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Does the proposed Council law target fixed-gear bikes?
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Does the proposed Council law target fixed-gear bikes?
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It's been a long 24 hours of bike news in Philly.
Yesterday morning, Councilmembers Jim Kenney and Frank DiCicco co-sponsored and introduced laws aimed at greater enforcement and regulation of bicycles. One would would raise the penalties by jaw-dropping factors (a hundredfold, in one case) for bicycle infractions and require bicycles to register and carry license plates in the city.
To the latter, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia — which has been a consistent voice in calling for bicycles to obey traffic laws — offered on its blog a very interesting case study in what's happened when other cities tried to introduce similar laws. Spoiler alert: They repealed them because they didn't work.
But the former bill, the penalty-raising one, has some interesting quirks, as well. For one thing, it may effectively outlaw many fixed-gear bikes.
You see, Philadelphia's and Pennsylvania's bicycle regulations differ slightly. One difference: the definition of "brakes."
The two bills introduced by Councilman Kenney have new penalties for riding without brakes (one fines you a thousand dollars; the other has your bike confiscated).
But what is a brake?
If you know about fixies, skip this paragraph. Most bikes as we know them in the USofA have brakes — either hand brakes or pedal brakes. Fixed-gear bikes may or may not have hand brakes, but don't require them (although it's a good backup plan) because the rear wheel is inextricably tied to the crank. In other words, you pedal backwards and the rear wheel actually goes backwards — or, if you've got some momentum going, it slows down. You brake by resisting the forward momentum of your legs. Read more about it on Wikipedia.
Which begs the question: What constitutes a brake? In a Daily News article, Councilman Kenney spoke about the brake issue and mentioned "delivery" workers. I'm guessing he's talking about bike messengers, who often ride fixed-gear bikes:
"The trend with some of our delivery-service people and messengers, for whatever reason, is to remove the brakes," Kenney said. "It's a state law that bicycles [must] have brakes."
Is it possible — and not to knock the guy, it is kind of an arcane subject in most circles — that he doesn't realize that these bikes have alternate braking mechanisms?
But Kenney's bill only raises the penalties for an offense already on the books. To see what constitutes a "brake" we have to look at the laws.
Pennsylvania's law â closer, I'm told by the Coalition, to widely-adopted bicycle regulations, has this to say about brakes.
Every pedalcycle shall be equipped with a braking system which will stop the pedalcycle in 15 feet from an initial speed of 15 miles per hour on a dry, level and clean pavement.
But Philadelphia's code says this:
Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on a dry, level, clean pavement.
Pennsylvania, in other words, only requires a "braking system," which fixed-gear bikes have.
Philadelphia, though, requires "a brake" â which could mean a hand brake, which a fixed-gear might or might not have (again: this is because fixed-gear bikes can be braked with the legs alone). In an interview yesterday, Councilman Kenney legislative aide Sarah Sachdev, who helped with the bill, did not know what a fixed-gear bike was, let alone whether the Councilman's $1000 fine/confiscation penalty would apply to one.f
[...] My friend Chris McKenna just sent this video shot by bike evangelist Michael McGettigan of University City's Trophy Bikes. McGettigan set up a camera at Rittenhouse Square — it appears to be the east intersection with Locust — to see if anybody at all comes to a full stop (that's his red folding bike in the foreground). There are, count 'em, three stop signs and a flashing red light which means, as McGettigan explains in the video, that drivers must come to a complete stop and then proceed when it's safe. The coming to a stop issue is one that's always brought up by people on the "cyclists are scofflaws" side of the urban biking argument whenever these things are hollered about. [...]
Barry,
Try slamming your front break in a pinch and see what happens, or more accurately, where you land.Andy Dyson, No experiment required, physics already tells us that a front braking system is required for maximum breaking power. It is just a fact. That isn't to say that fixie riders can't stop safely, but they will be able to stop MORE safely with a front break.
I guess I have to tell my 9 year boy that we have to ride our bikes in the street now. Or should I ride on the sidewalk with him and risk a ticket? How will I explain to him that the police are just doing their job and that I am not a 'real' criminal? I guess we'll take or chances with the motor vehicles that don't stop at stop signs, run read lights, turn on 'no turn on read' signs, and don't share the read. Remember Tony Jr.,, daddy loves you but our City Council doesn't. Oh yeah, how much has it cost tax payers already for the creation of bicycle laws? How much is it going to cost for the enforcement of these new laws?
Most people that ride a fixed gear bike can stop much quicker than non-fixed gear bikes with traditional brakes. Most hand brakes do not make the wheel skid at all. please read this article if you think a fixed gerar rider does not have a brake, because they DO! http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1304912 to quote: 'he "skidded to an immediate stop.â Then, he describes that the cops applied their hand brakes and slid past him. "One guy almost fell over. I had more control than they did,â'
unbelievable!
I don't think it's a bad idea to enforce that bikes can come to a screeching halt on command: if you were in the path of a cyclist -- as another cyclist, a motorist, OR a pedestrian (who, might I add has no frame of any sort to protect them), I'm certain you'd like to think that bike can stop quickly for your own safety.
I have been a cyclist since 1982, I have raced both mountain and road. I am a true advocate across the board. I also feel that although the fines are steep, they are in order. the majority of cyclists will refine their riding styles accordingly. The jokers will continue to be jokers and as a result they will be fined. As for the license plate, well that is just stupid. In centre county,Pen State area, a registration sticker sufices that is placed somewhere on the bike frame. this also helps with theft as it is not removable with indication that it was there. In most European countries this is mandatory as well as fixed lighting both front and back. all issues of traffic law are applied and come with a fine. If we want more more rights as cyclists and more safety on the road then we must bear the responsability as a result. I see this an overall positive. SO please stop crying
[...] redundancy, in a clear attempt to target fixed-gear bikes, a Philadelphia councilman proposes a $1000 fine or immediate confiscation of any bike without brakes — yet fails to comprehend that a fixie is a brake. Possibly related [...]
First they came for the fixie riders, but I was not a fixie rider, and Idid not speak out because I was not a fixie ridermade snide, petty comments...
Man, who cares. Fixed Gear bikes are for hipster doofuses who ride to show off. The only thing I regret about outlawing fixies is that the amount of hilarity that I will witness when these losers wipe out due to their own stupidity will decrease. Too bad.
These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...
State law supercedes county or city law. Hence this "law" is not really law. First person who gets an infraction due to this new "law" can take it to court and any judge worth his salt should throw the law out. Done.
These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...
Please also read the following article: http://www.slate.com/id/2232555/?gt1=38001
I would also like to express my support for Stop as Yield for Bikes. If Stop as Yield is not honored, I feel pedestrians should be ticketed for j-walking or crossing at an intersection when they have a red light/don't walk even when there are clearly no cars around. If you want to be so strict with laws and promote safety, it has to be across the board.
Solve problems like gun crimes, homeless people, domestic abuse, and potholes.
I think this calls for some science. I suggest some identical bikes with identical tires and tire pressure and identical weight riders, a speed gun, a suitable paved area, some chalk and a measuring tape, and some agreed upon referees. Since the fixie rider is the one with something to prove, --they are the ones under attack-- they can pick the gear ratio and the riding position. Since this won't be a handling test the fact that it's not their regular bike shouldn't be an issue, and in fact it probably won't be the regular bike of either competitor; we're not talking how well it corners or something. This event would be a fundraiser for Neighborhood Bike Works. If there is interest I'll be contacting bike manufacturers so that we can borrow a pair of identical bikes, and maybe some of the people at Drexel who organized a human powered vehicle race here last summer. They have timing equipment. Contact me with suggestions regarding people, bikes and locations where this could take place. I myself am genuinely interested in the outcome but truly neutral regarding any desires as to who would be seen to stop in a shorter distance. I suggest that there be committees or teams on either side of the issue that can agree on equipment and rules. The event should test fixed-only versus fixed-with-front-brake verus freewheel with two brakes. We should consult some statisticians to make sure that the number of runs by each side make a statistically significant result. The experiment should be conducted with runs at various speeds so that any advantage of one system over another would be demonstrated in such a way that nobody could say something like "well, the fixie may have won, but brakes work better when you're going really fast/slow," etc. Who is really neutral about this and would like to work on the event, so that there's no feeling of bias by either side? Send me an e-mail.
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