Bicyclists' bill of rights signed into law

is there anything more annoying than a biker who rides in the middle of the street, acting like a car. Of course, once theres a red light they dont think twice of going through it.

That's great. But maybe the Globe could be a bit servicey and actually inform us as to what these traffic procedures are?

What about Ebikes don't hear much about this transportation mode

Swell, This means that the bicycle riders will obey the laws on the books, right? I know, not a chance. They will continue to ride in packs, run red lights , run stop signs and go down one way streets the wrong way. This will only make it worse.

This is all well and good, but:

1. How about cyclist who do not stop for pedestrians?
2. Cyclist who go through red lights?
3. Cyclist who fail to wear helmuts?
4. Cyclist who ride on sidewalks?
5. Cyclist riding while talking on cell phone?
6. Cyclist whose hearing is impaired by MP3 players?
7. Cyclist who ride across crosswalks instead of walking their bikes?

I forget to mention:

8. Cyclist who do not wear reflective clothing or use reflective lights or headlamps at night.

9. Cyclist who go down the wrong way on a one way street.

Help me here, I am sure there are many more common infractions by cyclists.

I just coughed on my soup, reading some of these comments. To the person who said "is there anything more annoying than a biker who rides in the middle of the street, acting like a car..." I say, is there anything more annoying than having to explain the astronomical asthma rates in our urban youth, the crazy road-rage culture of Boston drivers in general, our nation's expanding waistlines and, of course, global warming? Those are all pretty annoying to me. If you must be so selfish, please keep it to yourself.

JGirl you have my vote!

John Adams...yes, there are things more annoying, such as car drivers who think the roads were built only for them and drivers who fail to realize bikers have the same right to be on the road as you do.

B..I agree. This gives me fear that bikers will scream Bill of Rights when they have no clue to what those rights are. It might embolden them to continue to break the laws that put them and me in increasing danger.

B- I fail to see how signing a bill into law that aims at making the streets safer for cyclists and cars will make the bad behavior of those cyclists who choose to break traffic laws worse...

This bill is a huge step in the right direction and long overdue.

Most cyclists are arrogant law breakers. Thye whine and complain about not getting their due, but don;t think twice about breaking th law whenever they feel like it. They run red lights ALL the time, drive the wrong way down one-way streets, and basically act like thye have the right to do whatever they want. I voted for Deval Patrick and am a liflong democrat, but to hear about him signing this law with no mention of increasing enforcement of existing laws that cyclist break all the time, that put people's lives at risk, only affirms I will absoluetly not vote for him in the next election. Someone needs topush through new legislation that calls for harsher penalties agianst cyclists.

JGirl, all valid points, but it isn't selfish to observe that cyclists should obey the laws. ALL of them. I'm all for the new law as long as cyclists are willing to not be selective about what applies to them. Riding in my area, where the biggest bike store in NE is located, one would regrettably draw the conclusion that, in general, cyclists are a bunch of jerks. I've been flipped off so many times because I think the cyclists could actually SHARE the road, not take it over.

Unfortunately, of course I'm sure the CYCLISTS will think that it is ALWAYS safe and not impeding traffic to ride two abreast...or four, or five...

JGirl,
Unfortunately there are many boston cyclists who do not obey the laws. It goes both ways and although I think it is good we passed this law, those cyclists who continue to breeze through red lights and ride around like they own the street will have to follow rules now, too. Just the other day there was a guy on a bike dressed in black, riding up the median strip on Cambridge street in Allston, with no reflective clothing, no light, no helmet and he is damm lucky he did not get hit, because it was really hard to see him.

My mother was run down by a bike messenger and she was in a crosswalk. He was whipping through the streets with his Ego and couldn't see anyone else.

As a cyclist commuter, and courier I am beyond happy to have this bill passed, but here's the problem, when's it going to get enforced? If there isn't an officer to see a car driving aggressively, or too close to a cyclist then nothing will happen. I've been clipped by cars while in the bike lane wearing a helmet in the day time in bright clothing not listening to music or talking on the phone. I've even been hit by cars taking a right turn not using their turn signal or from behind when I'm stopped at a red light and the car driver was on their cell phone. No cop no crime is what I've experienced in Boston. Just 15 minutes ago I was walking home from Harvard Square and I saw a pickup take a left turn while going through a red light not using a turn signal and almost hit a pedestrian in the sidewalk...

This is an incredibly stupid development. I'm regretting voting for Governor Patrick today. Getting around by car is difficult enough in this region, adding these "rights" for cyclists is going to make things even worse. Setting aside the idiocy of encouraging cycling in a cold weather climate like in Mass., the narrow road infrastructure in the Greater Boston Area simply is not equipped to handle bike traffic along with car traffic (it isn't going away for decades, no matter what some folks may fantasize about) and reckless pedestrians. As for a "dooring" penalty, I'm incensed. It's like permitting someone doing the ramming in a "rear end" collision to claim that they aren't at fault for running into someone else! Slow down and look where you're going - it's that simple bikers!

I have sympathy with those who've been irritated or hurt by bycyclists. On the other hand, I know of numbers of good, responsible citizens, doctors, mayors, lawyers, friends, family, that have been killied, crippled for life, or seriously injured while observing the rules of the road. Just talk to anyone who rides. Ask anyone who rides a motorcycle, for that matter. People who drive cars and trucks often don't even look for cyclists. Some, when the do see them, drive dangerously close to make a point.
And, in terms of a win-win, cycling addresses rampant inactivity and traffic congestion. Most european and asian cities make use of cycling. We should work together to make the roads better all around.

Once again the Great and General Court cofirms the suspicians of the citizenry. Wasting their time passing legislation that BEGS common sense. Then again as Voltaire observed common sense is sadly not too common. One need only adhere to the tenets of respect and courtesy and there wouldn't be a need for laws covering bicycle riding or driving. The collective we buzz around firmly believing our individual errand is the most important all thw while yacking on a cell phone. Did the new law just pass prohibit cyclists from cell phone use while pedaling? I guess they can't consider seat belts for cyclists but there is the helmet. I just don't know how previous generations ever survived without the wisdom of the Graet and General Court!

I agree many bikers out there are dumb with the wearing headphones while riding and I don't support it at all. Pedestrians are just as guilty at walking when not supposed to and not paying attention and just going into traffic.

What I want to know is why when a car passes a cyclist it has to accelerate to 40-50mph instead of passing at 30 or less which is the current speed limit?

Most often that not, bicyclists in downtown Boston don't obey their rules of the road. I've had to step back on the curb during a Walk Signal because a biker was breaking the law. There's nothing I want more than to see the bikers wipe out after blowing through an intersection illegally.

All the anti-cyclists out there need to hop on a bike sometime in Boston or any major suburb (e.g. Newton, Watertown) and see if they feel the same. After you've been hit by a car while obeying traffic laws you may feel differently. Yes, there are people breaking traffic laws on bikes, and I'm assuming the critics never break the speed limit, roll through a stop sign, or punch it to make yellow? Many of the things cyclists do are a lesser of two evils to increase their survival chances in hostile circumstances. Now, if you want to do something about the crazy couriers, then how about lobbying for licensing and insurance laws to apply to commercial cyclists? Everything else is regulated differently if it's commercial vs. personal, so why not bikes?

I too have come close to being run down by bike riders on side walks and running red lights. And to me this seems to be allowing them to ride in a dangerous manner - two abreast, passing cars on the right. That's crazy! It is hard enough on a 2-lane road to safely pass a bike rider when there is oncoming traffic.

After riding my bike in the city for years, it scares me to drive around bicyclists who are hell bent on carving their place in traffic patterns. I always tried to abide by bicycle traffic rules, and I still try to abide by traffic rules while driving my car now (easier to abide by them since I have a kid now). I wish the bicyclists who choose NOT to follow the laws would realize that not only do they seriously endanger their lives, they also put others at risk - all it takes is for a car driver (like me) to be aware of a bicyclist who looks like they're following traffic patterns, and whoops! The biker goes wherever he wants to, causing me to have to swerve and get in an accident because of their illegal move.

It really boils down to consideration for others, and frankly, that's hard to come by in Boston.

I

I do think it's fair to ask cyclists to do their part. With rights come responsibilities. Maybe now that there are rules everyone will follow them.

While we're at it, can we enforce some rules for pedestrians? This is the only city I know where people just walk out in front of traffic without looking - let alone waiting for the light.

A larger part in all of this should be played by the universities; they bring thousands of kids into this city for the first time, and seemingly don't prepare them at all for the realities of getting around in Boston's congested, old-world layout.

OK, here we go.

Riding on the sidewalk is not illegal, although it does increase the likelihood of an accident.

Wearing a helmet (or helmut as LF spells it) is not mandatory for adults.

Cyclists have as much right to a lane on a multi lane road as a car does.

It's great when people state laws that do not exist.

Yes, cyclists run red lights. This is generally done to get a head start against the cars, for our safety.

Cambridge penalizes nearly all traffic infringements against cyclists, the City of Boston does not. The rationale here is that Cambridge is already a world class cycling city, and Boston is attempting to become one. If you dole out tickets left and right, it could demoralize the cycling population and curb its numbers. This comes straight from the city government, as stated in a previous Globe article.

Every driver posting a complaint here should get a bike and get some exercise, as you are probably fat. Statistics bear that statement out.

"Most cyclists are arrogant law breakers." How do you justify the term arrogant? Wouldn't you say that most car owners are law breakers as well? From rolling through a stop sign to driving buzzed/drunk, I don't think you can single out cyclists.

Not sure why there are so many hard feelings here toward cyclists. It takes less than a 5 seconds to pass them and even when riding two abreast, hardly take up as much room on the road as a car. As a cyclist I try to be considerate for the cars that pass me, why is it that the same courtesy cannot be returned? Why is it that my life has to be threatened in order for me to 'learn my lesson' so as not to do something that I love? Seems oppressive and unfair...

And yes, I will call after or speak to riders that I see running redlights or riding dangerously as I realize that it does affect how all cyclists are viewed. All I ask is that my life not be put in danger by ignorant drivers

Riding two or more abreast might be fine when no traffic is around. But my experience is that cyclist ride two or more abreast regardless of the traffic situation. Just come out to Concord-Lincoln-Wayland and watch the bike clubs riding two or three abreast in rush hour traffic and refusing to move over. I am afraid that making it legal to ride two abreast when there is no traffic will mean that the bike clubs and group rides will decide they can ride two or more abreast regardless of traffic. Otherwise I think this legislation is good.

Y8S, what is source for the claiming that riding on the sidewalk in not illegal? It IS illegal, and my source is the Boston city ordinances. You might also notice the no-bikes signs on many sidewalks, such as in Harvard Square. The fact that you do not know this is a sign of your extremely dangerous arrogance and ignorance. Running red lights for "your safety" is unsafe to other drivers and to pedestrians in crosswalks; and bicyclists surely run red lights and crosswalks far more than car drivers--many have made it clear to me that they pride themselves on it. Incidentally, I'm a pedestrian, I don't drive and I'm not fat--so much for your own ad hominems.

Maybe when these cyclists stop dodging out in front of cars and weaving between them I will give them any respect. Nevermind the fact that they are all a bunch of tree hugging liberals who think they are on a mission to save the planet therefore making them superior to us who actually enjoy good things in life such as 3 ton SUV's instead of looking like a bunch of losers dressed up in tights. Also to whomever is mentioning global warming in the comments, What are you smoking? Is this weather maybe any indication to you? You stupid Liberals are going to bankrupt the world with that lie that is global warming!

In regards to the comment that cyclists should slow down to avoid getting doored, I don't feel that is right. Getting doored almost always (not almost because there are times when a cyclist changes lanes last minute) because the person in the car does not look in the side mirror before opening their door. I was driving in a pickup truck on a narrow 1 way in Cambridge going under 10mph and I almost took off a lady's door cause she opened her door without looking and all she had to say to me was "whoops." Since I was in a rental I would of gotten the short end of the stick even tho it was her fault. It's simple people, cyclists hate drivers, drivers hate cyclists. Put away your egos, your anger and learn to live together. For every bad driver there's a bad cyclist and for every bad cyclist there's a bad driver. And messengers are licensed you have to get a plte and id from the city of Boston

i understand a driver's frustration ... here are things I NEVER see cars do:
run a red light, accelerate through a yellow, block a crosswalk while waiting for a light to change, go around a pedestrian who is already in a crosswalk, make a right turn from the left lane, make a left turn from the right lane, never not signal a turn, talk on their cell or text while driving, flick their ciggy butts out the window at cyclists, park illegally, speed, "ride in the middle of the road," drive on the sidewalk to get where they're going 3 seconds faster (saw this in Lexington today), go the wrong way down a one-way street ... shall i go on?

as for the person who doesn't want to encourage cycling in the winter, are you for reals??

Y8S ...

You ask, "How do you justify the term arrogant?" I think you answered your own question when you stated "Every driver posting a complaint here should get a bike and get some exercise, as you are probably fat."

I am both a driver and a bicyclist and I believe that if bicyclists are going to ride on the roads then they have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road! I can't tell you how many times I've stopped at a red light on my bike only to be passed by another bicyclist who bikes right through the light. It is both unsafe and inconsiderate. To say that cyclists run red lights "to get a head start against the cars, for our safety" is just plain ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I must encounter at least 2 or 3 incidents with cars on my short commute to and from work most days as well. So, basically, there are people who follow the rules and are considerate of others and there are people who are not, whether they drive a car or ride a bicycle. Wouldn't life be a lot nicer for everyone if we were all a bit more considerate?

I have been a driver in Boston and a cyclist in Boston. I can see both sides of argument. But I just one request of cyclists - please do not run red lights.

I have also been a pedestrian in Boston and almost got hit while I was legally crossing in a crosswalk. This guy came flying through the red light (never even saw him coming), almost hit me and had the nerve to yell at me like it was my fault.

Boston roads are narrow and crowded. Cars, bikes, motorcycles, and pedestrians all have to share them so respect the laws that apply to you!

I'm thrilled this bill has finally passed! Yes, there are irresponsible cyclists out there, and hopefully this will raise EVERYone's awareness of the SHARED rules of the road. Too bad a small handful of un-informed cyclists make the rest of us look badly.
FYI: New England roads are tough to navigate, with very little shoulder at times for cyclists, and we spend a great deal of mental focus to avoid those danged pot-holes- but we are having fun. Riding in the exhilarating fresh air, besides a good cycling friend beats any crappy commute around Beantown in a car. I encourage you to try it sometime, nay-sayers.
All we cyclists ask is this..." yes we DO and will continue to behave, and YOU please share the road... you won't get there any faster for slowing and being a responsible, careful driver. It is YOU who are driving what the DMV terms the 'deadly weapon'. Thank you for your consideration.

Y8S, in regards to your post, I have two comments: the first is that the reason I don't bike is not because I am overweight or am a lazy slob as you imply, but rather because I would rather show up to work/meet up with friends clean and presentable rather than all sweaty and disgusting from biking. Additionally, Cambridge is the worst place to drive on the planet. I currently live there and cannot wait to move. Harvard Square is a total nightmare; this makes Cambridge an incredibly annoying city, not a world-class one.

All of these problems are largely due to the construction of roads. Until there is construction of actual bike lanes (and not just the painted lanes like in Cambridge), this problem will not go away.

And bikers are annoying, sorry. One almost killed me by Porter Square when they were speeding down the wrong side of the road when there happened to be a red light. And what would have happened if he hit me? He could have sped away and nothing would have ever come of it - great!

To all of you who keep harping on all of the cyclists who break traffic laws; what about all the drivers who break traffic laws? When was the last time you obeyed every single traffic law on the books? Yes, cyclists who ride recklessly and illegally are annoying and unsafe, but drivers who drive their cars recklessly and illegaly are absoutely lethal, not just to cyclists, but to pedestrians, other motorists and themselves. This law is a step in the right direction for everybody. The issue of cyclists breaking the law is an enforcement issue. I think Boston metro drivers, cyclist and pedestrians could all benefit from a strict traffic safety enforcement program, maybe people would drive, bike and walk a little more safely and we could stop blaming everyone else for our problems.

It's hard for me to understand the level of vitriol some people have for cyclists in the city. Some people literally take pleasure in hating cyclists. A lot of cyclists take a "holier-than-thou" attitude toward drivers, which is certainly annoying. But how do you explain the hatred that some drivers feel towards other people who just happen to be riding bikes? The people who scream and honk at you while you're riding need to think about where all of their pent up aggression is coming from.

YPS I think we can call cyclists arrogant when you use comments like drivers are fat.

I suppose you are one of the ones"We cyclists are perfect. Pedestrians must watch out for us. Cars must watch for us. We do not have to watch out for anyone."

Going through a red light is OK? What about the traffic coming the other way?

How about the ones who don't use signals?

How's about the ones who make turns when pedestrians have a walk light?

Why is it so wrong to ask that everyone follow the laws?

Is the biking community going to kick you people out if you say "Yeah we need to follow the rules too"

I really think the reason why drivers dislike cyclists it that they secretly fear the cyclist is better than they are for riding when they are hauling their carcasses around in a pollution creating SUV. Well they are.

It would be good to tone this down. Sure some cyclists are law brakers, and many drivers are oblivious to the rights (and safety) of cyclists. That said, having ridden bicycles and driven cars in numerous places on four continents, the Boston area ranks toward the bottom in terms of courteousness of both motorists and cyclists (especially bike couriers). It would be good if we could all take a deep breath and a step back, and try to be courteous as both drivers and bikers the next time we're out there. Exchanges in these comments would be a good place to get in some practice! In the end, it is a good thing to promote the rights of cycists, and to make Boston more bicycle friendly, and, for that matter, people friendly in general.

Cyclists bill of rights is a good idea. However fellow cyclists remember the #1 rule, any collision between a cyclist and an auto usually hurts the cyclist more. So bill of rights or not, use your heads and eyes out there and avoid any contact.

Look, there are dangerous auto drivers who are a menace to cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles alike. There are cyclists who act similarly, endangering other cyclists, pedestrians, and while not the lives of car occupants, their insurance rates are certainly in jeopardy if a collision occurs.
Let's accept that a bad driver does not make all drivers bad and a bad cyclist does nto make all cyclists bad.
I cycle to work when ice and snow don't invade the right side of the road, but drive during the snowy winter. When cycling, I try to be considerate but I would not be truthful if I said I do not sometimes look both ways and slip through a red light if no cars are in sight. Somehow, I do see my automobile use as more serious (and perhaps violations more subjected to penalties) and I am careful to adhere to all laws in the car. Maybe reading this will make me re-think the extra 15 seconds waiting at a red light on my bike this spring... though I do not think it will make me safer, just take longer to get to work.

Is there anything more annoying than a driver who...
1. A driver who fails to yield to pedestrians at a cross walk while taking a right hand turn?
2. A driver who accelerates through yellow lights?
3. A driver who fails to wear their seatbelt?
4. A driver who double parks?
5. A driver who Is talking on cell phone?
6. A drover who Is sending text messages/emails on their blackberry, reading the WSJ, all the while sipping on their latte.
7. A driver who fails to yield to a pedestrian at crosswalks as Law requires.

As a driver I am guilty sometimes of these offenses (mostly 1, 2, 4, and 7 -never 3 or 6). And as a cyclist I sometimes zig zag through traffic, sometimes go through red lights (but I always stop and look first), and occasionally dodge a pedestrian. The thing is a bicycle is not a car. A driver can not be killed by being hit by a bicycle. But quite the opposite is true if a car hits a bicyclist.

Direct from your "City Ordinances"

"Cyclists have the same rights and duties as motorists when operating on a roadway or a shoulder, and the same rights and duties as pedestrians when operating on the sidewalk."

And oh yeah, I was a cop.

When did I say drivers are fat? All I said is that statistics show that more than half of the US is overweight. I doubt the same stats could be used for cyclists.

I can't believe someone is upset that people ride their bikes in the winter. Cycling is a way of life, year round, snow or rain, for a lot of people.

One thing that frustrates me about a lot of these comments is that cars in Boston are unnecessary anyways. There is nowhere you can go that I can't, either by T or bike, or walking. Yes, the burbs are a different story, I know this.

And, oh yeah, bikes were first.

I really love all of the drivers complaining about cyclists breaking rules/laws and completely ignored the far greater number of other drivers that pose more of a threat to them by breaking traffic laws in their cars. I cycle regularly, and I obey traffic rules, including stopping at stop signs, stopping at reds regardless, signaling, and obeying 'right of way' situations, including pedestrians. I also 'take the lane' when needed, and when it is safe to do so. The proportion of unsafe car drivers to total car drivers is so much more more than that of cyclists. True, there are cyclists who break traffic laws, and they should get a ticket-just like car drivers. I would hope that that would be part of the education of law officers that this "Bill" suggests.

"Every driver posting a complaint here should get a bike and get some exercise, as you are probably fat." -Y8S

You almost had me convinced, until you lost all credibility with that statement.

I agree on toning this down. I drive and I ride a bike -- and I meet up with rude bicyclists and rude automobile drivers. I ride 1500 miles a year on my bike and drive 15,000 miles a year in an auto. In the final analysis, automobiles pose a lethal danger to autos, and bikes pose much less of a lethal danger to auto drivers. So, when driving our cars - whether a 3 ton SUVs or an oh-so-silent Prius, please be careful of the cyclists. And when clipped into those pedals, show some concern to the automobile drivers.

Oh, I certainly wish that laws allowing pedestrians, runners such as myself would be enforced! I have been beeped at, middle fingered at, spent 10 minutes standing in a blizzrd in a marked crosswalk trying to get across the snowy streets and then barely making it across before having a cigarette tossed at my by a driver. Good times. We ALL NEED TO SHARE THE ROADS! Why are cyclists any more entitled for protection? When I am out running, move over a bit as you swig your coffee and talk on your cell phone, please. Don't beep at me when you have to actually think about driving so you don't hit me. And cyclists- well, at least be nice to runners- stop looking down your nose as you clip me in your marketing spandex. Sorry, I didn't know you were on the tour!

A former frequent cyclist who relied on my two wheels for transit to and from the office, plus my experiences riding along the California coast on several vacation experiences, I can assure readers that a very healthy respect for the dangers and a defensive - NOT OFFENSIVE - posture as a cyclist was quickly developed. Motor vehicle operators are, by and large, poorly trained and have little understanding of situational awareness. Bicyclists are basically the same, with the exception that skin, blood, and bones versus steel, aluminum, composite plastics, gravel, cement, pavement, and trees is an inherent inequity. Add arrogance to the mix (both sides) and we have terrible trouble.

Most drivers have no concept of the speed/reaction time/controlability equation. Most drivers, even today, treat their position as an extension of a couch. Reflect in the converse on the US Airways pilot who less than 5 minutes after takeoff loses both engines (and therefore all hydraulics), and yet manages to assess, recover, plan, and execute a safe water landing, without one death. Water landings subject an aircraft to violent tumbling and break-up because, usually, a wing hits the water first. In this accident this should have happened. The fact it did not is because the crew were well trained, always asking themselves "what will I do if this fails" (anticipating) during the initial phases of the flight, and were therefore already geared to take action. In this position the crew could then focus on the approach speed and ultimate attitude of the airplane as it hit the water, permitting better control and improved chances for a good outcome. This while most motor-vehicle operators involved in accidents can't tell an investigator the details of what was happening just prior to the impact because - they never saw it coming.

Most bikers I encounter today live in the offensive/arrogant realm and are equally dull, so this "bill of rights" adds additional concern. Bills of Rights sound good, but they will do nothing for mediocre or arrogant behaviour behind the wheels or handlebars.

"Sharing" the road, tomany of the tight-fitting racing-numbered-performance-clothed types translates to "my road". It is wholly amazing the risks taken by the thin-helmeted. For rather than actually share the road, most seem to occupy so much of it as to place themselves in danger of being flattened. In most cases this generates - instead of an alleged desire for safety - animosity, and causes even me - a very careful and conscious driver - to be less courteous when I encounter them. Certain of this same crowd (again most of which are in "uniform") blow through red lights, take incredible risks, and perform feats of precision timing between vehicles as to suggest their concept of their own skill will someday lead to a deserved Darwin Award.

Unless a bicyclist is properly trained, licensed, registered, and subject to inspection - as those of us in vehicles are - I would suggest that limited road privileges are in order. Giving way to vehicles is not only the safe, common-sense move, it ought to be a matter of policy. Riding two, and usually more, abreast is not only unsafe but in other states I've traveled in it's illegal. Hopefully at least this practice is not sanctioned in the "rights".

Pedestrians and therefore bicyclists who are basically pedestrians on wheels have the legal right of way on public roads where they are permitted. Extending this into a further set of codified "rights" is, in my view, a mistake.

Operating a vehicle on a public road is a privilege. Rights are useful in some contexts, but will do one zero good when flattened.

I'm 62, have always lived in Massachusetts and bicycled thousands of miles a year when I was younger. The law was quite clear that bicyclists should ride in the road, with traffic, not on the sidewalk or heading into traffic, and I was not aware that there had been any change in the rules of the road. In some other states we would ride on the shoulder, facing traffic. These simple rules never seemed a problem in the old days, even on state highways. Recentlyit appears that only serious road bikers follow tsuch a rule; in the city, kids often bicycle against traffic, on sidewalks, turn abruptly onto crosswalks. Car drivers appear clueless; I have been hit by a driver on a cell phone, and a friend reported being hit by a car passing and then turning and knocking her down, then rather than calling an ambulance, yelling at her for being in the way. It seems that some car drivers view bicyclists as obstructions, but I was still surprised at the vitriolic remarks people sent in, and the way they lump all bicyclists together based on the obnoxious or aberrant behavior of a few. We have seen this predilection to hateful generalization surface when the subject of terrorists or Islamicists comes up, but I am shocked that anyone would express such ugly inhumanity about bicyclists..

Ahhh.... The peoples Republic of Taxachusetts! You need a :LAW to spell out something that takes no more than common sense and courtesy! Oh, and JGirl, in case you haven't heard- it's no longer global warming. It's now climate change. And just wait till the socialists in power tax your electric bill into the stratosphere because you let them promote such lies.

I have been battling cyclists for the past year commuting to and from work through Cambridge into Boston, and I've seen it all. Bicyclists chatting side by side during rush hour taking up the road when they already have their own bike lane, cyclists weaving around cars without any care of causing drivers to slam on our brakes to avoid hitting them, almost hitting pedestrians trying to cross on a cross walk, biking down the center line of two way traffic, etc. This is Boston, not New Delhii, and I'm sick of the three ring circus act of just trying to drive down the road. Our tax dollars have paid for bike paths, but now we have to endure the "green" attitude of cycling to work. We'll see how green all the cyclists are when they are diagnosed with asthma, lung disease or cancer from inhaling all that exhaust during strenuous exercise.

Just stay in single file

and if someone beeps at you to get over - don't swear at them and their children or give them the finger

oh - and stay in your own town please - don't come to my town with its long winding roads and give me the finger when I beep my horn

and take off the silly pink and blue shirts

Y8S once again you show your confusion on the issue.

Here is the MA law
Section 11B. Every person operating a bicycle upon a way, as defined in section one of chapter ninety, shall have the right to use all public ways in the commonwealth except limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting bicycles have been posted, and shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the commonwealth and the special regulations contained in this section

See the "subject to traffic laws" that means stopping at red lights.

Here is the part on sidewalks:

bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks outside business districts when necessary in the interest of safety, unless otherwise directed by local ordinance. A person operating a bicycle on the sidewalk shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian

So when you do. Pedestrians have the right of way.

So I guess if you know someone down on the sidewalk you'd say "Hey their fault"

Again all you cyclists. Please stop thinking your better than everyone.

The problem with this bill is there is a need for traffic rules for bicyclists that make sense. Simply treating bicyclists as vehicles (subject to the same laws as motor vehicles) makes no sense. Bicycles are not cars--the riders are unprotected (both from the weather and other vehicles), the riders are the ones who will be injured in the event of an accident, bicycles move much more slowly than cars, and they weigh a lot less. Further, It is very unclear in many situations where a bicycle is supposed to position itself on a roadway. One big issue is red lights. Sure, bicyclists should stop at red lights. Waiting is another situation, assuming there is no cross-traffic. First, unlike motorists, bicyclists waiting at a red light are exposed to the elements, and basically standing in the road, Second, it is difficult to find the right place to wait: if a bicyclist waits on the right, he is blocking turning vehicles, if he waits to the left of the right lane, he has to get back to the right lane when the light changes, crossing over moving traffic in the right lane. If we lived in a world without car, there would be no traffic lights--we only have them because cars are heavy, move quickly, and can kill people, while leaving their occupants unscathed. Are bicyclists really supposed to stand at a red light in the pouring rain when there is no cross-traffic? Is the bicyclist in such a situation really like a motorist who is sitting at the red light in his car, sheltered from the rain, with his heater and radio going? Don't we want to encourage bicycling by having rules that make sense?

From my own experience (as a pedestrian and a driver) I've seen plenty of cyclists put pedestrians in danger and plenty of drivers put cyclists in danger and plenty of pedestrians put everyone in danger by ambling into the street without looking. We're all guilty and like people have said, if we all treated each other with courtesy things would be alot better. No one group is more guilty than the others (although pedestrians are the only group who seem to get away with following no laws at all.) I actually wrote to Mayor Menino asking if we could start ticketing pedestrians for jay-walking and he basically said no way its up to drivers to avoid pedestrians. Oh well, I tried.

To the poster who wrote: John Adams...yes, there are things more annoying, such as car drivers who think the roads were built only for them and drivers who fail to realize bikers have the same right to be on the road as you do.

Yes, Drivers have more a right to the road than someone on a bike. Must I remind you that drivers pay an excise tax? This tax is charged to all drivers for the purpose of keeping roads drivable. When are you going to pay an excise tax?

I don't mind people riding bikes, but all to often you ride in two or three people next to each other and take up the whole lane. This puts the driver and the bikers in danger and could be putting someone coming the other way at risk as well. Why can't you guys ride on the edge of the road? Thats what I do...

this is great it opens up a whole new revenue stream to the state coffers....they should be required to pay for parking on city streets just like cars...excise tax...cycle insurance...each bike should have to pass a state inspection..bike plates should be issued so when they are cited and involved in an incident they have an identity so that they can be reported to the police....
since they want part of the road they have to pay for their share also....tough luck if you drive too!

I ride my bike to work almost every day - I really enjoy the excercise, and my only goal is to get there safely. And from my observations, the VAST majority of other drivers and bikers out there are just trying to do the same. However, we all have had first hand experience with incredibly hostile, arrogant, rude, and dangerous drivers AND bikers who think the road is some battleground where courtesy and rules don't apply. And while I find it very dissapointing that a few angry, small-minded drivers are so mad at bikers, I find it stunning to see bikers do some incredibly stupid things out there...

What do I think the solution is? Why not make the laws go both ways. Have bikers register thier bikes for a small fee ($5?) and allow and encourage police to ticket bikers who commit all the annoying offenses that everyone listed above. If drivers saw bikers getting pulled over and getting ticketed for riding like an idiot, then maybe more drivers would be more sympathetic to the majority of bikers who just enjoy riding bikes as a way to get to work, and we could make the roads a bit friendlier and safer.

Just stay in single file
and if someone beeps at you to get over - don't swear at them and their children or give them the finger

Heh. You think honking will encourage me or any cyclist to get over? I dislike bullies, so I tend to get a bit stubborn when faced with such behavior. Generally a cyclist takes a lane only when it is unsafe to pass. Isn't honking the equivalent of swearing anyway?

"Yes, cyclists run red lights. This is generally done to get a head start against the cars, for our safety."

WRONG. TRY AGAIN.

Regarding 'dooring'
It already is on the books that if a car rams into a door which has been opened into traffic, the person who opens the door is at fault.
Why not apply that to drivers who door cyclists?

I think this bill is a great thing. As a bike commuter, I ride my bike to work everyday. It is my primary means of transportation. I am sickened by the igonorance of some of these posts, obviously posted by close minded car drivers who honk their horns and shake their fists anytime they get slowed down by things like bikers, disabled cars, pedestrians, stop signs, red lights, traffic, etc.....

You all need to chillax bro!! As a motorvehicle driver, you are getting to where you are going a HELL of a lot faster than someone on a bike or on foot. Can you think about that?? Please, please, please...the next time there is a biker, riding down the middle of the street because the street is too narrow for them to take the right shoulder so you can pass in your car, do not honk at them, do not get impatient, because, chances are there is a red light up ahead and you'll get stuck waiting at it just like the biker does. We are VULNERABLE!! yes, ALL bikers should wear helmets, but helmets dont garantee that if we get slammed into by a car that it will do any good. The next time, you, a motorist, is annoyed that you have to wait for a biker, can you please just keep in mind that we are not surrounded by 2000 lbs of metal? can you not run us off the road or beep your horns at us? How about you sit back and realize that you are getting to where you are going at 45+ miles an hour, with heat and or air conditioning, and some cool tunes (NOT! you probably listen to dave mathews), and more physical protection than a biker? give us a break!!!!

I conclude this post by saying that much of the responsibility of "sharing the road" is rested upon the biker's shoulders, and i can not account for all the idiots out there that bike the wrong way down a one way street, or run red lights (which apparently angers car drivers to NO END, but i dont really get what the big deal is, since if you look both ways and see NO CARS coming, to ride your bike through a red light, I think all you car drivers are just jealous that we can do this), or don't wear helmets or have lights at night, but the bottom line is... you, the driver of a car, need to watch out for bilkers and respect them a heck of a lot more than you are doing, as a whole, right now.

Cranky cyclist, I'm sympathetic to your feelings but that attitude is what keeps the hostility going. It's entirely possible to just let it go and do the right thing even when people around you are not. I'll give you an example. I helped my neighbor shovel out her parking spot last snowstorm. Apparantly she "repaid" me by shoveling all the snow into my spot during this recent snowstorm. Would I love to bury her car, sure. Am I going to, no. Two wrongs don't make a right. I know I'm just using you as an example but in general we all say "yeah well he did it too!" as a justification to excuse our own bad behavior. And that just keeps the problems going.

Erica R,
I doubt you ride a bike or have ever been "doored". I ride a bike and drive a car and do both often. I prefer to ride my bike wherever possible. People getting out of their cars and more often cabs, almost never look for cyclists. A family friend was killed by this sort of recklessness. Drivers and passengers MUST look before opening their car doors. I've been doored too - and to blame the cyclist in any way for this incident is ludicrous. The elephant in the room nobody is talking about here is that the negativity towards cyclists displayed by car drivers stems from their frustration with commuting conditions around the city and to and from the suburbs. The rage car drivers displace onto cyclists is misplaced. Cars are the problem. Look around next time you are sitting dead still in traffic. One person, one car. Thousands of people commuting, causing a log jam. See any bikes causing that? Cyclists are free. People sitting in cars hate that. No DMV, car insurance, speeding tickets, parking tickets, big car repair bills, no $4 gas. People sitting cars hate that. We also remind you that you should exercise more. People sitting in cars hate that. So lets review, people sitting in cars hate,
$4 gas
they aren't exercising
they aren't free
parking tickets
the DMV....
and so on
What is causing all that hate?
Bicycles of course.
Next time you are in your car, in a traffic jam and a bicycle glides through it all, allow yourself to imagine that you are that person, on that bike. You'll like being that person. I do.

Just another example of our out-of-touch elected officials. Just try driving on narrow, curbing, hilly Conant Road in Weston with bicyclists on it. They take over this country road as if it's their private race track, sometimes riding in packs of 20 or more. Winter and summer they find it enchanting - except that it's very dangerous for both riders and drivers. If they are riding two or more abrest, they wait to see how imaptient they can make a driver before forming a single line. They run red lightt because they know they are a danger on the road so they need to get a head start on the traffic stopped at the light. Governor Patrick obviously has no dirivng experience encountering these arrogrant fools on their bicycles or perhaps he would have thought twice about signing this foolish law. Why don't the cyclists become responsible citizens? If so, this law would bever have been considered necessary. Bob in Weston

i didn't read any of this, but imagine it is mostly angry lazy drivers and irate bikers bitching at each other. get a clue: bikes and cars have equal right of way. bikes also get to jump red lights just like pedestrians, even though this is illegal. and the next time a driver makes a rolling stop or an illegal right on red, this is an equal infraction. but we hope neither will go punished, because that would just be downright annoying. be respectful of each others space

wow. so much anger on both sides. Saying things like "stay out of my town" are absurd. Oh and just because there snow outside doesn't mean mankind haven't affected climate change. Or global warming. I guess I didn't get the conspiracy email update on that one.
First thing we have to realize is that driving is in fact a privilege. Not a right. Should only people who are driving be allowed outside? Are we in L.A.? I've been a cyclist and racer for over 15 years in this city. I've met thousands of cyclists in this time. They all pay taxes too. I know maybe half a dozen who don't own cars. I drive 70 miles every day to work. Wish I could bike it, but it just isn't a safe route. I sit in a lot of traffic, none of it caused by bikes. When there is a bike on the road, it has never taken me more than 20 seconds to get around. Some folks out there act crazy, do stupid things, swear and what not on both sides. That is hardly any reason to make broad generalizations like "all cyclists break the law" or "all motorists are fat" Seriously, there is some very sad stereo typing going on here, imagine if we had to deal with a real friggin issue like Isrealis and Palestinians.

Ahem. A simple test: if you take all the anti-cyclist statements and substitute "auto drivers" for "cyclists," they are just as valid. AUTO-DRIVERS hog the road, run red lights, make illegal turns,yes- drive the wrong way down one way streets, flip people off, yell, swerve, curse and threaten bodily harm to others. So do some cyclists. But given that autos make up 98% of the vehicles on the road and cyclists 2%, and given that autos also account for 98% of all traffic infractions, accidents causing death and bodily harm (us dept. of transportation statistics), it is clear that AUTOMOBILES are the biggest single problem on the roads and auto DRIVERS the single largest threat to public safety. That's right, that cyclist traveling at the speed limit in the lane in front of you will impede your progress much less than the blocks of automobiles waiting for the next light. In fact, remove the cyclist from the equation and you've gained nothing- you still have to negotiate the lines of autos waiting for the red light.
I can not defend the acts of some cyclists. Personally, I travel at the speed limit or I move to the side, I always stop and yeild when appropriate, stay off sidewalks, obey one street restrictions, and use hand signals religiously. However, given the lawless nature and poor enforcement of auto traffic in the Boston metro area, cyclists need some relaxation of absolute adherence to traffic laws for their own safety. Clean up your act, auto drivers, and the cyclists will follow.