stops as yields safety and effects of the idaho law

Transcription

1 stops as yields safety and effects of the idaho law

2 history Noteworthy Timeline: Late 1800s BICYCLE BOOM 1914 Mass Production of Automobiles rockets, Detroit 1915 First stop sign (Detroit, Michigan) 1920s First Interconnected Traffic Signal Systems (automatic red lights) 1935 First Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 1970s Modern Bicycle Laws (bikes held to subset of motor vehicle laws UVC) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle EXCEPT Stop signs used as traffic calming ( unwarranted ) in US and Canada Europe retains frequent use of yielding rather than stopping 1982 Idaho passes statewide exception for bicyclists: stop sign as yield sign stop LIGHT as stop sign (straight through & left turns) - Right turn on red as yield sign

3 IMPORTANT The Idaho Law does not change Right of Way Rules.

4 IMPORTANT A Cyclist is Not Allowed To be Reckless

5 IMPORTANT All Cyclists Are Still Required to STOP for Safety

6 IMPORTANT The Difference is, if it s Your Turn, and Safe to do so, You May Roll Through!

7 history TITLE 49 MOTOR VEHICLES CHAPTER 7 PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES Source: STOPPING -- TURN AND STOP SIGNALS. (1) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection or junction of highways, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping. (2) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a steady red traffic control light shall stop before entering the intersection and shall yield to all other traffic. Once the person has yielded, he may proceed through the steady red light with caution. Provided however, that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn. A left-hand turn onto a one-way highway may be made on a red light after stopping and yielding to other traffic. Source:

8 history NEWS FLASH WARRANTS (safety criteria) for stop signs and signals never considered bicyclists Many stops were in fact purchased and placed by Automobile Clubs Source: Bob Shanteau

9 history MOREOVER: Traffic signals and stop signs have many deleterious effects. Increased speeding and severity of collisions Increased Air Pollution Increased Noise Pollution Huge costs in wear and tear on roads and vehicles Large costs to install and maintain Approximately 40% of collisions in USA occur at signals Intended to maximize throughput, not safety The purpose of the boulevard stop regulation is to expedite the movement of traffic on certain streets of major importance, and to this end places an obligation on all person entering such streets to do so in an especially cautious manner book, Street Traffic Control by Miller McClintock

10 reality check Which of these travelers is required to stop at stop signs? Electric wheelchair rider Inline skater Skateboarder Segway rider Runner Answer: NONE! In California, and many other places, all are considered pedestrians Yet they can reach speeds comparable to bicycling (15+ MPH) AND are less able to anticipate and avoid collision at speed, than bicyclists Reduced ability to make evasive maneuvers (stopping/turning) Inline skaters were found to need roughly feet to stop when approaching a stop sign from a speed of 7-13 MPH across all skill levels Reduced ability to hear and see Reduced ability to be seen

11 reality check NOT REQUIRED TO STOP! Source: Source: shanghaiexpat.com Source:

12 reality check What if bicyclists used pedestrian powers to have same privileges? Pick up bike and rotate to join cross traffic, make left turn (bypass signal) Jump off bike momentarily to cross limit line Walk a few feet to make right on red (where prohibited, e.g., France) Legal, yet safer than riding? Source:

13 arguments for Many everyday bicyclists support this designation. They argue: A bicycle is a hybrid between car and pedestrian; - pedestrians (including runners and people using wheelchairs) don t have to stop, and can travel just as fast with lower visibility and lower maneuverability; - Motorists usually don t stop either, but present more risk & do more damage; - Bicyclists take the big risk and are better able to identify and avoid danger Better sensory awareness (hearing, seeing, vibration) Travel speeds are slower Choosing speed to take intersection enhances safety and mobility The Idaho Law promotes bicycling; - The energy to stop and start is very significant; - The law codifies existing behavior, so would reduce penalization and resentment - Tethering bicycles to motor vehicle rules is bicycle inferiority complex and squanders the energy and versatility benefits of bicycling; allow bicycling its full glory Signs and signals are an imposition of motor vehicle dominance. - Walkers and bikers wait at expensive signals designed to maximize motor throughput

14 arguments against Some, notably Vehicular Cyclists, oppose this designation. They argue: Bicyclists fare best when they act as and are treated as vehicles - Slippery slope when treated differently; will lose rights (based on important history); - Respect from the public comes from being law-abiding. (Laws can be changed.) Some cyclists and non-cyclists alike express safety concerns Won t this promote dangerous behavior? Won t people get in more crashes? What about the children? Won t drivers be more angry at cyclists?

15 children? A primary concern is that of child safety. Children are in the highest risk group. Does a law change child behavior? In Idaho, children are taught to stop at signs - Studies support that instruction and parental rules are the deciding factor Increases awareness Changes behavior (compliance) Reduces injury - Supervision is key with or without the law Netherlands, cyclists MUCH safer, begin educating in kindergarten. (Pucher, 2002) Source:

16 a boise family Kurt s Family, Children on bikes are a high risk group, but this is because of training, supervision, and the inherent dangers of traffic, not stopping laws (e.g., many child injuries occur midblock when a child exits a driveway). Age adjustments are one of the most important issues in comparing places. A stops as yields law could be specified for those above a certain age, e.g., age 16 and above, just as helmet laws are often for minors or age 16 and below.

17 scofflaws and society Noncompliance is a political hot potato. Frequently cited by opponents of bicycle facilities Cyclists stigmatized as Anarchist Scofflaws In reality, motorist noncompliance is much bigger public safety problem: Stop signs Red lights Turn signals Speeding Drinking and driving Hit and run Violating pedestrian ROW Etc. Would legalization help usher in a cycling society?

18 scofflaws and society Animosity, discrimination, violence. Portland, Oregon: Tripwire was placed across intersection aimed at cyclists Driver attacks cyclist for treating red light as yield (news report) Virginia: Father riding with son shot and killed for rolling stop Widespread Police Bias: Misperception that cyclists are always at fault, influences reports. Critical Mass events: Many incidents aimed at cyclists Would legalization create MORE GOODWILL on the road?

19 hypocrisy unveiled Examples of laws relaxed for motorists contrary to public safety: Speed limits. Speed limits have increased by up to 63% (from 55 MPH to 90 MPH) since the energy crisis measures of the 1970s In California, speeders set the speed limit (85 th percentile rule). Severity of killing someone while driving. Originally charged as murder, now penalties small and frequently uncited. In contrast, the Idaho Law should save lives and save oil, unlike the above examples.

20 study design #1 Compare Idaho s places: With places that don t have the rule - Borders 6 states, 1 Canadian province Match on: - Population: Size and density Percent bicycling (by age, gender, SES, etc.) - Land use - Bicycle friendliness: Facilities Culture - Climate: Temperature Precipitation - Geography: Topography Altitude Population 42,000; Bronze star from LAB (engineering) Population 204,027; No bicycle-friendly designation found (2008). Source: google maps, terrain view, accessed May 3, 2008

21 Boise Unique environment, hard to match, but supportive & some data exists: Census: 1.65% bike to work Altitude: 2800 ft. (high desert) Density: /sq mi. Bicycle culture: YES! - Boise Bike Week - Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance - Scenic Cycling is Nearby (SPIN) - Boise State Community Bicycle Congress - CommuterRide (County) - Boise Bicycle Project - Not much bike theft? Garren th and Grove Sts. Source: google maps, terrain view, accessed May 3, 2008

22 smaller towns Coeur d Alene: Pop. 42,000 Also unique in many ways: - Similar issues as Boise - LAB Bronze star, Engineering - Geographic barriers Is there a good match? Source: google maps, terrain view, accessed May 3, 2008

23 little places Pullman, Washington & Moscow, Idaho pair nicely : Both are college towns, similar sizes, although Pullman is more hilly Unfortunately, neither keeps collision records - Public records act request would take months Border town concern: does proximity negate effects of law? Source: google maps, map view, accessed May 3, 2008

24 little places Pullman, Washington & Moscow, Idaho pair nicely : Both are college towns, similar sizes, although Pullman is more hilly Unfortunately, neither keeps collision records - Public records act request would take months Border town concern: does proximity negate effects of law? Source: google maps, map view, accessed May 3, 2008

25 little places Pullman, Washington & Moscow, Idaho pair nicely : Both are college towns, similar sizes, although Pullman is more hilly Unfortunately, neither keeps collision records - Public records act request would take months Border town concern: does proximity negate effects of law? Village Bicycle Project is based in Moscow Source: accessed May 3, 2008 Source: google maps, map view, accessed May 3, 2008

26 methodology Differences between places: Data? Observations? Urban form? Culture?

27 comparing behavior Video analysis, comparable intersections: Bicycle rates Amount of compliance Level of Risk - Safe to Dangerous continuum - Validate! Correlates to injury rates? Source: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BICYCLE LANES VERSUS WIDE CURB LANES: FINAL REPOR. William W. Hunter, J. Richard Stewart, Jane C. Stutts, Herman H. Huang, and Wayne E. 1999, FHWA-RD , Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA

28 getting the goods Data Approach: Rates of bicycle injuries and fatalities? - Data scarce and incompatible - Must differentiate children from adults Observational Approach: Video of behavior: - How risky? How often? - Drivers too. Conduct surveys? Of interest: 2.27X SAFER!? More or less likely to use a bicycle? Motorists more or less aware? - Adaptation has been seen elsewhere Source: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BICYCLE LANES VERSUS WIDE CURB LANES: FINAL REPOR. William W. Hunter, J. Richard Stewart, Jane C. Stutts, Herman H. Huang, and Wayne E. 1999, FHWA-RD , Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA

29 getting the goods Data Approach: Rates of bicycle injuries and fatalities? - Data scarce and incompatible - Must differentiate children from adults Observational Approach: Video of behavior: - How risky? How often? - Drivers too. Conduct surveys? Of interest: 2.27X SAFER!? More or less likely to use a bicycle? Motorists more or less aware? - Adaptation has been seen elsewhere In Gainesville many bicyclists ran stop signs, but motor vehicles had adapted to this behavior and crash risk was minimal. Hunter et al. Source: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BICYCLE LANES VERSUS WIDE CURB LANES: FINAL REPOR. William W. Hunter, J. Richard Stewart, Jane C. Stutts, Herman H. Huang, and Wayne E. 1999, FHWA-RD , Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA

30 CLIMATES BAKERSFIELD BOISE SACRAMENTO Source:

31 sacramento v. boise: capitals compared 2000 Census/SWITRS, 1999 IDAHO Population Workforce (>16 years) % Bicycling to work Bicycle Injuries 2000 Population under 15 % Higher Education Population Density 407, , % 225 SACRAMENTO 93,395 (22.95%) 19.8% /sq. mile 185, , % 103 to 127 BOISE 39,078 (21.03%) 17.4% /sq mi. (69%) Elevation Injury-Commute Ratio Fatality-Commute Ratio <200 ft ft to

32 bakersfield v. boise: compared 2000 Census/SWITRS, 2000 IDAHO Population Workforce (>16 years) % Bicycling to work Bicycle Injuries 2000 Population under 15 % Higher Education Population Density BAKERSFIELD 247,057 99, % (1/3) 84 68,023 (27.53%) 8.8% 2,184.4/sq mi (75%) BOISE 185, , % 103 to ,078 (21.03%) 17.4% 2,913.1/sq mi. Elevation Injury-Commute Ratio Fatality-Commute Ratio 400 ft ft to

33 data challenges, study #1 ACS limitation: cannot use lumps taxi rides and motorcycle rides with bicycling in their other category. I wrote them to request & emphasize importance (for Census 2010 too!) - And now it s being scrapped! SWITRS report limitations: Injury is one category (does not match Idaho KABCO scale) No age data by city - California, roughly 25% of injuries are under 16 years (SWITRS, ). - In 2006, under 15 made up 10.3% of fatalities and 20.7% of injuries. Begins in 2000, so no 1999 exact comparison; also, delete after 10 years (!?) Idaho data limitations: Fault and who suffered injury not specified (assume bicyclist, most severely) General limitations: how does police classification of failure to yield differ? Are we sure both ignore bicycle-only collisions? (Evidently.)

34 simple ecological study Comparing cities by Census and reported collisions: Limitations: too many to mention. Like a taxi with your (motor?) bike? (Am. Comm. Survey was unusable --- And now it s going away!) BUT CENSUS WAS THE BEST AVAILABLE MEASURE OF AMOUNT OF CYCLING. Source: ACS

35 Boise supportive Idaho OHS very supportive: GIS datasets: - Roads - Bike routes (recent bicycle plan) - Signals, but no stop signs - Some bike counts - Collision database NOT geocoded Collisions: Excel for 1997 on Can hand-codify records back to Unfortunately, there s nothing around 1982 for longitudinal analysis BUT WE HAVE MICROFILM! HOWEVER, YOU MUST COME IN TO THE OFFICE

36 a trip to boise Legislative History OHS Records Interviews Test Intercept Survey (n=100) Test Video Observations

37 a trip to boise Microfilm proved impossible Would take months to analyze Difficult to read Would not be determinative (small sample, few years, and yielding injuries a small percent)

38 a trip to boise

39 a trip to boise Fortunately there was a small archive of old reports.

40 a trip to boise

41 a trip to boise Discoveries in the archives include: Bicycle injuries declined 14.5% the year after implementation. Overall bicycle injury trend (before and after) remained constant. Motorcycle fatalities were similar to national.

42 a trip to boise Test Video Observations at four locations (June 2008)

43 a trip to boise Legislative History was a bit convoluted

44 a trip to boise One letter expressed the concern for children.

45 a trip to boise

46 a trip to boise Concern was cleared due to effective date in future.

47 implications of adoption Apart from safety issues, what would be the effect of massive implementation of the Idaho Law? Predicting: Fault and Citations avoided: Bicyclists are more protected by law Energy saved! Bicycling increases! Pollution reduced!

48 additional evidence Proper yielding prevents crashes; stopping and proceeding without yielding does not. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that 70 percent of crashes that occurred at oneand two-way stop signs involved stop sign violations, but in two thirds of these cases, the driver did stop; the crash occurred when the driver then proceeded without yielding. -Florida Police Directive Reduce You go No YOU go conflicts

49 additional evidence Mandatory Stopping inhibits conflict avoidance: Most incidents occur at intersections. Cyclists have a major incentive to be safe in motion. Cyclists have more options when in motion. Clearing intersections when the danger minimized is imperative. With the Idaho Law: Cyclists are now safer because they may choose when it s safest to proceed.

50 additional evidence London women killed for stopping: Women in London were over thrice as likely to be killed by trucks than men despite comprising only a quarter of cyclists there. A 2007 report by Transport for London found a similar disparity over , finding: Women more at risk because they are less likely than men to disobey red lights - Tran, M. Women Cyclists 'at Greater Risk from Lorry Deaths'. The Guardian, Vol. UK news, 2010.

51 additional evidence Perception differs: Drivers have delayed response to cyclists, lead to a decreased probability of their stopping in time when the bicyclist is at risk. Walker, I. Signals are Informative but Slow Down Responses when Drivers Meet Bicyclists at Road 42 Junctions. Accident; Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 37, No. 6, 2005, pp Motorist rideout was about 60% more likely than bicyclists to cause bicycle injury crashes William W. Hunter, J. Richard Stewart, Jane C. Stutts, Herman H. Huang, and Wayne E. Pein. A 47 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BICYCLE LANES VERSUS WIDE CURB LANES: FINAL REPORT. 48 FHWA-RD , Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA, You go! No YOU go! Oh we BOTH go!

52 pollution exposure is increased Air pollution increases at intersections. Cyclists are particularly at risk due to heavier and deeper breathing during exercise. Int Panis, L., B. de Geus, G. Vandenbulcke, H. Willems, B. Degraeuwe, N. Bleux, V. Mishra, I. Thomas, and R. Meeusen. Exposure to Particulate Matter in Traffic: A Comparison of Cyclists and Car Passengers. Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 44, No. 19, 2010, pp Kaur, S., M. Nieuwenhuijsen, and R. Colvile. Personal Exposure of Street Canyon Intersection Users to PM2.5, Ultrafine Particle Counts and Carbon Monoxide in Central London, UK. Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 39, No. 20, 2005, pp Beatrice, B., F. Petrucci, A. Alimonti, and S. Caroli. Traffic-Related Platinum and Rhodium Concentrations in the Atmosphere of Rome. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Vol. 5, No. 4, 2003, pp

53 additional evidence Stopping causes injury: One large sports study (n=1638) found 28% of acute injuries involved difficulty stopping or starting a bicycle or going too slow to maintain balance, including inability to detach from toe clips. Dannenberg, A. L., S. Needle, D. Mullady, and K. B. Kolodner. Predictors of Injury among 1638 Riders in a Recreational Long-Distance Bicycle Tour: Cycle Across Maryland. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 24, No. 6, pp Stress Injuries: a hard stop, and the subsequent resuming of speed from a hard stop, involves considerable strain on joints, particularly the wrists and knees but also the shoulders, elbows, neck and low back. The wrist suffers strain under vibration, flexion and torsion during hard stops. Results include cyclist palsy, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, ulnar neuropathy, and other related injuries. The effect of long-distance bicycling on ulnar and median nerves: an electrophysiologic evaluation of cyclist palsy. Akuthota, et al American Journal of Sports Medicine.

54 stops discourage & reduce cycling UC Berkeley physicist Joel Fajans calculated one spends five times the energy to maintain speed with frequent stops, an unattainable effort; thus bicyclists on roads with stops signs must slow dramatically, multiplying travel times. Fajans, J., and M. Curry. Why Bicyclists Hate Stop Signs. Access, No. 18, 2001, pp In a recent Texas-based study, a route preference survey found avoiding frequent stops was of great import, second only to avoiding heavy traffic. Avoiding high speed limits was third and far above the rest of the 19 categories. Sener, I. N., N. Eluru, and C. R. Bhat. An Analysis of Bicycle Route Choice Preferences in Texas, US. Transportation, Vol. 36, No. 5, 2009; 2009, pp. 511 <last_page> 539. In another study, Rietveld found 0.3 fewer stops per km along a route meant a 4.9% higher share of bicycling. Rietveld, P., and V. Daniel. Determinants of Bicycle use: Do Municipal Policies Matter? Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Vol. 38, No. 7, 2004, pp. 531 <last_page> 550.

55 stops discourage & reduce cycling If bicycling decreases, cyclists are injured more Jacobsen s landmark Safety in Numbers study found reported injuries inversely proportional to roughly the 0.4 power of the amount of walking or bicycling, consistent across geographic areas, from specific intersections to cities and countries. Rietveld, P., and V. Daniel. Determinants of Bicycle use: Do Municipal Policies Matter? Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Vol. 38, No. 7, 2004, pp. 531 <last_page> 550.

56 health impact assessment perspective If mandatory stopping discourages cycling, we lose the many benefits of cycling, some of which can be quantified, e.g.: 1. Safety in Numbers: Using Jacobsen s finding with Rietveld s, a free-flow route adds 164% more cyclists, for 2.64 times more cycling, nearly halving each cyclist s risk of injury. This found for the case of reducing stops frequency to 2.4 stops/km (3.84/mi) rather than Applying Jacobsen s finding, such a cycling increase is thus expected to improve the relative risk per cyclist to 0.55 times the previous risk. 2. Greenhouse gas and other emissions increase 3. Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) A new online tool provides for calculating the expected loss of life (all cause mortality) and its economic value over time.

57 trend towards liberty Sign in Köpenick, Berlin. Source: Jason Meggs

58 trend towards liberty Sign in Köpenick, Berlin. Source: Jason Meggs

59 allowing counterflow riding Downtown Boise, Idaho, 26 Jun Source: Jason Meggs

60 allowing counterflow riding Gdańsk, Poland, June Source: Jason Meggs

61 allowing counterflow riding Bicyclists allowed to ride counterflow in Paris, France, May Source: Jason Meggs

62 paris relaxes red light rule Turning right? When? Cyclist waiting to turn right in Paris, France, May Source: Jason Meggs

63 paris relaxes red light rule Still waiting? Cyclist waiting for a long time, to turn right in Paris, France, May Source: Jason Meggs

64 paris relaxes red light rule Finally turns after waiting for minutes just a short distance into a bicycle lane. As a pedestrian, could have walked a few meters and entered off the curb. Cyclist finally turns right on green light in Paris, France, May Source: Jason Meggs

65 paris relaxes red light rule France required extensive studies and testing before allowing this very new change. (Belgium is following and Denmark is in process as well.) Advocates had hoped that signs would only be used for intersections deemed too dangerous, but now signs must placed everywhere just to allow. (In many other places, cyclists have long had the privilege of right turn on red.) Are such studies needed for Idaho Law?

66 non-detections exemption Numerous U.S. states now allow bicyclists and/or motorcyclists to pass through a red light if the light will not change for them (failure to detect). Source:

67 Netherlands fault rule Strict liability in the Netherlands Motorist at fault by default until proven otherwise. Considered to have created much safer behavior. Aggressive driving is a principle killer on the roads. Related to Vulnerable Users Laws in USA, pioneered by champion of Idaho Law in Oregon, attorney Ray Thomas. Source:

68 alternative design solutions Yielding can be accomplished even for high levels of traffic. Traffic circles recommended for bicycle intersections (e.g., Berkeley Bike Boulevards) Roundabouts used for high volumes of motor vehicles, many benefits over signals Traffic Calmed Zones/Shared Space successful in Europe, an entire area declared a slow zone, all stops removed Traffic calming goals through better means. Less expensive in total analysis Better for residents stop signs cheap to install, but impose huge costs, plus air and noise pollution New Signage Options Except Bicycles Yield sign for bikes Source: endlesslove.blogspot.com

69 alternative design solutions Shared Space. Trend in Europe, with experiments in North America: remove all signage Idea of safety through uncertainty. Growing number of examples, many good reports Concerns voiced for people w/disabilities and re: aggressive drivers Bypass or give exceptions: Create path behind stop sign to bypass stop for bikes (like avoiding transit stop) New signage ( bikes free or bikes yield added to stop sign) Create stop-sign free wiggle routes esp. if follow natural path (lowest grade) Place bike-permeable barriers (e.g., Bike Boulevards) periodically Minimize bike route delays at red lights Stop signs, not light, for cross-traffic to signals, means freedom & less waiting seen often in Vancouver. A cyclist who needs the help of a light still gets it, but a cyclist who wants to go does not have to wait Turn off signals or set them to blinking on bike routes, detector can trigger crossing

70 alternative design solutions Bicycle Roundabout in Davis, California handles continous flows. Source:

71 variants on stop signs Stop Sign effective when signal off at night. Gdańsk, Poland, June Source: Jason Meggs

72 variants on stop signs Downtown Boise, Idaho. Source: Jason Meggs

73 variants on stop signs Missoula, Montana. Source: Jason Meggs

74 adoption inevitable Across the United States, discussions and initiatives are growing: Examples: Oregon (repeated serious efforts) Virginia Arizona Utah California Washington, D.C. And more. Support is available for any legislative initiative. Initial adoption likely only state-by-state. National policy in USA too slow and too unresponsive.

75 letters of support for oregon bill (excerpt)

76 letters of support for oregon bill (excerpt)

77 letters of support for oregon bill (letter continued)

78 letters of support for oregon bill (letter continued)

79 AND THERE S MORE!!!..MUCH MORE

80 thank you Jason Meggs Phone: (510) Materials available at MeggsReport.COM please let me know of any legislative effort.