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Bikes
Friend of the Clog/CP contributor Jesse Delaney sends this photo from Santiago, Chile:
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| Photo | Jesse Delaney |
| "Philadelphia should have these." |
Would love to see a red bicycle icon for the redlights here. Would that actually begin to change behaviors, such as the sorry-but-it's-illegal rolling stop?
This morning, Councilmembers Jim Kenney and Frank DiCicco introduced legislation aimed at reining in bicyclists.
The particulars: Three bills were introduced today, two as an either-or pair.
Councilman Kenney introduced two bills (co-sponsored by Councilman DiCicco) that each seek to increase fines for riding on the sidewalk (from $10 to $300), wearing headphones (from $3 to $300), and riding without brakes (a $1,000 penalty in one bill; confiscation in the other).
Councilman DiCicco introduced one bill (co-sponsored by Councilman Kenney) that would require all riders to register their bikes with the city (at a fee of $20), and mount license plates on their bikes. The penalty for not doing so would be $100.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia â which has been a vocal advocate for bikers' following traffic laws â has voiced its opposition to these bills.
They make two points. The first is that raising penalties while enforcement is still so lax is counter-productive and unfair.
The first step toward safer streets is equitable and consistent enforcement of traffic laws as they apply to all road users. Up to now, traffic enforcement has not been a priority. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges City Council and the Nutter Administration to implement immediately an equitable and consistent traffic education and enforcement program to enforce the laws that are currently on the books before City Council raises penalties, requires mandatory registration, and puts other restrictions in place.
The second, regarding bikes being required to have license plates, is that similar attempts have failed elsewhere and would simply discourage people from riding.
With regards to laws requiring registration and licensing of bicycles, the Bicycle Coalition does not support a mandatory program. Among other issues, we are concerned about the potential for a registration program to discourage riders, impose financial disincentives, and expose the City to numerous legal issues. Peer cities and states have passed and then repealed registration and licensing programs. We recommend a thorough investigation of registration and licensing programs in other cities to determine whether such programs would help or hinder efforts to achieve peace on Philadelphiaâs streets.
My own opinion is that these bills, while well-intentioned, are over-reactions to a problem that's consistently misunderstood and blown out of proportion.
There have been two deaths of pedestrians by bicyclists recently: that's tragic. But step back and look at the number of pedestrians — or bicyclists — killed by drivers in any given period, and you'll see that bicycles are the least of our safety woes.
These fines mostly apply to laws already in place. I think those laws are OK (although I propose you should be able to have headphones if you only use one ear bud!), but the high fines are seriously misguided.
If more Philadelphians tried riding through inner-city traffic themselves, they'd understand how scary it can be, even for the most experienced riders. Many of the people who ride on the sidewalk do so simply because they find it scary to ride with cars â and looking at the numbers of fatalities and accidents, it's a perfectly logical fear. These riders need a little help, not fines.
Regarding headphones, The Bicycle Coalition Advocacy Director John Boyle points out the Pennsylvania law contains no prohibition at all on headphone use. The proposed fine for headphones ($300) is almost three times the fine for running a red light — which, it seems to me, is a much more dangerous offense.
To be fair to the Councilmembers, both spoke eloquently and sensibly about their bills today. Both insist they support and encourage biking in the city, and both have emphasized that these bills are open to discussion and amendments, and that they're willing to listen.
You've shown me the light, anonymous. I think I'll start driving on the sidewalks, and when I feel particularly randy, will rape anything in sight since there's no infrastructure currently in place for rapist convenience.
@ Anonymous. Just because we cyclists (oh yes, I bike) don't have a designated infrastructure does not give us the right to ride on the sidewalk. Is it OK to endanger pedestrians simply because we are endangered on the road? No. Emphatically no. It is selfish to endanger others. Take the high ROAD and ride in the street. Slowly this town is giving us space on the roads. Those new bike lanes are great!
I live in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I have ridden in a number of different cities in the U.S., Canada, and Britain. After reading your entries here, I promise that I will never again complain about dumb drivers and pedestrians, where I live, again. I wish you all the best of luck with your struggles, and urge you to form an active, city-wide, multi-gender, and age crossing coalition. Demonstrate. Do Critical Mass rides. Organise mass naked bike rides. Publicise those who oppose you and those who support you. Don't get mad, get organised. Yrz Danna.
@ Break Before I Bend If cyclists were provided an equitable amount of infrastructure, your selfish comments might make sense. As it stands, pedestrians are served by sidewalks, driver by roads, but dedicated services for cyclists are few and far between. Next time you consider your histrionic stance of impeding cyclists on a sidewalk, consider their other options, and how far out of your way you're going to make a selfish and childish point.
[...] brought up by people on the "cyclists are scofflaws" side of the urban biking argument whenever these things are hollered [...]
I've had it with bikers on the sidewalk, and I've decided I am going to move into their path of travel if I see them on the sidewalk. No doubt I will incur an injury or two, but not as bad as that sidewalk cyclist I put in the street. It's a sideWALK not a sideRIDE, pussy.
[...] the timing has to do with today's proposal by Councilmembers Jim Kenney and Frank DiCicco for rather draconian bike enforcement laws, I don't know. But there it [...]
[...] and introduced laws aimed at greater enforcement and regulation of bicycles. One would would raise the penalties by jaw-dropping factors (a hundred fold, in one case) for bicycle infractions and require bicycles to register and carry [...]
As a cyclist, I would never ride in sidewalk. Not only is it against the law, but as a pedestrian, I don't appreciate having to dodge other cyclist. If you're afraid to bike in the streets, then you shouldn't be biking in Philadelphia. I also disagree that the problem is blown out of proportion. I walk to work and every morning and afternoon I see at least one flagrant traffic violation by a cyclist, including running a red light, going down a one way street the wrong way, or biking in between lanes. Is it any surprise that motorist hate bikers? As for the number of people killed by bikes vs cars, if you break the number down by proportion, I wouldn't be surprised if bikes are greater. Accourding to the Bicycle Coalition, in 2008 over 11,000 people cycled to work on a normal day, with 36,000 people doing so at least once a month. The number of people driving to work within the city limits is easily in the hundreds of thousands.
I ride in the street every day. Sidewalk riders are either rebels in their small minds, scaredy cat crybabies, or incompetent bike messengers who can't get the job done on time without riding on the sidewalk. I applaud the fearlessness of the bike messengers of this city, but if you need to ride on the sidewalk to do your bike job, then there is room for improvement. I go the extra block and a half to ride in the correct direction of traffic to reach my destination while staying off the sidewalk. @dennis: Man, you are one angry guy. Let's not get into a "Who kills more" comparison or insinuate that maybe the pedestrian deserved to die for not paying attention. Pedestrians, like bikers, are doing their part to cut down on pollution by not driving. Show some respect. While your claim that cars kill more people than sidewalk bikers is true, it draws attention from the main point: A person died.
I hope this "Initiativeâ continues and the push is directed at sidewalk riders. Why would anyone object to that? And to piggy back on another commenter yesterday in this overall thread; I donât care WHY you are riding on the sidewalk, if you are doing it, itâs illegal, so stop rationalizing it. BTW, NY State Law calls for confiscation of bikes if caught riding on the sidewalk: § 19-176 - Bicycles operation on sidewalks prohibited Bicycles ridden on sidewalks may be confiscated and riders may be subject to legal sanctions. See also N.Y.C. Traffic Rules and Regulations §4-07 (c). If they can do it, why canât we be content to pay only a fine?
@dennis, so all shipping and deliveries should stop so cyclists can ride their bikes safely? Hmmm. I can't count the number of ties I have narrowly escaped being hit by someone on a bike who was just swerving along without paying any attention to traffic lights, pedestrians, or anything else besides his desire to ride fast on his bike. I would welcome some legislation that enforces the law that says bike riders must obey the same rules of traffic that car drivers must obey. Just because you're not operating a vehicle with the force of a ton and powered with fuel does not mean you can't cause serious damage to the human body with your bike.
I bike, walk, drive, or ride a scooter or SEPTA to or through Center City almost weekly and have done so for all 20 years of my adult life. If these bills pass, they'll be as well enforced as the ones about having to get a dog license or register to mountain bike on any of the trails in the Wissahickon except Forbidden Drive. What it's really about is exclusive car drivers being pissed off at the sight of cyclists not getting stuck in traffic no matter how bad the gridlock while they are trapped and immobilized in their SUVs that are too big for this town's streets.
UPS and and FED EX (and other delivery)trucks will continue to terrorize the city and endanger bikers lives by operating as the usually do. Park their truck every block and deliver to buildings. This causes a back up of two to four blocks every time they stop, which causes bike to have to squeeze over into the other lane and try to not get run down by some scumbag in a car or SUV that can't wait to get to the next red light and sit there. This also causes people to block the box because the back up of two lanes cutting down to one results in a situation where the light turns green and no one can move. Drivers become angry and take out their frustration on bikers. Cops do NOTHING, because it "is not their job/problem, they are just collecting their fucking check and being lazy fucking worthless pigs. Serve and protect.... not in center city. Cabs, buses, and drivers have a free pass to drive in a way that endangers peoples live. Washington Ave, west of Broad street, bike lanes are full of illegally parked angled cars all day every day, as well as businesses operating in the bike lane. Chestnut, Walnut, Spruce, etc., in center city are illegal loading zones all day. People are so uneducated that half of them try to run bikers down because they think bikes are supposed to ride on the sidewalk , or think that bikes are only allowed to ride in a "bike lane" (read: illegal parking zone). A pedestrian dies being hit by a bike and douchebags like councilman Kinney want to start a war on bikers. Everyone cries that bikes ride on the sidewalks. That is because we are not safe riding in the street! Keep protecting the corporate interest and fuck the responsible people trying to ride a bike around the city and not contribute to the pollution of our air that we all have to breathe. Vehicle operators routinely switch lanes without looking or signaling, often while driving and talking on a cell phone, (distracted and blocked vision) or texting. Make the city safe for us to ride and we will stay off of the sidewalks. 38 bikers and pedestrians were killed by cars last year in Philadelphia. One person is killed by a biker and the whole world stops. Has anyone questioned whether this pedestrian was one of the many, many people who cross without looking, or stand with their toes on the very edge of the damn street, taking on phone, staring into space, texting, jaywalking, or any of a million other dumb ass things as bikers hug the edge of the lane to prevent being crushed to death by some obnoxious, oblivious asshole driver in a giant SUV that takes up the whole fucking lane, while trying to not get doored by random morons that open their door into the lane without looking? Boo-Hoo a pedestrian died. Excuse me if I don't have any tears left for the situation. Center City cops should get up off their fat lazy asses and do something to earn their check and enforce the laws regarding pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. If they are not willing then transfer them to the hood where I live and let them fight real crime.
as a cyclist, sidewalk riding is hands-down reckless. I also walk with a baby in a stroller on the sidewalk, bikes should not be allowed to be where I am with those babies. Who cares if people in cars are yelling at you and honking their horns? it is your lawful right to ride in the road. It is much safer, smoother, and faster! Now we just need to keep pedestrians from walking out into the middle of the street without looking and not at a crosswalk. can the city please enforce that law? i'm tired of almost running people down because they're ignorant and jump out into the middle of the street.
It's hard to convince people not to ride on the side walk when people in cars are constantly yelling at them to "get off the road" or "you're supposed to be on the side walk." Motorist harassment of cyclists needs to be punished too. It is illegal to honk at a bicycle unless it is to prevent an imminent collision but I have never seen that enforced.
I have a car that goes 120 no problem (not that I'm saying I'm the man or anything, just trying to make a point) with a decent stereo that can get as loud as any headphone system. However, this is all perfectly legal. Yet, my bike with no brakes and love of music (in every and all situations, especially while riding a bike) is illegal and punishable with ridiculous financial penalties. Im sorry, but I know how to ride a bike, I learned when I was probably two or so. I'm no professional cyclist, but I'm no rookie. If I am wearing headphones while riding on the sidewalk and swerving during rush hour, I deserve some form of penalty, absolutely I do. But this is so often not the case, with so many bikers. If people can safely ride a fixed gear and prefer a more streamlined look with no brakes, more power to them. People with the means can go buy a Ferrari which to me is much more dangerous than any bike, and thats considered totally fine. The point here is that people who use discretion should be allowed to ride their bike (safely) however they please. If your not using noise canceling headphones you should still be able to wear them (at a reasonable level music does not drown out car horns and exhaust). Minus the sidewalk thing this whole idea is completely ignorant and misguided. Next thing you know we'll need brakes on our skateboards and rollerblades, need to wear helmets while walking on the sidewalks, and face fines for playing wall ball. Worst slippery slope ever, way to go big brother.
Its illegal to bike on the sidewalk NOW. No one is enforcing it NOW. So what is a higher fine on an not-enforced law do? This city needs more traffic cops. For the auto drivers, bikes and jaywaking pedestrians. Otherwise these laws are feel good efforts that do nothing but make bicyclists look more dangerous then they are.
I don't care WHY people ride on the sidewalk. It's illegal. If you're afraid of riding with cars, then don't ride. But don't transfer the risks of accidents and fatalities to pedestrians by riding on the sidewalk.
I agree with Ann, Pedestrians deserve to have a sidewalk free of objects moving faster than 4 or 5 mph. Cyclists MUST get in the street, and take a lane when applicable, if they want the bicycle to be taken seriously as a mode of transport. Every cyclist that rides on the sidewalk, or rides against other traffic is setting back the inevitable acceptance of bikes as a viable mode. On the other hand I find these proposed ordinances appalling. There are many more ped and cyclist deaths caused by errant auto drivers than there are deaths by any other cause in the streets. If safety is the goal, stricter penalties and enforcement for dangerous drivers of autos should be priority number one. It seems to me that these laws may simply be a reaction by the councilmen to the anger they are hearing from auto drivers who are upset that they no longer have nearly exclusive use of our streets.
really A. Orange? I am so not for creating more animosity between drivers and cyclists and pedestrians - we all have our faults. But honestly why don't I stop at every single red light? Because to completely stop is just a pain in the ass in order to get my bike going again - it's not as easy as just putting your foot on the brake and then the acceleration. I try to be as careful as possible and pay serious attention to my surroundings. Which is why i agree cyclists shouldnt be wearing headphones and they DEFINITELY shouldnt be on their cell phones whilst riding. I just don't understand why there can't be this overall respect for each other.
As a pothole i can not handle it when bikes cars and feet tread upon my people and me without the least bit of concern about our wellbeing. Mebbe we're just as ethical as bikes and less cool than cars but we should get the same amount of respect as a toe.
As a pedestrian I get really annoyed when bicyclists and motorists start complaining about us despite the fact that pedestrians always have the right-of-way provided they do not stupid things such as jaywalk and/or walk directly in front of said bicycles and motor vehicles. And if we pedestrians do, then by all means a ticket is warranted, that is if we don't get get killed by our own stupidity. Yes bicyclists and motorists, but mostly bicyclists, I hear your Lamentations but really? You are riding a vehicle, be it a bike or a car and you have the arrogance to ignore the pedestrian in the crosswalk of an intersection controlled by a redlight or a stop sign, both of which mean stop, not yield, not slow down, not first see if traffic is coming and if not then keep moving, but stop. Or as I walked along the the Race Street sidewalk in front of Police Headquarters on Friday night, when a bicyclist almost clipped me from behind and kept on going. I noticed she took to the street when she saw a cop car stopped at the light. Jackass!
As a cyclist I get really annoyed when car drivers start complaining about us when most of them haven't actually tried to ride a bike in the city- it's not easy. I ride because point blank i can't afford other options on a daily basis. Yes car drivers i hear your Lamentations but really? You're in a fucking car and have seriously injured me before. The fact of the matter is car drivers can't and won't understand until they try riding in Philly. When I used to drive all I did was use a little patience and let the biker 'get out of my way' because we all know theyre getting where they're going faster.
As a driver I get really annoyed with bike drivers start complaning about us when most of them havent followed traffic rules and regulations since when Moms and Pops took the training wheels off. I drive because point black I want to. Yes bikers i hear your Lamentations but really? You're on a bike in the middle of the intersections and sidewalks disobeying traffic signals and driving over pedestrians. The fact of the matter is bike drivers can't and won't understand until they grow up and realize the world don't revolve around there right to the road.
This is seriously insane. As an avid bicyclist who has rode to work in rush hour every day for over a year, I can tell you, that the streets are not safe, not because of us, but because of cars, and even the road itself. everyday I ride those roads, I am putting my life at risk, rush hour drivers are incredibly angry at seeing me in the road and IN THE BIKE LANE! I have heard "get out of the street!" yelled at me virtually every day, and often I'm in THE BIKE LANE! Or I am screamed at to "move over" into a park space that is unused- which is unsafe as well, because, it will be used up the block, and the drivers are not looking for you on a bike when you re-enter the driving lane/bike lane (as the case may be) and you are hit. I have amazingly avoided being killed and even hit, I consider this a miracle. I have many friends who have been hit and seriously injured (and yes they went to court and yes they sued and yes they won because it was the motorists fault). Including friends who have been hit by: cars, A SEPTA BUS! A POLICE CAR! Yes, A POLICE CAR hit my friend after FAILING TO STOP OR LOOK OUT FOR HER! This is a problem. I also have other friends that have sustained injuries from the streets being unsafe. My guess is that if you see a "swerving, or weaving" bicyclist, you are observing someone avoiding one of the following: A) A pot hole B) Cars cutting them off C) Sink holes D) Car doors E) Trolley tracks F) Unaware pedestrians
I wouldn't worry about any of this too much. Philly is a lazy, apathetic city that rarely ever follows thru on anything. At most, this "enforcement" will last a couple days, get the numbers they are looking for, and fade away quickly and quietly like every other "iniative" aimed at improving our city. It ain't safe, and it never will be. You need to be worried about getting hit by that bike, that car running the yellow-to-red and that mugger in that shadow who wants your wallet and ipod. You are just as apt to get hit by a stray bullet as an idiot making an abrupt u-turn without signaling. this town is riddled with idiots, and there just isn't enough police to enforce every little thing going wrong, the littlest of which is BICYCLE ENFORCEMENT. so let's all have a good laugh over this hullabaloo, smirk at the peds and drivers who think theyre getting their way and that any of this will last, and go on with our fixed gear, stop sign running lives. Nobody cares... for long...
Skullboy said "I donât give way because I shouldnât" Skullboy, You have a duty to avoid harming someone no matter what mistake they are making. Would it be fair for motorists to teach you a lesson by ramming you for a percieved traffic mistake?
Just went through PA statutes. Oddly, it is legal to ride bicycles on the sidewalk. I also couldn't find any provision for municipalities to alter state code. Does Philly even have a legal right to impose this rule?
Last year I was stopped in an intersection waiting at a red light when i biker on the sidewalk did'nt look in front of himself and by the time I saw him it was too late, he slammed into me. I'm happy I wasn't hurt too badly(even though it was quite painful at that moment). Cyclists on the sidewalk are dangerous and cyclists should know that. But at the same time, car drivers need to respect bicyclists rights on the road. More bike lanes would be a great incentive to get bicyclists who are scared off the sidewalk. I don't think fines are the way to go, however. I do think that cyclists need to follow the rules of the road. Pedestrians need to do this too! I've almost hit pedestrians because they jump out right in front of me when they have a red light and it is really bothersome...more restrictions need to be put on pedestrians who don't give a crap about themselves and others.
[...] on the City of Brotherly Love over-reacting to a statistical blip in bicycle/pedestrian wrecks. Councilâs problematic bicycle crackdown For perspective, “The proposed fine for headphones ($300) is almost three times the fine for [...]
[...] BIRTHPLACE OF FREEDOM, every small gain by cyclists is met by some heavy-handed, ham-fisted, draconian/Stalinist attempt to curtail cycling. Tags: [...]
I whole heartily agree with Lola but don't forget the damn cabbies. They are in a class of their own.
The bottom line is that we all (pedestrians, drivers and cyclists) need to be more respectful of each other and the rules. Unfortunately, the only way that will happen is if the police begin cracking down on those who break the law. That said, I would much prefer it if they concentrated on all the erratic, distracted drivers who are on their mobile devices while driving or who don't understand city traffic laws. That and the cyclists on the sidewalk - which are completely unacceptable.
BTW, does anyone think that these bills are really just retaliation for the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets? There are a ton of angry drivers because they have to extend their commute 1 minute longer because they only have one lane (which many don't observe anyway). I think the politicos are using the two deaths as an excuse for the bills but really they hate that the cyclists got a win.
Elizabeth, As a bicycle commuter in this city, the pedestrians don't follow the basic traffic laws either and maybe you have almost be hit because you are crossing against the lights. I don't know how many times I have almost hit pedestrians who think that is okay to step out in front of bikes. They wait for the car to pass and then walk out in front of me. I don't give way because I shouldn't, not when I am following the law. As we now know bikes can hurt and even kill pedestrians not to mention serious injure the cyclist. I hit a bozo 10 days ago because he did that very same thing and then had the nerve to call me a "faggot". Nice!!
As if you didn't know: The Phillies won a tense game 5, forcing a game 6 tomorrow night in New York wherein Pedro Martinez will get a second chance to end the "who's your daddy?" chants once and for all.
Also, SEPTA called an audible, announcing a 3 a.m. strike shutting down all city subway, bus and trolley service, essentially holding true to the letter of their word to not striking during the World Series home games. Yes, yes, we support the union's right to strike, but tell it to the people waiting at bus stops at 5:30 this morning.
So we'll take this opportunity to share a word with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia who suggest you "Bike the Strike":
PHILADELPHIA - November 3, 2009 - The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges SEPTA travelers to bike instead of driving. Commuters who bike will win out over those stuck in traffic jams of epic proportions."Avoid the crush and bike the strike," says Alex Doty, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "Bike the Strike to save time, money and help shrink your waistline. Plus, I guarantee you will have more fun than anyone trying to drive during the strike."
In cooperation with Philadelphia's Office of Transportation and Utilities, the Bicycle Coalition has established a Bike the Strike station at City Hall (Dillworth Plaza). The station has bike parking corrals, free coffee, bike maps and Bicycle Ambassadors on hand to give tips on bike commuting and personalized route planning.
Keeping safe while bicycling is critical. "Bicycles are considered vehicles, so we also urge all bicyclists to obey the rules of the road," said Education Director Breen Goodwin. "It's important for all bicyclists to be civil, courteous and comply with traffic laws, such as walking their bikes on sidewalks and stopping at all signals, to ensure the everyone's safety."
More biking tips after the jump:
BIKE THE STRIKE
Fastest Option
For those who commute four miles or less, bicycling instead of driving will get you to your destination faster and will take no longer than using a bus or trolley.
A Center City District study found that bicycling by following the rules of the road is always faster than walking, driving or taking the bus across Center City during rush hour.
Healthiest Option
Commuting by bicycle for 15 minutes each way (about 2-3 miles) meets the Center for Disease Control's minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day
Regular physical activity may help reduce your risk for many diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, and osteoporosis. It also helps to control weight; contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and reduces falls among older adults.
Safety First
Bicyclists are not pedestrians with two wheels. Bikes are vehicles and must comply with traffic laws just as motor vehicles do.
Bicycles should stop at all red lights and walk their bikes on sidewalks.
Stop by your local bike shop during the strike for a free bicycle safety check
For more commuting tips, go to www.bicycleambassadors.org and click on Handouts and videos
Now
55,000 commuters bike to work once a month.
On a typical day in Philadelphia, 11,000 bike-to-work trips are taken.
1.6 % of commuters ride their bike to work; Philadelphia has the highest percentage of bike-to-work commuters of the country's largest 10 cities
###
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[...] Go here to read the rest: Phils win, commuters lose, bike the strike :: The Clog :: Blog … [...]
Filed Under: Bikes
As the Philadelphia Parking Authority makes the transition from meters to kiosks, they're simply popping the meters off their poles.
This, of course, is bad news if you happen to have locked your bike to one of them, as parking meter poles, sans parking meters, are essentially useless, as a U-lock will just slide right off.
The meter/kiosk conversion happened on Second Street today, and on a now-meterless pole outside the Khyber, there's a taped-on sign that reads "Your bike is inside the Khyber."
According to Khyber tapminder/beer slector Jeremy Thomson, the bike, a purple and green Magna women's mountain bike remains unclained. There's a lock attached to it, so if you posess the key to that lock, you can head over to 56 S. Second St. and claim your bike.
Anyone out there lose their bike to the meter conversion?
I think the city should at the very least be replacing headless meters with U-shaped bike racks. They've already announced the winner of the bike rack design contest; let's get these into production and out on the streets!
I think the city should at the very least be replacing headless meters with U-shaped bike racks. They've already announced the winner of the bike rack design contest; let's get these into production and out on the streets!
Sorry for the double post - a little too itchy on the submit trigger finger
Instead of cutting all of the heads off "Cool Hand Luke" style, sitting down, and cracking a beer with an opener on a necklace, the city should replace the heads with something that would make them functional as bike racks again. Who should be contacted regarding this BH? the PPA, Streets Department, Maybe a Citypaper design contest? What do we do with all of the poles from the Great PPA Meter Decapitation 2009 so they can function as bike racks again? Or we can just have a Hard Boiled Egg Eating Contest.
I agree and think that for a city with so many people using bikes as their primary transportation, there are not nearly enough public bike racks. I have people talking to me every day about going green and such things, this is an easy thing that could be done to not only help people who already ride bikes but make it easier for others to start.
Filed Under: Bikes | Sporting Life
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| Full results at blog.bicyclecoalition.org |
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia released its preliminary data on the controversial bike lane pilot program on Pine and Spruce, and early results indicate that the lanes are definitely increasing bike traffic on the streets (up about 90 percent overall) and, just as importantly, DECREASING the number of bikes on the sidewalk.
WHYY's Elizabeth Fiedler reported yesterday that the city has thusfar received slightly more positive feedback than negative. In her report, she quotes Andrew Stober, Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Mayorâs Office of Transportation and Utilities:
We're hearing from drivers and neighborhood residents who are pleased with the bike lanes and they find traffic moving in a more orderly fashion. We're also hearing from some drivers who are complaining about cyclists behavior and who are complaining that they only have one lane to drive in.
Which leads me to wonder how many of the negative comments address the actual bike lanes and how many are just anti-cyclist.
Previously: The New Bike Lanes: They're real and they're spectacular!
[...] up by people on the "cyclists are scofflaws" side of the urban biking argument whenever these things are hollered [...]
these bike lanes are AWESOME. they DO need some repaving.. it's really really bumpy, but it DEFINITELY makes me feel safer riding in the streets of philadelphia near cars
I hope the city starts actively enforcing the rules and fining cyclists for riding on sidewalks. And I'd like all the cyclists who whine about drivers' behavior to think about their own behavior in relation to pedestrians. I'm sick of cyclists blowing the lights and only looking for vehicles, not pedestrians.
Fair points, Anne. As a cyclist who does his best to look out for pedestrians and cars, I'd like to add that I wish pedestrians would think twice about popping out from between parked cars mid block — aka jay walking — without looking. I say this as someone who's twice ended up on the asphalt — once with a ruined pair of brand new Pumas and once with a separated shoulder — as the result of a pedestrians essentially jumping out in front of me.
I enjoyed my encounter last night at 5th & Arch Streets when the bike rider heading northbound on 5th did not feel the need to stop at the red light as the cars were doing. My companion and I were crossing on the green light and she rode right through the two of us in the crosswalk, she only slowed down for a second in the middle of the intersection to wait for cars to pass and then proceeded on, still on a red light. I guess this is the illegal rolling stop that is the norm for bicyclists in this city to perform. The only reason I refrained from calling her a cunt was that my companion had one and she may have refused me some later. I forgot to mention there is a very nice and clearly marked bike lane on 5th Street. Maybe the bike lanes at all intersections in Philadelphia should have stenciled in "STOP HERE AT RED LIGHTâ.
I have to say that I've seen no lessening of bikes on sidewalks. I saw an old woman mowed down today as she was about to cross 15th & Spruce with the light and a bike came between pedestrians on the sidewalk and rammed right into her. Not sure if she's ok--the fact that it was really slippery & nasty didn't help. I'm all for bikers' rights being respected by cars, but I'd like to see more attention to pedestrian rights. (admittedly, I do jaywalk but with caution...and I don't object to bikes rolling through red lights as long as they use similar caution, though the police may disagree).
I think police have a lot better things to do than ticket bicyclists. Anyone who thinks it is a priority that needs to be set for the police should really look at the motivation they have for thinking so. Whatever form of transportation anyone is using they are sure to violate laws, whether in a car, on a bike or walking. Unfortunately some think only cyclists should be punished for it. Yes, riding on the sidewalk is wrong. Yes, blowing stops light is wrong. Bicyclists are not above tha rules but neither is everyone else.
Charming, JohnWa.
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Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky â who, for the record, I like â got it wrong in his piece today on the new Center City bike lanes.
Writes Stu:
What's not good was expressed by neighborhood resident Scott Shandler, 33, walking his Boston bull terrier, Lexie, when he saw the press gaggle and asked what was happening. When he learned a full traffic lane of Pine and Spruce had been dedicated (surrendered?) to bicyclists, he said, "I don't like it at all" because "there's not enough room for everyone."
Scott Shandler's right, in a way: lack of space is a big issue, especially in Center City â but because there are too many cars.
Yeah, I know what's coming. You know where the comment section is. But for those out there who didn't blow-torch their ears shut on this issue long ago, hear me out:
You know, perfectly well, drivers â better than anyone â that traffic sucks in Center City. Parking sucks. The streets are narrow; the traffic flow is byzantine.
That's not bikes' fault â it's other cars that are holding you up, buddy. The roots of the problem are more than half a century old. In the glory days of super-cheap gas, we filled our cities with streets, highways, and cars, cars, cars. We built roads bigger and bigger to try and get the cars through them quicker â but they just kept filling up. We built interstate highways through the hearts of our cities â right through beautiful Fairmount Park in our case â and those filled up, too.
Stu complains that we've given "prime real estate" over to bikes â an absurd notion when you compare it with the valuable real estate â virtually our entire city â that we've given over to cars.
The fact that so many people have to drive every day â and no one's saying that isn't the case â is largely the result of half a century of building our cities around cars. We can't reverse those decisions overnight, but putting in a couple of bike lanes is a pretty cheap way to start â a hell of a lot cheaper than those tax-subsidized highways we've all paid for.
Being pro-bike lanes doesn't mean being anti-cars. Hell, the fewer people driving, the less traffic for you, my automotive friend.
And as for Stu's complaint â so often echoed by readers here on the Clog â that bikers behave badly:
Stu: Most of the bad bikers out there are simply inexperienced and scared. Riding in traffic is scary. You want bikes to behave more consistently? Give them a lane.
Which is exactly what we did.
Last, I hereby invite Stu to ride the lanes with me. We can start by the Delaware, end at the Schuylkill, and have some cheese and crackers and talk about it.
[...] by people on the "cyclists are scofflaws" side of the urban biking argument whenever these things are hollered [...]
"Stu Bykofsky: Bicyclists given too much roadway?" was the headline.
$119.00 fine? They need to get somebody to start walking Washington Street and writing tickets. That's just wrong they haven't tapped that revenue flow.
Isaiah, you hit the nail on the head. "it's other cars that are holding you up, buddy." Back when I had a car, drivers were a bigger headache to me than bikers ever were. Give drivers 10 lanes and they'll block all 10 where two lanes would suffice if slower traffic would keep right. I love the bike lanes--and they're perfectly positioned in the right lane where slower traffic belongs (even if I do ride faster than a lot of cars).
Spot-on, Isaiah. I can't believe no one has mentioned that these two streets are exactly as wide as three car lanes, so it's impossible to have a lane of parking, two driving lanes, and a bike lane. It's all or nothing for bikers-- full car-width lane or weaving in and out and being dangerously passed by irresponsible drivers. Stu wants us to have nothing, other than a certain bloody hemorrhage death at the hands of cabs.
Filed Under: Bikes
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| Photo | Brian Howard's Android |
| White Lines |
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They weren't finished as of last night, but they sure do look nice. If you're thinking that the bike lane looks kind of narrow, keep in mind that those two parallel stripes are NOT the lane. They'll be filled in with diagonal lines which will serve as the buffer between the car lane on the left and the bike lane on the right. If you're thinking that that's one huge bike lane, you're right.
The lanes are a major victory for sustainable alternatives in the city. However, we should urge the streets dept to patch portions west of broad - the quality of spruce and pine in some stretches CANNOT wait for the spring repaving. Seriously. Everyone get out and bike! Use the lanes! p.s. I think the religious parking around Rittenhouse is legal. Not sure what the solution is, except for the motorists to take it easy when things are reduced to one lane for both bikes and cars.
The lanes are a major victory for sustainable alternatives in the city. However, we should urge the streets dept to patch portions west of broad - the quality of spruce and pine in some stretches CANNOT wait for the spring repaving. Seriously. Everyone get out and bike! Use the lanes! p.s. I think the religious parking around Rittenhouse is legal. Not sure what the solution is, except for the motorists to take it easy when things are reduced to one lane for both bikes and cars.
I have been riding in the bikes lanes as much as I can. It has been awesome to ride to work and not have to worry about getting squeezed out by some hugh SUV going 50!! The only issue I have are delivery trucks and people parking for church/temple. Do they not think that the lines apply to them?? I hope everyone gets out there and rides on these as much as possible. It would be amazing for these to be made permanent and for there to be a physical barrier in place!
I think the comments of both @Satten and @Jamey are insightful. Unfortunately, I doubt drivers can be trusted/expected to take into account a lane of cyclists crossing intersections in the opposite direction to which they, themselves, are driving. Furthermore, as someone who has been run over by a van driver who clearly wasn't looking directly in front of the vehicle he was driving, I wouldn't trust the "buffer zone" between lanes to offer much protection without a physical barrier. I would prefer a tall curb, but, if the city is serious about these bike lanes, it should, at lease, install flexible barriers between cyclist and car traffic.
This is awesome, but they're going to need a lot of driver education to make it work. Won't be cool when people start using it as the new double parking lane (or the running lane like I saw on Sunday a couple times)
I couldn't disagree more. Taking two main streets of center city and making them one lane each was and remains a terrible idea, especially with the amount of double-parking that takes place on each street. Traffic on the city's narrow streets was already bad; now it will be unbearable. The city just made right turns into a dangerous game that is an accident waiting to happen. If they wanted a street to have a bike lane, the already one-laned Sansom Street was (and is) the perfect solution. Eliminate the street parking and make a two-way bike lane alongside the car traffic. This bastard of a street is closer to the center of the city and features mostly parking garages anyway so traffic is already light and slow-moving. It's not a major vein like Pine and Spruce are. The city's short-sighted plan is nothing a little paint on the roads couldn't fix in a day or two.
Satten: I hear your concerns, but these are the concerns with Sansom as I see them: -It does not run all the way from river to river (which was the point of this) -It does not always run in a straight line. For instance, the 700 block of Sansom is offset from the 600 and 800 blocks by a significant enough distance to make it problematic. Given the direction of traffic on 7th and 8th, I think traffic signals would need to be installed as well. -Most importantly, Sansom would only provide a west-bound lane. There'd still need to be an east-bound street for a counterpart lane since you can't have bikes riding in both directions in the same lane. -All those cars making that tight turn onto the street or into the garages — and invariably into and across the bike lane — would be, I think, treacherous.
It's hardly a short-sighted plan. Studies show that those to streets have an excess of taffic capacity even during rush hour, over 2000 cars per hour. There is extra room on those roads. Double parking is an issue but as it's an illegal activity I'm not sure why anyone should give credence as it to be a reason why a bike lane should not be installed. Spruce and Pine are not narrow streets and if it gives reason for bikers to get of the actual narrow streets, those streets become less of a hassle for drivers. I ride south on 19th street and there's no room for cars to pass. Not that I'm slowing cars down as I move fater than them, but if there were a bike lane on a south headed street I'd be there instead and the cars could have the road to themselves. There are more than enough places for cars to drive. Give the bikes some room, also.
I was really excited about these lanes, but oh my god they are two of the worst paved streets in Philly, Pine & Spruce. I avoid riding on these streets at all costs. Once you bike & fall once, you never want to relive that again. PAVE THE STREETS DAMNIT!
Excellent work. The lanes look great.
@gabonghi: The streets are scheduled to be repaved at the end of the pilot program (spring, I believe), and if the lanes are deemed successful — i.e. if they're used and they don't snarl traffic — they'll be painted on permanently when the streets are repaved.
Sans a physical barrier--railing, concrete divider, razor wire, mine field--the lanes are essentially useless.
I agree with @Dave Park: there NEEDS to be driver education about this! People really don't understand what is going on and are parking in the bike line and just merging into it as they please. Granted, they haven't finished the diagonal lines in the divider, so it's hard to judge, but the really ought to put signs up, every few blocks at the least, to show people that pine and spruce are SHARED roadways. All in all, a great move by the city, though. I hope Center City starts catching up with University City as far as cyclist integration goes!
@gabonghi: I have only been able to ride a little ways on Pine St. so far since the paint started going down. It seems, (and someone correct me if I'm wrong), that they are in fact patching up some of the more treacherous areas of the bike lane! I agree, these are two of the most scary streets to bike on simply because of how bad the pavement is, but I want these bike lanes permanent so I will use them regardless. As Brian points out, there is a plan in place to pave these streets after the winter-- hopefully the lanes stay.
Overheard on Spruce Bike Lane- Driver A:"You are in the bike lane!" Driver B:"This is what I do every day". 100 yards down Driver B cuts off Driver A to get around Double-parked UPS Truck.
who cares... if this is the biggest problem philadelphia has, yay for us!!!
I've ridden both lanes river to river, and they are magnificent.
And remember kids: bikes lanes are one way! And they're for bikes! These aren't bike/jogging lanes. They're not open for biking in either direction. They're for bikes going in the same direction of traffic. I'm sick of dealing with all the idiots in this city that don't realize that.
Sansom is also not an option because some blocks are predominantly access to parking garages (where pedestrians narrowly avoid being hit by exiting drivers who don't look) and access to large building. The rueful future of Sansom is widely believed to be that of an access alley.
@hiki"if there were a bike lane on a south headed street Iâd be there instead and the cars could have the road to themselves." This is the problem with bike lanes. All roads are open to bikes, even if they do not have bike lanes. Unfortunately, the very existence of bike lanes make many people think bikes cannot or should not appear on roads without lanes. Cars do not get roads to themselves.
Rode both streets today and agree that paving is needed, but all in all a great improvement for biking in Philly!
Would have been a better idea to actually pave the streets smooth before painting them. I drive on Pine street all the time, and it's rarely ever been a 2 lane road. (What with all the double parking in front of several restaurants, shops, pizza places (you know who you are). And also because what is now the bike lane was a lane even cars avoided because they suck so bad. Now you have bikers riding in that lane? great! Good luck trying to avoid cars, other bikers who are all now on these crappy bike lanes while trying not to pop tires and falling into all the holes
MB, Unfortunately the very existence of roads means drivers think they own them. Yes, bikes and cars are supposed to share the road. There are drivers, not all, who feel bikes do not belong in the road and encounters those while biking can be a jarring experience. The idea of bike lanes is to provide a safer environment for bikers to ride. Just because they exist does not mean bikers will only ride on them, but where they exist means bikers will feel safer doing so.
If this pilot goes well there will be a physical divider where the diagonal lines are. PS. I was riding on Spruce Street on Saturday and there were cars parked in the bike lane the whole block between 18-19 going to the synagogue. Nearly died, because the cars behind me were trying to pass on the narrow bit of road that was left.
I would like to thank the city of philadelphia for providing the new high speed lanes. Outside of running several idiots on bikes off the road, this made my commute home quick (70 on Spruce!!!) and easy. BTW? does any one need a titanium bike frame? it's lodged in the grill of my Dodge RAM 2500
The bikers on the Center City District staff have worked up a few suggestions/thoughts on the new lanes- http://centercityphila.org/about/BikeLanes.php
I am SO SO SO happy about the bike lanes. Those are the roads I take to and from school every day, and I feel so much safer now. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
i love the new lanes! i bike daily in center city and it is amazing feeling to not be worried if someone going 50 is going to drive up behind you and get mad & swerve around you. thank you to everyone involved in getting these lanes in!!
Spruce/Pine Bike Lanes Photo Of The Day- Mayor Nutter confronts a van driver to get out of bike lane: http://bit.ly/eRJPi. Read about the ribbon cutting ceremony at http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org
A huge thank you to the city for enacting these bicycle lanes, and all the people who support them. I am a person who lives and works in the city, and I commute by bicycle across town daily. These lanes are fantastic, and even if the police don't bother to enforce safety laws for bicycles and pedestrians, at least there is a bit of a buffer. YAY!!!!! I could not be happier about the change in my daily life!
Hey bob - my 9mm can travel over 800 mph. Wanna race?
@looking4bob - while bob's half-witted comment about running bikers off the road with his Dodge Ram demonstrates his myopic disrespect for city living, raising the spectre of retaliation (especially with a 9mm) only plays into this image of the 'kill or be killed' wild west. Those of us who live shoulder to shoulder with each other in the city know how important (and fun) it is to co-exist peacefully and respectfully--regardless of whether or not we agree on an issue. Let's keep the Dodge Ram and the 9mm out of the discussion, shall we?
Ride on the new lanes! The pavement is a pain - but this is our one big chance to make philly bike friendly - so suck it up!
So the pavement is bumpy, really really bumpy. But I definitely agree with tshirts, if the city sees them being used, they will make them permanent when the roads are re-paved in the spring. I rode home on pine yesterday and it was so great! I only saw one car using the bike lane as his personal express lane, and other cars were honking at him to get out. Two people that had to turn right actually stopped and waited for me to pass. This morning the ride up spruce was not as great. Even with the right (car) lane completely empty, all cars on a 3 block stretch decided to drive exclusively in the bike lane and from broad to 16th was nothing but delivery trucks. It still beats no bike lanes and hopefully people will get used to the new lay of the land. Having signed the bicycle coalition pledge, I actually stopped (and stayed stopped) at every red light. It took all my self control not to roll through, but whatever, I'm not in any rush to get to work anyhow. Thanks Nutter butter!
I meant "left (car) lane"
[...] Previoiusly: The New Bike Lanes: They're real and they're spectacular! [...]
[...] The line repainting was still in progress, but the bike lanes which were billed as something of a temporary test when they were laid just over a year ago, were being repainted as [...]
Filed Under: Bikes
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| Photo | Brian Howard's Android |
There's one across from Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown. It looks exactly like that one up top, too. Someone beeped at me while I was biking in it, and I have to admit, I momentarily thought, "What? I'm in a bike lane!"
On a related topic, the newly-painted Pine Street bike lane seems to be creating confusion for bicyclists and motorists. Bikers seem to be mistaking the narrow lane in the middle of the street for the bike lane. While this lane is perfectly bike-sized, it is in fact a buffer between the car lane on the left and equally wide bike lane on the right (designated with a painted biker). Motorists seem oblivious (or maliciously oblivious in the case of the cabbie who drove behind me with his horn on high) to the new bike lane.
I laughed at one of these on Brandywine between 18th and 19th in Fairmount. Looked just like the one pictured.
oh yes. they are at least from passyunk to 9th on morris. and i have friends that corroborate their presence in northern liberties as well. long live diy bike lane humor.
This picture is a more of a symbol that represents the lack of walkability in Philadelphia. Besides some designated areas such as Fairmount Park and the Drives, the rest of the city is unfriendly to the bike. Seeing as much of the city uses this form of transportation, one would think that more of an effort would be made to cultivate the biking and walking trend that has developed throughout the last decade. Obviously someone or a small group have bypassed the red tape of City government and taken matters into their own hands. More power to them.
I received an e-mail from Neighborhood Bike Works' Andy Dyson on this topic (and I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him here):I'm naturally intrigued by this happening in Philly, though I'd like to say IT WASN'T ME. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing... could make people take less notice of the real bike lanes, and then there's the issue of the efficacy of bike lanes to begin with.Dyson also passed along this link from Bicycling magazine about the DIY bike lane phenomenon bearing the provocative hed/sub: "Paint Your Lane: Do-it-yourself bike lanes are illegal, perhaps dangerous, potentially damaging to the cause of legitimate bike advocates everywhere —and really, really effective." In it, Dan Koeppel writes:But at first light on this July 19th, the only vehicles here on Fletcher Drive are three bikes, and those have been stashed in the brush. The cyclists who left them there are setting out traffic cones on the road. When the right-hand lane has been blocked off, the cyclists walk back to the shoulder to retrieve the object that, over the past few weeks, they have come to refer to as The Machine. The $99 Rust-Oleum 2395000 looks like a tiny, four-wheeled wagon with low ground clearance and a handle that angles backward and up from the bed. The cargo area, so low it sits between the wheels rather than above them, is equipped with a mount for spray-paint cans; in the unused space, you can store five or six extra cans upright, ready to swap in when one runs dry. The 2395000 is most commonly used to create parking-lot stripes.
Filed Under: Bikes | Sporting Life
As promised, CP's Neal Santos was on the back of a tandem, shooting video of Sunday's first-ever Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride.
If you rode, head on over to the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride Facebook and post your photos and get in on the commenting.
Oh, and take our PNBR poll:
CP Survey
[...] Coverage (actually quite the opposite) at The Philadelphia City Paper’s Staff Blog: THE CLOG. At the end of the night, the warrior is finally de-masked Posted by mandy4mck Filed in [...]
[...] towards the ladies. (Although, I urge all of you to try and stay covered, unless there’s another naked bike race I don’t know about.) So remember beer-drinking day? Well, that’s postponed until after [...]
I'm all for liberation, body acceptance, and the like, but stunts like this and critical mass do more harm than good for bicycle advocacy. While attempting to make the point that bicycles and bicycle commuting are normal (not fringe) activities and should be integrated into the mainstream (which I fully agree with - there's no better way to get around a city), acting just the opposite is an inane way to get the idea across. All you're doing is self-perpetuating your own marginalization while also pissing off motorists who have somewhere to go.
I completely disagree with Wear-a-pant-Tuesday's comment. I don't know if you rode in the ride--I did--and there were significantly more non-participant supporters than hecklers along the route. That fact alone is a testament of the success of the naked bike ride; furthering initiatives to lessen one's carbon footprint (via biking), popping the fashion bubble (via nudity) and creating and promoting a sense of community (via communal biking). The bikers did not hurt anyone by doing what they did, whereas many insouciant drivers continue to abuse the luxury of having a car--driving it when unnecessary--even when a bike is a much more viable alternative. It's in persistence, in this case, that acceptance is achieved. I don't see why bikers should concede the the impatience of many motorists, which is the cause of many accidents. All motorists have somewhere to go, but for many of them, they can't get there fast enough. And so, the naked bike ride is a token of traveling more salubriously and patiently. So what's wrong with that?
At 5:30 on a Sunday night during the middle of one the weekends which the cities residents escape to the shore??? I think they picked the perfect time to do this ride. It's once a year and if any driver was annoyed by this they should really get off the road before their rage kills someone.
Whoops! I meant I disagree with the comment posted by Nate. My bad Wear-a-pant-Tuesday.
IT WAS FUCKING AWSOM I HAD A WOODY THE WHOLE RIDE SCREW VIAGRA
I agree completely with Aaron in that "many insouciant drivers continue to abuse the luxury of having a car-driving it when unnecessary-even when a bike is a much more viable alternative." My issue is not with the goals of the ride, which I completely stand behind. I just doubt that most people witnessing the ride were thinking anything about bicycle advocacy. If they were supporting the ride, they were supporting the "happening," but were they thinking about the bike as a viable commuting vehicle? I hope so, but I doubt it. My issue is with bikes being presented as something special and out of the ordinary, when I think that in order for them to be accepted and respected on the road, they need to be seen as a completely normal element of life on the road. Maybe that's unrealistic? Whatevs - I'm glad that all had fun on the ride, and hope that it contributed positively to people's thoughts about bikes.
Ha, no worries Aaron. I got really confused there for a second :P Just for the record, I have no problem with naked biking. More power to the nude bikers!
Typical Philadelphia; barely any of them were naked. If this were NY or LA, or any capital in Europe everyone would be starkers! Half-assed, as usual Philly!
Let us know when those cities actually do it.
They already did, L.A. as early as 2004. http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/index.php?title=List_of_rides#United_States
Hey Ghost, half-assed or not I live in Honolulu and this town was destroyed by missionaries long ago. They're way too repressed to even entertain even the concept of the WNBR. As an inveterate cycle commuter I can only say, "I wish!" You bet I'd be there in Philly —and naked.
It was a hoot. It should be a once-a-month thing. Bicycles, nudity, freedom, exercise...a no-brainer.
well this is something you won't see everyday.Like who would be stupid like daaaa they must hav something over there brains
This is a very cheeky event, I am not sure what the purpose of the first ever Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride is but I support all riders. An event sure to have massive appeal. I would have joined but my wife does not like it when I show off my boobs in public, outdoing most women is not something she likes me to do very much. I could see this event happening one weekend a month. Ride a bike, ride it naked, why not.
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| Photo | Brian Howard |
| The ride concluded at Fifth and Fairmount |
City Paper's Neal Santos, who documented the ride from the back of a tandem bike, will have more and better shots from the first ever Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride shortly, but for now here are the shaky shots I snapped while on the ride.
[...] Staff Blog• Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride: First Look• Follow Brian Howard at the PNBR• And away we go: Are you riding in the Philadelphia [...]
can you focus a camera?
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