being pressured to abandon our dependency on our fossil-fueled transport devices. Most of us have grown up with cars as king of the road, with bikes and pedestrians just being an occasional nuisance, causing the drivers to be patient with these snail-like impediments.
But the times are changing and those other folk are blooming like desert flowers after the winter rains. Basic physics tells us that if people, bikers, and cars attempt to occupy the same space at the same time, the body with the highest mass will emerge victorious. Thus, it is essential that we all adjust the way that we share the asphalt, giving recognition to the vulnerability of those without two tons of armor.
Reading the news, we learn about accidents where drivers are at fault, either by being inattentive, under the influence, or driving aggressively. Other accidents may involve bikers flouting the rules of the road, or pedestrians playing Russian Roulette with cars coming at them at 60 mph. We cannot use the fact that there are bad actors in every mode as an excuse to not address the reality of these tragic incidents. People are dying. People are being maimed.
As someone who has put 2,000 miles on his e-bike, just in the past year, I can attest to the seriousness and reality of this situation. The only way that I have been able to avoid a horrifying collision is to approach each intersection and driveway as if every approaching car was out to get me.
The greatest threat lies at intersections where walkers and bikes have a “green” and drivers are not aware of either the light or the objects. How most drivers deal with turns, especially the “Right on Red,” represents a great danger.
During the ‘70s gas crisis, the Right-on-Red (RoR) rule spread throughout the nation, aiming to reduce consumption waiting for the green. We all use this without much thought, and it makes sense. However, most people are using the RoR incorrectly, and thereby putting pedestrians and bikers in extreme danger.
RoR calls for drivers to come to a full stop at an intersection, look for approaching traffic from the left, look for anything in the crosswalk on the right and proceed cautiously when clear. But what do we usually do? We approach the intersection, slowing enough to be able to stop if there is cross traffic. We rarely come to a full stop, and it’s hard to look left and right at the same time, so anything in the crosswalk is not seen.
Surveys taken in the ‘80s found RoR to cause a 60% increase in pedestrian crashes and a 100% increase in bicycle crashes.
In many areas, bicycle lanes and pedestrians get their own “green” light, wherein they are supposed to be safe in crossing. We often see someone stopping for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, with a “walk” signal, and every car behind starts honking. Bicyclists, waiting at the corner for their green, cannot start to cross without a car doing a wheelie on an RoR. I do not dare start to cross without making eye .
If we intend to encourage the safe use of bicycles and pedestrians walking to transit stops, this blatant mode of vehicular assault has to stop. Here is what we need to do:
- To start, do not execute a turn until a visual check indicates that it is clear of pedestrians and bikes.
- Do not make abrupt right turns into driveways, in front of approaching bikes.
- Let’s use the RoR rule as it was intended. Full stop — look left for traffic — look right for pedestrians and bicycles — look both ways again — then move cautiously through the intersection.
- Pay attention to the occasional NO Right-on-Red signs. They are there for a reason — including allowing safe crossing for bikes and pedestrians. The violations of the No RoR at the intersections of I-15 and the Route 56 bike trail have been so frequent, and so dangerous, that the County has decided to build an expensive bike bridge over the I-15 ramps.
- We need to encourage the authorities to ticket RoR and No RoR violators. The County is looking for funding for future transportation projects. Why not tap this lucrative source and have it serve a useful purpose.
- It’s time for our communities to follow the lead of our neighbors to the North. San Francisco has eliminated RoR for all intersections in the Tenderloin District. Berkeley is preparing to eliminate RoR for the entire city — 135 intersections.
If we are to prevent unnecessary loss of life and serious injury to pedestrians and bicyclists, we need to undertake these prescriptions. If we intend to be serious about a new mobility paradigm that weans us from our cars to other mobility modes, we must recognize and respect that walkers and bicyclists have the right to safety on our roads and walkways.
I’m going to send this prescription for saving lives to the appropriate officials. I hope that you might do the same. Will you me in changing our driving habits at intersections? The expected growth in bicycle and pedestrian traffic demands that we make critical changes now.
A Rancho Bernardo resident, Levine is a retired project management consultant and the author of three books on the subject.
