Newton Gets In On The Targeted Enforcement Game
Written by Boston Biker on Aug 07Much like Boston, and Cambridge, and Somerville, before it, Newton is doing a bit of the old targeted enforcement.
After 20 bicycle-related accidents this year, Newton police will increase patrols this week to enforce traffic laws and educate cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians about sharing the road.
During the weeklong effort, police will monitor many of the heavily cycled roads around Newton and ticket both cyclists and motorists who violate the rules of the road.
“There’s definitely an issue where awareness needs to improve for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, too,” said Captain Howard Mintz, head of the Police Department’s traffic bureau. “It’s been very difficult.”
With an increase in cyclists and the city trying to add more bike lanes, Mintz said police thought it was critical to ensure that everybody obey traffic laws.
A cyclist died in Newton in 2010 after he crashed into a car that was stopped at an intersection, according to police. Last year, Newton experienced 31 bike-related crashes and incidents, and police issued eight tickets to motorists involved, Mintz said.
I know people cry bloody murder about this stuff, somehow trying to make the argument that they either don’t need to follow the law, or that it would be more useful to target other law breaking groups. But I think its a great idea. Newton also seems to be taking a very “everyone on the road” approach to enforcement targeting cyclists, and motorists. Read the rest of the article here. Thanks Ron for the tip.
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By V
on Aug 7, 2012 | Reply
“I know people cry bloody murder about this stuff, somehow trying to make the argument that they either don’t need to follow the law, or that it would be more useful to target other law breaking groups.”
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2012/08/play-to-your-strengths-less-advocacy.html
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2012/08/placing-blame-thousand-middle-fingers.html
You keep inventing the straw-man that people are advocating for the right to break the law.
On the second part: police work is about prioritization – most effective use of your resources.
Which is more effective for saving lives and preventing injuries? Pulling over the guy who idly pedaled through a red light? Or enforcement on drivers piloting vehicles which kill and maim? Every one of us has seen someone texting on their phone while driving – something that makes them more dangerous than a drunk driver, yet I doubt Newton Police have issued any more than a half dozen such tickets, and all anyone (bikers, police, drivers, politicians) can talk about are THOSE DAMN BICYCLISTS running red lights.
This is despite the fact that:
a)Cyclists running red lights represent virtually no hazard to other road users, and at best the hazard they present is equal to the hazard they would inflict upon themselves (If you hit a pedestrian, you’re getting injured, too – probably worse, in fact, because you’re the one falling from 5-6 feet.)
b)It is a complete myth that cyclists are injured mostly when doing illegal things and part of the continuing culture that cycling is inherently dangerous, which is why everyone is always screaming at us to wear our helmets, yet we still have among the highest per-mile death and injury rates in the world. Cyclists are NOT injured when running red lights, and multiple studies have shown that the vast majority of injuries and deaths are due to driver error: negligence, inattention, and illegal operation.
c)Cyclists cause less than half a percent of pedestrian injuries.
So yes, your insistence on supporting these crackdowns on victims is irritating.
The Globe piece you site and the quotes from Newton city officials only serve as victim-blaming. Perfect example: listing the number of crashes versus the number of tickets issued, clearly trying to imply that cyclists are at fault for the crashes…particularly when there’s a known bias against cyclists by police.
By Dan
on Aug 10, 2012 | Reply
As someone who always stops at reds, I still have to agree with V. I remain totally unimpressed by these crackdowns until the law is enforced CONSISTENTLY for EVERYONE.
This is just another empty PR campaign that will do nothing to make the roads safer in the long term. However, it WILL provide police with some positive press for singling out cyclists as we are a despised minority (law-abiding cyclists included). Just check the reader comments in the article.
By rosirat
on Aug 13, 2012 | Reply
agreed with V (and I’m usually a boy scout when it comes to traffic rules) – but it’s also all the more reason to fight for “vulnerable road users” legislation to make motorists automatically at fault in pedestrian/cyclist accidents. Currently the laws are set up that you can purposefully mow someone down on a bike (or even a “jaywalker”) and usually get away with it. This is what keeps more people from cycling.