“Urban Acupuncture” Prescribed for Fell & Oak; SFMTA Anticipates New Bikeway Trial by Summer 2012

This block between Scott and Divisadero would be one of three on Fell to get a separated bikeway

City traffic engineers expect to implement new, separated bike lanes along three blocks of Fell and Oak streets as a trial that could begin as early as spring 2012. Although the final aspects of the proposal await community input and public review, financing with Prop K funds for the planning and design phase is expected to be approved by July. The street re-design will likely involve removal of on-street parking or removal of a travel lane for the three blocks of Fell and Oak between Scott and Baker. City planners believe an upgraded treatment along the stretch is necessary as an essential link between the Wiggle bike route on the east end to the Panhandle path starting at Baker. The discussion occurred this morning during a meeting of the Policy and Governance Committee of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors.

Cheryl Brinkman, a member of the Board of Directors, introduced the new bikeways discussion with an answer to what she sometimes hears from residents, “Why Fell and Oak?" “If you’re a cyclist, you know exactly why Fell and Oak,” Brinkman said. “It’s the flattest, most direct connection. It’s vital for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.”

The SFMTA Board has already made it clear that Fell and Oak should be a priority and has directed staff to develop a plan and a design to implement the change. Bond Yee, SFMTA Sustainable Streets Director, told the committee (chair Jerry Lee, Bruce Oka and Brinkman) that he expected a decision in late June or early July to move forward. He expects a final design in “a little over a year.”

Mike Sallaberry, SFMTA Sustainable Streets Division Planner, explained that the agency expects to propose a trial design once extensive community outreach has been concluded. “Substantial buy-in from the public is critical,” he said. Brinkman added that the trial phase will be an opportunity to assess any public fallout over the plan. Sallaberry said that to date it is not clear whether the public prefers removing a parking lane or a travel lane. But he said he was encouraged by the public response so far. “There’s a proactive feeling about this project. No one has said ‘no way.’” During the trial phase, staff would complete an environmental review of the project.

Following the committee meeting, Mike Sallaberry spoke with BIKE NOPA in more detail about the project. He suggested opening this segment of the Fell/Oak couplet to more street users was like “urban acupuncture” that would improve the flow of traffic in this part of the city. He also touched on other aspects of the design options:

• If the project stays on schedule, the permanent installation of the separated bikeways could begin in November of 2012
• The bike route would likely remain on the south side of Fell street, but placement on Oak remains uncertain with benefits and obstacles on both the north and south side
• A two-way bi-directional lane is a possibility for just one of the two streets
• SFMTA will wait to secure funding for the implementation before beginning its outreach to the affected communities
• Although several neighbors have expressed interest in a bikeway all the way from Scott to Stanyan, the SFMTA believes the better strategy is to implement the shorter segment first. “If we did the whole length now, it would delay the whole project,” Sallaberry explained. “We want to expedite the gap now.”

BIKE NOPA Reader Can't Wait for Bike Parking in the Panhandle, Installs His Own

Until the official bike racks are installed in the Panhandle Park, this one helps

Bike parking at the bulletin board near the restroom west of Masonic

Impatient for the official, authorized bike racks to be installed in the Panhandle Park, one of BIKE NOPA's readers decided to provide secure parking for himself and any of the other thousands of bicyclists who use the Panhandle Path in the interim. Yes, the bulletin board posts are public property, but instead of any admonition, how about saluting the public spiritedness of the stealthy bike parker?

I appreciated that Dale Danley -- with his eyes-on-the-Panhandle everyday -- had yet to notice the bike parking addition in the midst of the proposed make-over area that he is helping to coordinate west of Masonic. "I'm glad that someone else realized how badly we need bike parking in the Panhandle," Danley remarked. "Getting real racks installed can't happen quickly enough for me either." When will the Panhandle project get underway? Danley said he was optimistic about the timeline, but ventured only a vague "Sometime this year."

For all the news on the Panhandle, check Panhandle Park Stewards.

Bike Counts in Three NOPA Locations Surge in 2010 Citywide Survey

Counting bicyclists at Masonic and the Panhandle Path for the 2009 Bike Count

Mariana Parreiras, an SFMTA intern at the time, counted bikes for the 2009 count

Three locations in or near the North Panhandle saw significant increases in the number of people on bikes during the 2010 Bike Count conducted by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

• The Golden Gate and Masonic intersection registered a 26% increase over last year's count during the evening commute, 5 - 6:30 pm
• At the intersection where the mixed-use Panhandle Path crosses Masonic, the number of riders jumped 7% , from 228 to 244, during the morning commute, 8 to 9 am
• The third location at Fell and Scott streets reflects much of the bike traffic that originates in NOPA or travels through the neighborhood. That pivotal intersection saw a 10% increase from 2009, registering 410 bicyclists during the evening commute.

All three NOPA locations saw a greater number of riders than the citywide jump of 3% for 2009. The SFMTA report cautions that the bike count reflects a snapshot of ridership during specific hours on a given day.

Two of the locations experienced remarkable increases when compared to the 2006 count:

• Masonic and the Panhandle: from 152 riders in 2006 to 244 in 2010, a 61% difference
• Fell and Scott: from 202 riders in 2006 to 410 in 2010, a 103% change.

On a city-wide basis, the percentage difference of cyclists from 2006 to 2010 is a rocketing 58%.

These high percentages are especially significant since the bicycle injunction kept the city from making virtually any improvements for biking in the city from 2006 through most of 2009. (The injunction was partially lifted in November 2009 and completely removed in August 2010).

The SFMTA conducts the annual bike counts in August when the weather is expected to be dry with moderate temperatures. This past August was unseasonably chilly, however, especially on the days of the bike counts. In NOPA the temperatures were in the low 60s with wind and fog that seemed "almost raining" to the SFMTA intern counting the bikes. How much the weather affected bike ridership is uncertain.

All three NOPA bike count locations are under scrutiny by neighbors, road users, and park advocates:

• Golden Gate and Masonic sits at midpoint of the corridor that neighbors and the SFMTA hope to re-design to better accommodate all road users. The Masonic community review process culminated in selection of the Boulevard design option to keep traffic at the posted 25 mph speed limit while also enhancing transit, bicycle, and pedestrian uses.
• The Panhandle Path at Masonic has been the site of collisions between motorists and cyclists. In addition, strollers using the path complain of sharing space -- and near-misses -- with high-speed cyclists, and cyclists counter that walkers often wander from their side of the path. In addition, Panhandle Park advocates and neighbors have called for installation of a new, separated bike lane on Fell Street to increase the safety for walkers and casual bikers on the multi-use path. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has proposed a preliminary design to Connecting-the-City with an east-west Fell Street component.
• The block of Fell between Scott and Divisadero has been the site of protests against the Arco service station and the traffic configuration near Divisadero. At the same time, the SFMTA experimented with several design changes that seem to have reduced the traffic tangle and the blocking of the bike lane.

"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.

2 Adults, 2 Kids, 10 Bikes: A San Francisco Bicycling Family

Another retrieval from BIKE NOPA's early months: this post from September 2009. Last week I had the chance to chat with Sarah Crockett outside Pacific Primary School. I remember how much I enjoyed meeting her family and organizing with her NOPA's BIKE THE BLOCK party a year ago. Her family had a great biking-in-the-city story then; they still do.

Most days Sarah Crockett bikes her two-year-old son, Eben, to and from school.

It’s two of her favorite times of the day. “I love Eben on the front, we can talk and he signals with me. It’s really neat having him there with me; it’s part of the bike ride.” Sarah says Eben has taken to the ride every bit as much. “He loves getting on the bike; he calls it ‘our bike,’ and he rides in a “wee ride” front seat.” In between school trips, Sarah teaches at the Urban School.

Sandy Crockett commutes by bike for his job as an attorney with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District office in the Civic Center. “My first instinct is to go everywhere by bike,” he says. When they need to use the car, Sarah is the one to drive. She adds, “He resists driving so much that he refers to the car as “your car.”

Last school year Sandy and Sarah, with Eben in the front bike seat, accompanied their other son, five and a half year old Andrew, on his ride to Pacific Primary school in NOPA. He’s been riding his own bike since he was four. This year Andrew attends Friends School on Valencia Street, and the Crocketts have yet to settle on an easy way to bike there. “It’s significantly further away from home,” Sarah explains, “and the ride involves the Wiggle and dealing with Fell Street as well as more intersections and an uphill ride on the way back. Andrew is still riding his little one-speed so it’s a challenge.” For now, they take Andrew on Muni to get to school. But their oldest son loves biking and he’s now racing and doing bike tricks.

Bicycling defines the Crockett family, as much as any one pursuit reflects engaged, complicated lives in San Francisco. When Sandy and Sarah moved to San Francisco nine years ago, they looked for a home on a level street in a central neighborhood. And they searched by bike. “I drove across the country from Washington, D.C. for the move,” Sarah recalls. “Sandy was already here. I arrived on a Friday night, and Saturday morning we rode all over the city to find a place to live. Being on a bike and looking for a home that way made us think about what we needed.” They found their home in Cole Valley.

Sarah and Sandy mention that other parents sometimes question them about biking or riding with their young children. “We sometimes get off-hand comments like they wouldn’t want to do it because of safety or their kids are too lazy, but mostly we get lots of positive comments,” Sarah says. “Some people have a mindset that biking is a dangerous activity,” Sandy adds, “but I don’t worry about biking with the kids any more than I worry when we’re in a car on the freeway.”

The one place where Sarah worries about biking is the Panhandle Path, the relatively narrow, paved lane that becomes more risky when roadie cyclists use it for racing. “Riding with Andrew along the Panhandle has been the scariest thing,” Sarah says.

Although Sarah claims that Sandy is the more avid cyclist, he refers to her 1800 mile bike ride across West Africa in 1998 with three Peace Corp friends. She had mentioned that epic trip through Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Ghana earlier as a ride not much more remarkable than a vigorous spin to Ocean Beach. “It got me biking,” she explained.

And the ten bikes for the Crockett household? Sarah’s new Jamis Aurora touring bike, her old Bianchi mountain bike, and a “sleek little Miata road bike”; Sandy’s Univega road bike, an old mountain bike, and his unicycle; Andrew’s two tricycles,his one-speed and a trail-a-bike. Add Eben’s front bike seat and there’s eleven.

Look for Sarah and Sandy, Andrew and Eben this Sunday at NOPA’s BIKE THE BLOCK party. They’ll be sharing tips about travelling with kids and showing their trailers and front kid seat. Maybe Andrew will do a few bike tricks.

Racing Cyclist Smacks Against Baby Stroller on Panhandle Path; Skirmish Follows

Sometimes the Panhandle Path works well for everyone.

The Panhandle is thriving as a neighborhood park

Walkers, joggers, and parents with kids in strollers sometimes choose the southern path instead.

Ongoing tensions between people walking and bicycling on the multiple-use Panhandle Path erupted into a skirmish Sunday morning, June 6th, after a racing cyclist smacked against a baby stroller. The father pushing the carriage and the cyclist started yelling at each other. Pushing and swinging blows followed until others on the path pulled the two men apart.

North Panhandle neighbor Jim Allen told BIKE NOPA Monday morning about the incident he witnessed the day before. "I was walking westbound about 30 yards behind the father and his infant in the stroller who were about 40 yards from Stanyan Street. There was another couple walking past the stroller and they may have temporarily crossed into the eastbound lane. Right then a biker swooped onto the Path after crossing the street (Stanyan) and tried to squeeze between the walkers and the dad with a stroller. He whacked the stroller pretty hard and then cursed the dad for blocking the path."

Allen said the skirmish lasted only for a minute before he and others on the path pulled the two men apart. The father was shaken by the experience, although the stroller was not overturned, and no one was injured. The bicyclist mounted his bike and rode off.

Allen and several other neighbors have complained about the hazards of the multi-use path, especially as the good weather brings out more people walking and biking. He noted that the situation is particularly hazardous for parents with strollers and for elderly people from Mercy Terrace (located at Baker and Fell Street) who use the path daily.

Several observers have called for posting signs to "Share the Path" and "Slow Down for Walkers." That strategy might influence some bicyclists to reduce their speed, but it is unlikely to have the hoped-for impact on those who already ride too fast.

Others have proposed a bike lane along Fell Street from Baker to Stanyan Streets, situated between the parked cars and the park. That option might offer riders a place to travel at higher speeds and a more predictable cross-town commute, while improving safety and comfort for people walking on the path and getting a casual bike ride.

Dale Danley, neighborhood organizer of the Panhandle Park Stewards, agrees the Panhandle Path has become a real problem. "With more people cycling and walking on the path, we've reached a tipping point, so the path is no longer pleasant or safe," he said. Danley added that he will be meeting later this month with Recreation and Parks Department officials, and he will make the case for a more comprehensive plan for upgrading both the north and south side paths in the Panhandle.

Panhandle Access Riles NOPA Neighbors

Panhandle Park access at Central Avenue and Fell Street: a chronic condition

Panhandle Park Stewards scraped wide swath of mud of the sidewalk earlier this month

Unnecessary eyesore and maintenance expense goes untended by Rec & Park

The deep, swampy ruts and muddy mess at the Central Avenue entry to the Panhandle have long annoyed NOPA residents and other park users whether on foot or spinning on two wheels. Neighbors complain that repeated requests for maintenance and long-term solutions go unanswered by Recreation and Parks Department administrators. What gripes many people the most is that Rec & Park cause the problems.

Michael Varner is a long-time NOPA resident who lives a half block from park entrance. He recently described in an email his frustration with the chronic conditions. "The main problem is Rec & Park. Their own vehicles continually drive off the paved walking/biking paths when working in the area, chewing up the soil on the verge, generating mounds of mud." Varner believes Rec & Park could address the problem by simply making sure department employees only use paths that are wide enough for their vehicles. He also suggests not transporting materials in such large trucks to the park.

Varner notes that the Central Avenue access is much more than just one of several entrances to the Panhandle. "It's a major crossing point for lots of people coming down from the Haight as well as those going to the shops and restaurants in NOPA. Given the amount of foot traffic on Central, it should be considered an entrance to Golden Gate Park itself. Also tourists frequently use this route coming from downtown and going to the park and museums."

The much-loved and greatly used Panhandle presents any number of problems for visitors. Most of them are due to delayed maintenance or inadequate planning. The south-side pedestrian-only path has not been fully repaved for years, although several stretches were recently patched.* The north-south cross paths feature similar deep ruts and muddy stretches as along the Central entry. Overall, the Panhandle gives every indication of needing a reconsideration of the pathways, the widths of each of them, and the uses. Without such a plan, repair work becomes more expensive through repetition, when it comes.

NOPA residents recognize that the city's dire fiscal situation prevents an overhaul of the park, one that might include a widened multi-use path on the north side and a more expansive, level and smooth surface on the south with cross paths wide enough for necessary vehicles. But being understanding only goes so far when the city is unresponsive about many reports of problems. Michael Varner notes that he has tried to deal with the Manager of Golden Gate Park for years with little or no response. Earlier this month I registered a 311 request about the muddy overflow on the Central Avenue entry and checked the box for wanting a reply. So far, no reply and no fix.

The Panhandle Park Stewards, a revitalized community group devoted to park improvements, recently shoveled back the mud flow from many of the paths as part of its monthly workday. NOPA neighbor Dale Danley leads the Stewards, and he offered suggestions for how to deal with the park access issue. "I think this problem can be solved, and it may be by reducing the number of vehicles that enter the park or by changing which paths are used for park entry or by fortifying the soil and surface next to the paths."

The Central Avenue entry will play a significant role in upcoming events planned for the Panhandle or along Fell Street including Bay to Breakers, the Tour of California, the April 11th Sunday Streets through the park to the Great Highway, and the September 19th Sunday Streets when thousands of people are expected to start the open-street route from the Panhandle and head north on Central Avenue.

Currently North Panhandle neighbors are discussing how to improve the Panhandle for all users, from parents with kids in strollers or on Skuut bikes to commuting bicyclists. They're committed enough to the effort to also seek funding for needed projects. The irony is that these willing and energetic park advocates have not yet been able to forge a partnership with Rec and Park itself.

* Dale Danley confirmed with Rec & Park that the south patch paving resulted from a 311 request. In a different area of Golden Gate Park -- the JFK repaving now underway -- I have found the Park and Rec Project Manager to be consistently responsive to inquiries.

For 100-Year-Old Trees and Months-Old Mud: Panhandle Park Stewards Want You

Photo: Dale Danley

Encroaching mud on Panhandle's mixed-use path

The Panhandle Park Stewards invite NOPA neighbors and park lovers to help reclaim parts of the multi-use path sludged over with mud and sprouting with weeds this Saturday, March 13th. "With a little maintenance work, we can get back parts of the path that have disappeared," said Dale Danley, a NOPA resident who leads the neighborhood efforts to care for the park. "With all the use the path is getting - and with even more expected this summer - we can use every inch of it for more cyclists, runners, and walkers."

Photo: Dale Danley

Winter rains and saturated soil topple one big eucalyptus in the Panhandle

In addition to the busy Panhandle Path, the Park Stewards will also work with the gardener assigned to the eastern half of Panhandle Park to care for the historic trees in the area. Danley notes that California celebrates Arbor Day this week, and the Panhandle is a prime location for caring for and learning about a large variety of trees. "The big, old trees in the Panhandle, several more than a hundred years old, need some care to stay healthy," he said. "A lot of people come out to the monthly work parties to do just that - work - but this month, for Arbor Day, we'll take some time and learn something about the trees."

Danley urges volunteers to bring a tree book or a phone with Internet to help the group identify some of the trees. "We'll focus on the area between Lyon Street and Central Avenue and compare what we find with a tree survey* of the Panhandle completed 40 years ago." And, he advises, wear sturdy shoes and clothes and expect to get a bit muddy. "The rains of the past month have saturated the soil, and a few trees have fallen as a result." But don't let the muddy paths stop you, Danley is sure everyone will have an experience in the park they won't forget.

The Panhandle Park Stewards gather the second Saturday of every month. For more information on the volunteer effort, check the blog that Danley started in January to document the neighborhood's involvement with park issues.

* Trees of the Panhandle, Elizabeth McClintock and Virginia Moore. Published by the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; Miscellaneous Paper No. 1, 1965.

Check today's post at Panhandle Park Stewards for history of neighborhood involvement with a safe and clean park, provided by Mary Helen Briscoe, a long-time community activist and Panhandle advocate. (Thank you, Mary Helen, for your years of dedication and service).

Saturday, March 13th

Meet at 9 am @ the playground/bulletin board (where Ashbury intersects)

Work till noon, snack provided.

More information: dale987@gmail.com

SFPD Park Station Issues 14 Citations for Red-Light Running over the Weekend at Fell and Masonic

Pedestrians and cyclists crossing Masonic with green light; the motorist....

SFPD Park Station officers cited 13 motorists and one bicyclist for running red lights at the Fell and Masonic intersection over last weekend. Captain Teresa Barrett told BIKE NOPA this morning that eight of the thirteen motorists were ticketed for running the red left turn signal from Fell onto Masonic.

"These were regular officers," Barrett explained, "I decided to do this now even before a Task Force starts regular monitoring of dangerous intersections in the district." Barrett had earlier described the Task Force as a joint effort with Northern Station to cite drivers for running red lights. The officers will also set up pedestrian stings to ticket drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Although several intersections in Park District will be watched, Fell and Masonic will remain a priority location. Barrett said up to seven motorcycle officers will be part of the Task Force, and that it will begin this week.

Captain Barrett agreed with the idea that Fell and Masonic should get "a bad rep" among drivers as a location where red light runners are frequently ticketed. Extra enforcement can help accomplish that, she said, but installing a red light camera there might do even more. "The camera is a pretty powerful tool to make people aware of the surveillance," Barrett said. Jack Fleck, Transportation Engineer for the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), told NOPA residents last September that a red light camera would be installed at the intersection.

Captain Barrett said she also agreed with a reader's suggestion, posted on BIKE NOPA, that the traffic signals for westbound Fell Street traffic should be adjusted to remain red throughout the period that pedestrians and bicyclists are using the east-west crosswalks on Masonic. The current signal operation gives westbound motorists a green light while drivers wanting to turn left onto Masonic receive a red light. Several motorists have stated that the combination of a red and a green light is confusing and may lead to the illegal left turns.

One week earlier, as reported here, a taxi driver hit and injured a bicyclist after allegedly running this same red turn signal. Although the injured bicyclist and the taxi driver disagreed over who had the right-of-way, two independent witnesses (a driver and a passenger) told an SFPD officer on the site that they were certain the cyclist had a solid green light at the time of the collision. Nevertheless, the SFPD officer at the scene did not recommend a citation for the taxi driver. The officer told BIKE NOPA the day following the collision that there were conflicting reports and it was unclear that the cyclist had the right-of-way. Without a request noted on the incident report that a citation is merited, the SFPD Traffic Investigation unit seldom does more than file the report for insurance purposes -- especially in non-fatality cases -- according to officers who I spoke with after the collision occurred.

The increased SFPD enforcement comes at a time of heightened concern about making Masonic Avenue a safer corridor for all users. This Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 pm the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition will conduct "streetside outreach" at Fell and Masonic to inform bicyclists of efforts to increase safety at the crosswalk that links the Panhandle Path. Last week SFBC posted on its website an announcement that it was "ramping up a campaign to push the San Francisco Police Department to step up their officer education over cyclist rights and increase enforcement city-wide to make sure cyclists and pedestrians are safe."

In addition to the hazards at Fell and Masonic, bicycle advocates are concerned that some SFPD officers are uninformed or are misinterpreting laws that permit bicyclists to use city streets. Last week a NOPA bicyclist and resident informed several organizations and individuals that she had been harassed by an SFPD motorcycle officer while biking on Golden Gate Avenue near Van Ness Avenue. The officer reportedly told her via loudspeaker that she did not belong in the traffic lane. The California Vehicle Code permits bicyclists "full use of the lane" when a bicycle lane is not available.

Update, 2:30 p.m. A comment from Marc Caswell, Project Manager for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition: "Captain Barrett's quick response is a great sign, and we are very happy the Park Station is taking the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists so seriously. Hopefully, we can find a way to institutionalize these behaviors throughout the entire SFPD in every neighborhood and district."

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.

Taxi Driver Apparently Runs Red Light at Masonic and Fell, Crashes with and Injures Bicyclist

Crossing with the green bike signal at Masonic

Green bike/pedestrian signal at Masonic; countdown at 6

UPDATE, 9:30 pm, Feb. 14th

This evening I spoke with Officer Will Wong of SFPD Park Station about the collision involving a bicyclist and motorist last night. Officer Wong was at the scene, interviewed the parties involved as well as witnesses, and filed the incident report.

Wong stated that "maybe" there was an illegal left turn by the driver of a taxi van onto Masonic Avenue. He said there were two conflicting stories about the collision. "The taxi driver and his passenger said that there was a solid green light on Fell for them to proceed, but then they weren't absolutely sure it was a green for going forward or for turning left," Wong explained. He added that the bicyclist and other witnesses at the scene said there was clearly a green light for proceeding through the crosswalk.

As noted in the earlier post (below), one witness saw, or caught a quick glimpse of, the collision and another individual noted that the crosswalk countdown was underway and was at the number "6" when she saw it immediately after the incident. The bicycle/pedestrian signal for crossing the crosswalk begins with a solid green for about six seconds and the continues with a countdown starting at fifteen.

Wong said that the bicyclist might have had some responsibility if she entered the crosswalk once the countdown had begun.* "If the light starts flashing and the countdown begins, you're responsible. The countdown is meant for people already in the crosswalk." He added that he understood that many people don't interpret the countdown that way and that he usually doesn't cite for entering once the count begins. Wong said he also realized that whatever the countdown status of the crosswalk signal, the taxi driver had a solid red during that time period.

"Now the determination will be up to the investigators," Wong concluded. "My job is to collect the information." He did not expect the witnesses in the case to be contacted further, which, he said, was not unusual in non-fatal collisions. Officer Wong's incident report has been sent to the Traffic Investigation unit of SFPD Central Command.

* California Vehicle Code, 21456 (b). Flashing or steady "DONT WALK" or "WAIT" or approved "Upraised Hand" symbol. No. pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of the signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed crossing shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety zone or otherwise leave the roadway while the "WAIT" or "DONT WALK" or approved "Upraised Hand" symbol is showing.

NOTE: Bicyclists have the right to bike, not walk, across Masonic Avenue using the crosswalk since it is an extension of the bike path, as noted in this previous post.

ALSO, the bicycle light at Fell and Masonic follows this progression: solid green, yellow for 3 seconds, and then red. The bike light stays green until the pedestrian countdown light reaches "0" in its countdown from 15. If this injured bicyclist was in the crosswalk during the countdown, as one witness stated, she was travelling with a solid green light.

A 25 year old female bicyclist was injured late Saturday night when she collided with a blue taxi van that was making an illegal left hand turn from Fell Street onto Masonic Avenue, according to witnesses. The bicyclist complained of shoulder pain and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. The driver of the van stopped mid-way in the block between Fell and Oak and was questioned by the police. Several bicyclists travelling the busy mixed-use Panhandle Path and a motorist and passenger stopped to help the injured woman. Three SFPD squad cars, two SFFD fire engines, and an ambulance appeared at the scene as well.

This morning the front desk officer at SFPD Park Station confirmed that an accident report had been completed, but he was unable to provide details of the ten page account because he "was busy with several other matters." He suggested the officer who filed the report might be available to discuss the case later today. He confirmed, however, that the motorist had not been cited, as of yet. He added, "We can do it (cite at the scene) but we usually don't do it." In several other collisions, SFPD has not cited involved parties pending conclusion of an investigation. Last week BIKE NOPA reported the details of a just-released accident report about a pedestrian fatality that occurred September 15th of 2009.

NOPA resident Mariana Parreiras and a friend, who was driving, approached the intersection last night at the time of the crash. "We were travelling northbound on Masonic and stopped at Fell at the signal; we were at the front of the queue and right at the crosswalk," Parreiras recalled. "My friend suddenly yelled and jumped out of the car to help the cyclist." Although she did not witness the collision, Parreiras said she immediately got out of the car and looked at the pedestrian signal countdown because she was concerned that she and her friend might get hit in traffic. "The countdown was at "6," she stated. Parreiras is a member of the neighborhood advocacy group FIX MASONIC and is quite familiar with the intersection and the pedestrian/bicyclist signal. "The light turns green for several seconds and then it begins the countdown; clearly the bicyclist had the right-of-way in the intersection." (Note: the bike/pedestrian light is green for about six seconds and then begins a countdown from fifteen). Parreiras rushed to check on the cyclist who had walked from the middle of the crosswalk and sat down on the sidewalk on the east side.

Parreiras' friend,Tom, was driving the car and spoke to BIKE NOPA, but requested that his surname not be included with his account. Tom said he and Parreiras were in the far left lane travelling north and stopped at Masonic for the red light. "Out of the corner of my eye I saw a bicyclist coming (from the west) through the intersection. It happened very quickly... I'm not sure if I saw or heard the collision first. I heard some crunching and realized the cyclist had been hit," Tom stated. "I shifted into park and turned on the blinker. I saw that others were with the cyclist and I got out to get the bicycle out of the way before something further happened." A few minutes later Tom returned to his car and moved it around the corner. He told a police officer what he saw and provided his contact information. He concluded, "It seemed as though the facts were fairly straightforward about what happened." By 5 p.m. this afternoon, he had not been contacted further by SFPD.

The Fell and Masonic intersection is considered one of the most dangerous intersections in the city, with multiple collisions between motorists and bicyclists or pedestrians. The mixed-use path coursing through Panhandle Park crosses Masonic, and hundreds of bicyclists use the east-west route every day. The high risks at the intersection persuaded the Superior Court to allow an exception to the bike injunction, and the city installed a bicycle/pedestrian light. Motorists traveling westbound on Fell and wanting to turn left at Masonic get a red light when the cyclists and walkers are crossing. Although the number of motorists running the red left-turn signal has dropped as motorists become more accustomed to the added signal, users of the Panhandle Path observe illegal turns regularly. Motorists have remarked that the left turn signal on Fell at Masonic is confusing. Whether the collision last night resulted from one more case of reckless red-light running or confusion about the turn signal is not known

This post was updated with new information at 5 pm, February 14th.

Panhandle at Masonic Sees 50% Increase in Cyclists Over Three Years

No one cycles past Mariana Parreiras without getting counted

One morning last August BIKE NOPA interviewed Central Avenue neighbor Mariana Parreiras about counting bike traffic on the Panhandle Path at the Masonic Avenue intersection. She was working as a summer intern for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and assisting with the annual bike count. The survey provides a snapshot of bicycling in the city and compares numbers of cyclists and other trends from year to year. Now we know the number of cyclists Mariana tallied on the multi-use Panhandle Path.

The Masonic and Panhandle intersection experienced a 50% increase in number of bicyclists since 2006, a jump from 152 to 228 riders. The percentage is similar to the 53.5% increase found at the other study sites in the city over the same three-year period. Bicycling proponents note that the counts swelled even though a court injunction prevented any new bicycle improvements (for example, bike lanes, bike parking, or painted lanes) in the city.

The bike count at the Panhandle catches the 8am to 9 am bike to work crowd. It would be interesting to get the numbers on the return trip at the end of the day. Further east along the popular Wiggle bike route, the number of cyclists at Fell and Scott streets soared with a 84.7% increase since 2006. With so many cyclists travelling west on Fell Street between Scott and Masonic at the end of the workday, advocates are urging a look at a bike lane along that stretch. That prospect might be especially appealing to pedestrians who sometimes find sharing space with cyclists on the Panhandle Path a bit risky.

No need to tell Mariana how busy the Panhandle Path can be

Panhandle Cyclists: Now You're Legal

This bicyclist didn't look like he was about to break the law.

Designed and designated for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Now legal.

Last month Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a measure that makes legal what bicyclists have been doing all along: riding across Masonic Avenue on the Panhandle Path. No matter how carefully bicyclists shared the path with pedestrians and other cyclists and no matter that they only crossed the street with a green bike light before, they were still breaking the law. The problem was with the interpretation a law that governed use of the crosswalk. The previous wording of the law allowed an interpretation that cyclists should get off their bike and walk across a street like Masonic.

Although the new law was tucked into a general transportation bill meant to clean up, clarify, and deal with non-controversial changes to laws, there were real negative impacts from the previous wording. Marc Caswell, Program Manager for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, explained that the SFBC occasionally received reports of insurance companies challenging claims by bicyclists who said they were hit by a motorist while biking across Masonic at the Fell. "This law will help cyclists get their fair share should they be unlucky enough to be hit by a driver at this key intersection," Caswell remarked.

Senate bill 734 (in pdf here), introduced by Senator Alan Lowenthal, rectified the problem by defining a "bicycle path crossing" as any portion of a roadway clearly marked and indicated for use by bicyclists. In other words, bicyclists have the right to use the bicycle paths designated for their use even when the path crosses a street that connects segments of the route. Sometimes the law lags behind common sense and reasonable use. Both the California Bicycle Coalition and SFBC supported the bill.

So, cyclists: enjoy your new legal status as you cross Masonic on your daily commutes or weekend spins to Marin.