Pedestrians First: Keep It Simple, Make It Absolute

Commentary

Last year two broken elbows forced me to rely on walking to get around the neighborhood and city. I had to forgo the daily bicycling and occasional driving, and I hesitated to rub shoulders, much less elbows, on packed Muni buses. Walking was the remaining, affordable option, and it seemed a reliably safe way to reach my destinations -- until I started doing it.

Twice a week I made the half-hour trek to and from physical therapy, and I walked to visit friends, shop for groceries, and get to cafes. But what I found is that the North Panhandle is no haven of safe street crossing. When I used crosswalks -- entering with a green light and the right-of-way -- drivers often pushed through too close in front or behind me. Others raced to stop signs with little indication they would slow down in time. Some only stopped once they had blocked the crosswalk all together, especially with those narrow pedestrian crossings now along Divisadero. Too frequently others would yell at me to get out of the way. Many were holding cell phones while driving.

Usually I walked in the late morning or early afternoon, and I didn't encounter many bicyclists. But occasionally I didn't know what cyclists spinning toward me at a good clip would actually do: hit me in the crosswalk or maneuver around me. Other times cyclists took corners so fast I didn't think they could see me crossing. The problem intersections weren't just those along the traffic corridors like Divisadero, Fell, Masonic or Turk. The local, neighborhood streets posed problems as well, just often enough to make me wary. Granted, sporting a broken arm had me feeling vulnerable, but the risks from other road users were pretty damn real and more frequent than I had expected.

The several weeks of walking for transportation made me more aware of pedestrian safety. How could I be more pedestrian-aware when I'm on wheels? How can those travelling around me avoid intimidating or hitting and injuring pedestrians? I'm not suggesting constant threats and mayhem exist on our neighborhood streets and at our intersections, but ask people who walk here and elsewhere in the city regularly -- and especially people with an injury or physical disability -- whether they feel motorists and cyclists frequently put them at risk.

I know that better street design and traffic calming measures are essential to stop the speeding that leads to collisions and threatens people on foot. I think greater enforcement and new legislation are needed to convince motorists and cyclists that dangerous use of the road will cost them dearly. But while we wait for -- or work for -- structural change, better bike facilities, better laws to protect vulnerable users of the road, and better campaigns to influence behavior, the most effective intervention is our own resolve.

For me, the easiest way to stay pedestrian-aware now that I am on wheels again is to adhere to my own basic rule of the road:

Pedestrians First -- Keep It Simple, Make It Absolute

Call it a resolution, a reminder, or a mantra. It requires careful, mindful driving and biking all the time. It means anticipating risks, always being sure an intersection is clear before rolling through it, not cutting in front of or closely behind someone in the crosswalk, and staying behind the stop line at a red light. It means keeping priorities clear. Pedestrians can be unpredictable, slow, careless, or clueless, but they don't deserve to be intimidated, injured or killed because of their behavior.

Pedestrian advocates may counter that my resolution is already the law of the land, but the laws don't seem to be working, not with the pedestrian injury and death statistics as high as they are in San Francisco. A pedestrian first code sets a higher standard, a commitment to do no harm to people who cannot or choose not to travel on wheels. And those of us biking or driving should protect ourselves: do we want to live with the fact that we damaged or ended someone's life because of our distracted, careless, or aggressive behavior?

Sometimes we need to adopt our own code of safe behavior. In my opinion, now is one of those times.

SFPD Park Station Renews Pedestrian Stings, Juggles Traffic Watch with Crime Trends

Pedestrian stings for infractions like this at Divisadero and Fell streets

Motorists who ignore crosswalk right-of- ways might get more than a few seconds shaved off their daily travels as SFPD's Park Station undertakes pedestrian stings at the district's worst intersections for the offense. Officers posing as pedestrians will target and ticket motorists who enter a crosswalk ahead of pedestrians, try to nudge the strollers to move faster, or nearly clip them from the rear. The Fell/Masonic and the Divisadero/Fell intersections will get special attention following complaints. The renewed operations will begin this week.

SFPD periodically monitors the crosswalk connecting the western and eastern parts of the Panhandle Path at Fell and Masonic, but anyone using the path or the streets observes intrusions at the crosswalks throughout the day and night. Problems occur at the east-west Divisadero and Fell crosswalks when motorists partly or completely block pedestrians while they await signal changes.

Park Station Captain Teresa Barrett explained to BIKE NOPA that the pedestrian stings are sometimes interrupted when traffic cops assigned to the district get directed to other operations. Recent diversions include crime trends in Golden Gate Park, robberies, and the all-district alert leading up to the verdict in the Johann Mehserle trial. Barrett said she expected the pedestrian stings to continue on an ongoing basis.

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 Park Station Cites 8 Motorists in Pedestrian Stings at Fell and Masonic, 6 at Stanyan and Parnassus

Green light for cyclists and pedestrians; not for motorists pushing through

Fell & Masonic: an intersection needing "bad rep" for frequent pedestrian stings

How many citations does it take for an intersection to get a bad reputation among motorists prone to invade the right-of-way of pedestrians and bicyclists? SFPD Park Station Captain Teresa Barrett admitted she didn't know the answer, but she is willing to get the count started. Last week a special SFPD Task Force -- plainclothes and motorcycle officers -- set up pedestrian stings at two intersections in the Park Station district and issued fourteen citations for the offense.

The special operation issued citations to eight motorists at Fell and Masonic and another six at Stanyan and Parnassus for the all-too-common occurrence in the city: not yielding to pedestrians, cutting in front of pedestrians, threatening to "push" slow-walking users of the crosswalk on their way. The two intersections are among several that are being targeted for both the failure-to-yield offense and red light running. The previous week Park Station officers issued another 14 citations to motorists running the red on Fell and ignoring the red for the left turn lane onto Masonic. The Task Force is a joint initiative with SFPD Northern Station to respond to mounting complaints about risky intersections. The Fell and Masonic location continues to see frequent hazardous driving.

The Fell and Masonic intersection will likely require far more than periodic stings and a few dozen citations to establish a law-abiding norm -- or simply fear of fines -- among motorists who rush the lights and push into the crosswalks. No one should hesitate to report dangerous incidents to SFPD; thank them for current enforcement while encouraging a regular, sustained focus. NOPA area residents can address Captain Barrett, or her representative, directly at the next NOPNA neighborhood meeting on March 18th.

To report crosswalk incidents or red light running:

call SFPD at (415) 553-0123 (for non-emergencies)

contact SFPD Park Station directly at (415) 242-3000

North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA)

Next general meeting:

Thursday, March 18th, 7 pm: meet and greet; 7:30 meeting begins and continues until 9 pm

Jannah Restaurant (arrive early for drinks or dinner)

1775 Fulton Street (between Central and Masonic, across from Lucky's)

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.