IT’S HARD not to applaud Boston’s determined efforts to become a bike-friendly city. Cycling is ecologically sound, healthy, and should eventually reduce Boston’s carbon footprint along with its vehicular traffic.
But — and somehow there’s always a but — in the 10 days or so since the streets of my Commonwealth Avenue neighborhood were reborn as bike routes, I’ve observed the following: Cyclists ignoring designated bike lanes to ride in auto lanes instead. Cyclists riding against traffic, riding on sidewalks, ignoring red lights, failing to use hand signals, and barely avoiding pedestrians. Motorists being ticketed for various offenses while cyclists rode on, defying the rules of the road with impunity.
In other words, some cyclists have responded to their new, more pleasant, and potentially safer environment by continuing to flout the law, endangering motorists and pedestrians as well as themselves. While the city is busy creating bike-friendly roads, perhaps it’s also time to send the message that cyclists are not exempt from traffic laws, and to ticket those who ignore them.
Lois C. Ambash
Boston 
