"I'll Never Do That Again," Bicyclist Tells SFPD After Trying to Beat Signal, Colliding with SUV Driver in NOPA

Scene of bicycle and BMW crash at Baker and Fulton streets Photo: Jignesh Desai

Trying to beat the light in the North Panhandle is obviously just as risky as many other parts of the city. Yesterday morning a bicyclist spinning southbound in the bike lane down Baker Street from McAllister thought he could clear the intersection at Fulton before the signal changed. Instead, he mis-timed his approach, entered the intersection against the light, and collided with a motorist driving a BMW on Fulton. SFPD and the Fire Department arrived soon after. According to NOPA neighbors Jignesh Desai and Leela Gill who happened on the scene independently after the crash, the cyclist appeared OK even if his bike was badly twisted.

Lt. Mark Solomon, Acting Captain of SFPD Park Station, told BIKE NOPA that the investigation of the collision was straightforward and easier than most. "The bicyclist admitted he was at fault," Solomon explained. "He told us, 'I'll never do that again.'" Solomon said he was uncertain if the cyclist was taken to the hospital. Another officer had already filed the collision report downtown.

In an earlier conversation Solomon said a different bicyclist involved in a collision at Fell and Masonic on September 21 was also found at fault. In that incident a motorist travelling southbound on Masonic entered the intersection at Fell and then stopped before the crosswalk linking the east and west ends of the Panhandle's multi-use path. Pedestrians had already entered the crosswalk with the green light and the right-of-way. Apparently, when the driver noticed a lull, she proceeded to cross the sidewalk. In those few seconds a bicyclist entered the crosswalk with the green bike light and collided with the vehicle.

Two independent witnesses, one of whom was a cyclist, gave statements during the investigation. They both stated that the motorist stopped in the intersection and proceeded when the crosswalk seemed clear. Both asserted that the cyclist was travelling at "high speed," perhaps 15 mph or more on Panhandle Path when he hit the vehicle. Solomon cited the California Vehicle Code (CVC) 21451 (b), for determining the cyclist's fault. He explained that the cyclist (or any "driver") should have yielded to the motorist who was lawfully within the crosswalk. Had the motorist tried to "beat the light" but got stuck in the intersection when pedestrians were already in the crosswalk? Solomon said the CVC considers the driver legally waiting for the crosswalk to clear. "It's looking for the lull that's important," Solomon concluded.

In the earlier report of this September collision, it appeared that the motorist may have been turning left from Fell onto Masonic against the light. The SFPD investigation found that was not the case: the motorist was travelling southbound on Masonic.

In other SFPD Park Station news:

• Lt. Solomon confirmed that officers continue to ticket motorists for speeding on Masonic Avenue and making illegal left turns onto side streets. "Five days a week officers are out there on motorcycles, the other two days they're in cars."
• The one-year federal allocation that financed pedestrian sting operations in the city expired September 30th.
• Solomon will conclude his position as Acting Captain of Park Station on Sunday, October 10th. Captain Dennis O'Leary will take command of Park Station early next week.

"Bicyclist Hit By Vehicle" at Fell and Masonic Early This Evening; Bicyclist Injured, Condition Not Known At This Time

Fell and Masonic intersection is often the site of collisions or near-misses

This photo was not taken this evening at the time of the latest collision

UPDATE: Sept. 22, 3:30 pm

SFPD Media Relations Officer, Samson Chan, said this afternoon that no further information about the collision or the condition of the injured bicyclist was available, pending completion of a Traffic Collision Report. Chan explained that the Traffic Division often conducts a more thorough investigation that is more time consuming, including diagrams and witness statements. A report may also require extra time to complete when a serious injury is involved, but Chan advised that the condition of the bicyclist was not necessarily a factor delaying release of the report. He suggested such information may be available by the end of the week. Observers at the scene of the collision (see comments below) suggest that the cyclist was male and was conscious and moving after the collision.

*******************

A motorist struck and injured a bicyclist at the troubled Fell and Masonic intersection earlier this evening at about 6:30 pm. BIKE NOPA reader "John B" wrote that he was riding home on his bicycle when he saw the aftermath of the collision.

Some sort of newer model Honda was sitting on Masonic (pointed south) just past Fell with a huge dent on the passenger's side and a jacked-up rear view on the same side. The bike was morbidly sitting there behind the car completely bent out of shape. There were a couple of cop cars/cops surveying the scene/questioning someone who was not the driver. The driver was still sitting in her car. No ambulance and no victim, so they obviously left before I got there. Hope they're okay.

The dented passenger side of the vehicle that was facing southbound on Masonic just past Fell suggests the bicyclist was struck while crossing the street on the Panhandle Park multi-use path, but the circumstances of the collision have not been determined.

At 9pm an officer at SFPD Park Station said a report had not been completed at that time, but that the information available matched what John B had reported. At 9:45 pm Samson Chan, of the SFPD Media Relations Office, confirmed that SFPD received a call at 6:21 pm regarding "a bicyclist hit by a vehicle, a blue-colored Honda Civic." Medics arrived and transported the bicyclist to San Francisco General Hospital. He had no further information on the condition of the bicyclist, the Honda driver, or the condition of the vehicle. Chan confirmed that a Traffic Division officer was filing the a Traffic Collision Report, case #100877315, but it was unlikely to be completed until tomorrow. At that time, the officer was already off-duty. Chan said he may have more information about the collision Wednesday afternoon.

The Fell and Masonic intersection has been the site of several collisions involving two or more motorists, motorists and bicyclists, and motorists and pedestrians. The city installed a bike light at the intersection that has been the second most dangerous in the city for bicyclists getting hit by motorists. Even with the bike light installation, motorists continue to run the red light. This latest injury collision occurs just five weeks after bicyclist Yannick Linke was killed after being struck by an alleged hit-and-run driver on Masonic at Turk Street. As previously reported, city planners are in the midst of a community planning process to bring traffic calming to the Masonic corridor.

"A Clear Case of the Bicyclist At Fault": SFPD on Recent Masonic/Fell Collision

The bicyclist was riding a red Cannondale fixie. Photo: Jim Herd

The motorist was driving a Ford Focus XZW station wagon. Photo: Jim Herd

The bicyclist injured in a collision with a motorist at Fell and Masonic Streets last week was travelling against the light and without the right of way, according to a police report filed by the SFPD officer who inspected the scene and spoke with witnesses. "This was a clear case of the bicyclist at fault," Lt. Lawrence Ramlan of SFPD Park Station told BIKE NOPA in a telephone conversation early this morning.

Ramlan was not at the scene nor did he file the report, but he reviewed the account that has since been filed with the Traffic Division for possible investigation. "The bicyclist was travelling westbound on Fell Street in the left-side traffic lane," Ramlan said. "He then made an abrupt left turn from Fell onto the northbound lanes of Masonic; he didn't turn with the light." According to Ramlan, the officer who filed the report obtained testimony from a number of "uninvolved witnesses" who indicated that the collision resulted from the cyclist's turning against the light. The injured cyclist's brother who was biking nearby corroborated this account, according to Ramlan. The lieutenant did not say whether any other uninvolved witnesses reported a different set of circumstances.

During the brief conversation this morning, Lt. Ramlan added that the cyclist was also riding a fixed speed bike with limited means of braking. When BIKE NOPA inquired if use of a "fixie" was a factor in determining responsibility for a collision, Ramlan replied, "If you don't have any brakes or means of stopping, then it becomes an issue." He added, "For anyone who uses the road -- whether a motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian -- if you don't have the means to control your speed adequately, there can be a problem."

Ramlan stated that there has not been a determination of whether the cyclist will receive a citation. "The matter is with Traffic now." Asked about the bicyclist's condition, the lieutenant said he had been unable to obtain that information. The rest of the details about the cyclist and the driver was in the police report, he added. Ramlan then ended the conversation, explaining that officers at the station were very busy that morning with the Bay to Breakers race about to begin. An earlier report in the San Francisco Examiner indicated that the bicyclist was in his early twenties, that his injuries were minor, and that the driver stopped at the scene. Where the collision occurred and when in the signal period it happened are factors presumably included in the police report that has yet to be released to the public. The first report of Friday's collision appeared in the blog San Francisco Citizen.

When BIKE NOPA tracked the outcome of a February 14th collision involving a taxi driver and a bicyclist at Fell and Masonic, we found what appeared to be a lack of clarity and transparency in the handling of non-fatal traffic collisions. The officer at the scene of that incident told BIKE NOPA that his job was to collect the facts, including witnesses' testimony, but not to recommend whether a citation should be issued to either party. His responsibility he said was to file the incident report with the Traffic Division for investigation and determination about citations. Yet an officer at Traffic explained that the unit is so overwhelmed with the daily number of traffic incidents and reports, that they usually do not investigate a case or issue a citation unless the reporting officer suggests it. If that's the rule-of-thumb, then the reporting officer who believes it is not his duty to recommend a citation guarantees that neither a citation or further investigation will occur. In the February 14th case the officer at the scene determined there were conflicting statements among the witnesses, although an uninvolved witness clearly stated that the bicyclist was using the crosswalk during the green right-of-way period. No citation was issued.

*The earlier BIKE NOPA story about this collision, filed May 14th, stated in its sub- headline that the driver hit the cyclist. A more accurate reflection of events and an account more in line with the circumstances stated today by Lt. Ramlan indicate a better choice would have been to have used only the headline: "Another collision at Fell and Masonic."

Another Collision at Fell and Masonic: Driver Hits Bicyclist

Small Ford Focus XZW station wagon involved in this afternoon's crash. Photo: Jim Herd

Bicyclist's red Cannondale fixie with fork snapped in two. Photo: Jim Herd

Damage to vehicle suggests greater speed than usually scene for a left turn onto Masonic. Photo Jim Herd

Early this afternoon a driver struck a cyclist at the troubled Fell and Masonic intersection. Information about the collision and the extent of injuries to the cyclist is limited, but SFPD has told Streetsblog that the cyclist's injuries were not life-threatening and medics found him breathing and conscious. Jim Herd happened upon the scene at about 1 pm today and took photos that he published on his blog SFCitizen and sent to BIKE NOPA. The photos show the cyclist's Cannondale fixed-gear bike had snapped in two.

SFPD Park Station Captain Teresa Barrett makes it a practice to keep Panhandle neighbors up-to-date about traffic problems and injuries at the Fell and Masonic intersection, but she has been out of the office this week and will not return until Monday. As reported regularly here, Barrett has stepped-up enforcement of traffic problems at the intersection. Since the middle of February of this year, officers have issued more than 80 citations for traffic infractions at Fell and Masonic including illegal left turns from Fell to Masonic and illegal intrusions that threaten pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Before today's incident, the most recent case of a driver striking a bicyclist at Fell and Masonic occurred on February 13th. Injuries required the cyclist to seek medical care at a local hospital. At that time two independent witnesses stated that the cyclist was clearly using the crosswalk with the right-of-way during a green light period. However, the Park Station officer on the scene reported that the driver and passenger asserted they had the right of way for the turn, and no citation was issued by SFPD.

Today's injury accident occurred just one day after San Francisco bicyclists celebrated Bike to Work Day and especially the safer bicycling conditions on Market Street with the newly installed soft hit posts and green-painted bike lanes. FixMasonic, SFBC, and NOPNA have worked for years to increase the safety of the mixed-use Panhandle Park path and the crosswalk at Fell and Masonic. One of the achievements was the installation of a bike light to alert cyclists and motorists of the right-of-way period for bikers crossing Masonic. While the majority of motorists observe the signal lights, a high number continue to make illegal turns at the intersection and run red lights for the north-south traffic on Masonic.

Citations Mount for Fell/Masonic Motorists: SFPD Keeps Pressure on Red Light Running and Crosswalk Intrusions

Common occurrence: motorist entering and blocking crosswalk at Panhandle Path

Oak and Masonic: faded crosswalk striping and motorists turning too fast

SFPD Park Station officers cited another 16 motorists for running red lights, making illegal left turns on Masonic from Fell, and intruding into crosswalks during the first two weeks of April. Captain Teresa Barrett explained that the number was down somewhat since the heavy rains on several days curtailed pedestrian stings.

Since the middle of February of this year, more than eighty motorists have been cited at Fell and Masonic. The intersection has become a flash point for pedestrian and bicyclist safety advocates due to heavy traffic on the two corridors. Earlier this year Capt. Barret initiated a Task Force to conduct pedestrian stings to discourage motorists from pushing into crosswalks being used by pedestrians or cyclists. Motorists also continue to make left turns against the light at the intersection.

Although the multiple-use Panhandle Path crossing sees more traffic violations, the other end of the block presents safety hazards as well. One BIKE NOPA reader reports that he and his daughter were nearly hit by a motorist who came within three feet of them while they were in the crosswalk on April 9th at about one p.m. The motorist "was moving at a speed where she could not see what was in the intersection when she made her left turn onto Masonic from Oak. She made an 'oh my God' face and waved 'Sorry' before speeding off to make the light at Fell."

Captain Barrett agreed that drivers turn too fast from Oak onto Masonic. "Any changes that slow drivers down at that intersection would be beneficial." Compounding the problem at Oak are the mostly faded crosswalk stripes.

SFPD Cites Eleven More Motorists at Fell/Masonic

Does an hour go by without something like this at Fell and Masonic?

Motorists who run red lights, make illegal left turns, and fail to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks at Fell and Masonic face increasing odds of getting ticketed. The first week of March SFPD Park Station officers issued another eleven citations to drivers at the intersection. In mid-February of this year, Captain Teresa Barrett of Park Station authorized motor officers and a special Task Force to increase surveillance of Fell and Masonic. The Task Force focuses on "pedestrian stings" -- plain clothes officers posing as pedestrians using the crosswalk -- to target drivers who push into crosswalks and threaten the safe passage of walkers and bicyclists.

In the last four weeks Park Station has ticketed 32 motorists* for running red lights, turning left on Masonic against a red light, or failing to yield the crosswalks. In its start-up phase the increased surveillance occurs at targeted hours. The total number, 33 citations, hardly matches the 123 issued by Ingleside Station in one day of pedestrian stings last June as reported in SF Weekly, but Barrett of Park Station told BIKE NOPA that she was committed to continuing the increased surveillance at the troubled intersection. She also noted that she also witnesses the problems: "Last Thursday I was out at Fell and Masonic and watched one of the motor officers nab a red light runner."

* One bicyclist was ticketed for running a red light during the surveillance.

Uppity Bike Commuters Strike Again, This Time at Fell and Masonic

L. Frank Baum visits Fell and Masonic crosswalk

Uppity Bike Commuters likely deal with this all the time at Fell & Masonic

We haven't seen Uppity Bike Commuter work since last August when the underground UBCers slammed a building exterior on Hayes Street with these anti-war, pro-bike posters. They didn't last long; the posters were removed and so was the billboard. With the rising tide of concern for the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists using the crosswalk at Fell and Masonic, UBC has re-appeared with its take on the situation.

Taped to the signal box on the east side of Masonic near the Panhandle Path, we found this latest UBC poster entitled "BEWARE THE WHEELERS." In case you're a bit rusty remembering other works of writer L. Frank Baum, the excerpt is from Ozma of Oz:

BEWARE THE WHEELERS

"That's rather strange," declared the hen, when Dorothy had read aloud the words. "What do you suppose the Wheelers are?"

"Folks that wheel, I guess. They must have wheelbarrows, or baby-cabs or handcarts," said Dorothy.

"Perhaps they're automobiles," suggested the yellow hen. "There is no need to beware the baby-cabs or handcarts; but automobiles are dangerous things. Several of my friends have been run over by them."

One Very Good Reason to Keep Fell & Masonic Crossing Safe

SFBC hits the rush hour on the Panhandle Path to urge more SFPD enforcement

Every bicyclist, pedestrian, and motorist who crossed or traveled through the Fell and Masonic intersection late Thursday afternoon deserved safe passage, but one in particular caught my attention. Declan, a young NOPA resident, was out with his dad for a good spin on his Skuut along the Panhandle Path, including using the crosswalk at Masonic. He managed the crossing quite well.

For Declan's safety and for that of all bicyclists and pedestrians using the crosswalk, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition set up a "streetside outreach" station at the corner of Fell and Masonic late Thursday afternoon. SFBC has urged the SF Police Department to increase enforcement with ticketing of red light running, especially for drivers turning left from Fell onto Masonic against the light. Dozens of bicyclists signed a petition requesting such action from SFPD.

Cheryl Brinkman, an SFBC volunteer at the station, believes it's important to remind people to keep making this intersection a safety priority. "For myself, I watch like a hawk for cars making illegal turns when I cross through here," she said. NOPA resident Rose Johnson reported that she has problems with red light runners "all the time" at this location.

As reported earlier in BIKE NOPA, SFPD Park Station launched a special Task Force of motorcycle officers this week to monitor the district's most dangerous intersections.

Last weekend Captain Teresa Barrett said Park Station officers ticketed 13 motorists and one bicyclist for running red lights at the Fell and Masonic intersection.

SFPD Vows to Increase Monitoring of Illegal Red Light Turns at Fell and Masonic; Will Begin Pedestrian Stings Too Next Week

The busy, multiple-use, dual signaled crosswalk at Fell and Masonic

Captain Teresa Barrett of SFPD Park Station announced greater monitoring of the hazardous traffic conditions at Fell and Masonic -- including several reports of illegal left turns by motorists -- will begin next week. The operation will be a joint Task Force with SFPD Northern Station involving four or more motorcycle officers at intersections throughout the two adjacent police districts. Officers will ticket motorists who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks and will target drivers who run red lights. The Task Force will be on the streets every other week.

Barrett readily agreed to provide statistics from the Task Force operation with a listing of intersections monitored, times of day, number of citations, and types of infractions. She noted that Tuesday of this week Northern Station cited 22 motorists at intersections in that district.

Barrett previously described the joint effort, reported here in BIKE NOPA, but she re-emphasized the focus on illegal left turns at Fell and Masonic after criticism of SFPD's handling of the collision between a taxi driver and bicyclist in the crosswalk there on February 13th. In that case SFPD decided not to cite the driver. Several pedestrians and cyclists commented on that report, noting the frequency of illegal left-hand turns at the intersection.

In a related development, North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) President Jarie Bolander has requested that Captain Barrett and MTA Traffic Engineer Jack Fleck describe what their departments are doing to reduce the hazards at Fell and Masonic during the organization's next general membership meeting on March 18th.

All users of the street, the path, and the sidewalks at Fell and Masonic are encouraged to report both sightings of stepped-up sting operations and illegal left turns to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition or here at BIKE NOPA.

No Citation for Taxi Driver in Fell/Masonic Collision that Injured Bicyclist

Crosswalk linking the Panhandle Path at Fell and Masonic Streets

Captain Teresa Barrett of SFPD Park Station confirmed this afternoon that there will be no citation for the taxi driver involved in a collision with a bicyclist in the crosswalk at Fell and Masonic Streets February 13th. Barrett told BIKE NOPA that officers often do not issue or recommend citations unless they witness the incident directly or unless there are no conflicting statements from witnesses at the scene.

In this case at least two independent witnesses stated that the bicyclist was in the crosswalk with the right-of-way. One other witness was a passenger in the taxi; that person expressed some uncertainty about whether the driver had a green light to turn onto Masonic from Fell, as reported in this earlier post. The officer who interviewed these individuals told BIKE NOPA that there were conflicting stories among the witnesses, leaving the responsibility uncertain. The officer also suggested the bicyclist might also have been crossing the street during the crosswalk warning period, but that appears to not be the case as reported here.

Captain Barrett advised that often the greatest consequences for motorists in cases like these are the increased charges from their insurance company. "A taxi company is going to have insurance," Barrett said, "and the company is going to look at collisions on the record." She also mentioned that even if motorists are given citations, the traffic court might toss them out.

Although the officer who completed the Incident Report said that the SFPD Traffic Unit would investigate whether a citation will be given, in reality the process appears to work differently. If the officer who completes the report does not indicate on the document that a citation is merited, the form will reach the Traffic Unit and only get filed for insurance purposes and for reference in any subsequent civil case. In effect, officers at the scene do determine the outcome of the case if they don't suggest a citation since further investigation is unlikely without that notation.

Capt. Barrett suggested that while no citation has been recommended to the taxi driver, the bicyclist injured in the collision "has a huge chance for obtaining damages in a civil case."

Note: Individuals can generally receive copies of the police/incident report once they follow the directions provided on a recorded message at SFPD Report Management Section (415) 553 1286. The case # for this collision is 100148285; Officer W. Wong filed the report. The date of incident: Feb. 13, 11:30 pm. You will need to provide your reason for requesting the report.

Getting Clear about Right-of-Way at Fell and Masonic Crosswalk: Different Signal Phases for Cyclists and Pedestrians

Operation of bicycle and pedestrian signals at Fell & Masonic, site of a collision on Feb. 13

Video: San Francisco Bicycle Coalition YouTube .

An observation by the SFPD officer who interviewed witnesses at the scene of a bicyclist/motorist collision at Fell and Masonic February 13th suggests a review is needed of how the California Vehicle Code (CVC) relates to the crosswalk signal operations at this site.

According to witnesses interviewed by BIKE NOPA the day following the incident, the cyclist was clearly in the crosswalk with a green light and had the right-of-way. One noted that the pedestrian countdown signal was at "6" (it runs from 15 to 1).

The SFPD officer also obtained this information from the witnesses. However, he suggested to BIKE NOPA that the cyclist might share some responsibility or fault if she had entered the crosswalk during the countdown. He explained that the countdown is meant as a guide and warning to those already in the crosswalk. This interpretation of the CVC is accurate for pedestrians but apparently not for bicyclists who have their own crosswalk signal.

Pedestrians receive a walk signal for crossing that holds for about three seconds before it begins the countdown from 15 to 1. Then the signal displays an orange hand. The bike light, however, has a different sequence. It turns green at the same time as the pedestrian signal, and remains green through the pedestrian's warning countdown. The bike light turns yellow for three seconds before turning red at the same time as the pedestrian light.

Why does this different sequence for bicyclists and pedestrians matter? The California Vehicle Code (CVC) states that pedestrians should not enter the crosswalk after the warning flash and/or the countdown has begun. However, for bicyclists the CVC states: "an operator of a bicycle facing a steady yellow bicycle signal is, by that signal, warned that the related green movement is ending or that a red indication will be shown immediately thereafter." (CVC, 21456.3 (b). The code does not prohibit the cyclist from being in the crosswalk during the warning phase.

In the case of the injury collision the night of February 13th, if the bicyclist was in the crosswalk during the pedestrian countdown, as witnesses stated, she had a full green bike light and, thus, legal right-0f-way when she collided with the taxi van and sustained injuries to her shoulder.

The crosswalk linking the Panhandle Path is unique in the city. Bicyclists have the legal right to ride, not walk, through the crosswalk according to a new state law reported previously here. The crosswalk is also unusual since it has the two different signals, one for pedestrians and one for bicyclists.

Bicyclists should take caution at this intersection where illegal left-hand turns by motorists occur frequently. Cyclists only get approximately three seconds of a yellow warning bike light before the red appears. At the same time, SFPD should be clear that cyclists retain the right-of-way throughout the green bike light sequence even while the pedestrian light shifts into a warning countdown.

Make tomorrow the day you go gas-free. One day a week in October get around town without a car: bike, walk, transit. And for those cyclists spinning on the Panhandle Path Friday morning, stop by the SF Bike Coalition's Service Station at Fell and Masonic for free coffee and snacks to power the rest of your ride. Meet other NOPA cyclists and their friends 8am to 10 am.