Great new policy on Mayor Ballard's desk

I received a couple of awesome emails this morning from Andy Lutz at the DPW--the City Council has passed some ordinances regarding bike parking, bike lanes, and even included a 3-foot passing provision! It is currently heading to Mayor Ballard hopefully to be signed into official policy.

Some highlights:

* "The driver or operator of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle must pass the bicycle at a safe distance of not less than three (3) feet between the vehicle and the bicycle."

* The bill prohibits cars from parking or standing in a bike lane, and even calls for "immediate removal" of the vehicle. Not even a parking ticket--the offending vehicle just gets straight towed.

* The bill clarifies usage of bike lanes, strictly for bikes, "unless signage specifies joint use with pedestrians." Also, that vehicles are only permitted to drive in a bike lane "for the limited purpose of making a turn, entering or leaving an alley, private road, or driveway," and in doing so, must yield right-of-way to cyclists.

* As for bike parking, it basically says cyclists can't obstruct vehicle or pedestrian traffic or obstruct access to parking meters, newsracks, or building entrances; cyclists lock up to fire hydrants or police/fire call boxes or private property without consent of the owner. Also, bikes left on public property or rights-of-way over 72 hours are considered abandoned.

As I said, these are going to Mayor Ballard's desk. The City Council has already done their part, which is awesome and commendable. If I were you, I'd hop over to Mayor Ballard's website and voice support for these new policies. Just fill out the form choosing "Bike Lanes" in the Select a Topic field, and say, "Hello Mayor Ballard, I hope you show your support for the new policies drafted by the City Council in respect to cyclists and the city's new bike lanes. These would be great strides for the city in recognizing the rights of cyclists on the roadways!" or something to that effect.

Thanks to Andy Lutz and the members of the City Council. Hopefully Mayor Ballard approves their efforts of making Indy a more bike-friendly city!

IBJ: Bicyclists and traffic laws

Early results of a police investigation suggest a 17-year-old Decatur Central High School student died this morning after he ran a red light on a bicycle and was hit by a semi.

Why Eduard Westone rode into the intersection at Kentucky Avenue and Heathrow Way is anyone’s guess. The location is an entrance to the AmeriPlex industrial park south of Indianapolis International Airport.

But the unnecessary death raises questions about bike safety in a city that’s looking to join a national trend toward getting cars off streets to reduce congestion and pollution.

It isn’t uncommon to see bicyclists running lights. Or weaving in and out of traffic, darting onto and off of sidewalks or taking any number of other risks.

Now that more bicyclists are taking to the streets, how do you feel about safety? Are too many reckless? If so, should anything be done about it?

Full article on IBJ.com

Fox 59: City Expanding Bike Lanes, Education

INDIANAPOLIS - Nic Nihiser remains in critical condition Wednesday, suffering from brain damage after being hit while he was riding down Delaware Street in downtown Indianapolis early Saturday. While police search for the driver who left the scene of the accident, other cyclists want to know what the city is doing to increase their safety.

Joe Shelly is one of the growing number of people in Indianapolis who commute to work by bicycle. He, like many other cyclists, enjoys the expanded bike lanes, but would like to see more.

"I think having the bike lanes and expanding on what we have now would only be good for the city," Shelly said. "It would certainly cut down of traffic congestion."

City planners say they're working on it. Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard made bicycle lanes a priority in the past year and it's already made an impact. There will be 24 miles of new lanes painted on roads by the end of the year. The 15 year master plan will feature roughly 200 miles of lanes.

As director of the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability, Karen Haley has overseen Mayor Ballard's plan. But she says the added lanes come with added responsibility.

"You have to treat the bike just like you would a car," she said.

Full Article w/ Video

City Code: Riding on Sidewalks

I've had a good number of discussions about whether riding on sidewalks in Indy is legal or not. Though I personally advise against riding on sidewalks, I do understand that a large number of cyclists, especially newer cyclists, feel more comfortable on them. Here is the municipal code on riding on sidewalks in Indianapolis:

(b) A person who operates a bicycle on a sidewalk or greenway in the city shall do so only in the following manner:

(1) The bicycle shall not be operated at a speed, or in any manner, which constitutes a threat to the safety of either the bicycle operator or other persons, or diminishes or impairs the free use of the sidewalk or greenway by other persons.

It's summed up really well in this article in Indy Star from last October by this quote:

In other words, Edwards said, people should not have to dodge a bicycle or be concerned with their own safety, whether on a sidewalk, street or greenway.

So, is it legal to ride on sidewalks in Indy? Yes.

Is it advised? No. There are a number of reasons as to why you shouldn't, but it basically boils down to visibility and traffic awareness issues. I might have to write a more detailed post on this later.

Another Law that Would Be Nice to Have in Indy

C.Banks pointed me to this article about a bicycle harassment ordinance recently passed in Columbia, Missouri. Though in cases such as this, I tend to be more of a "change hearts not laws" person, this ordinance definitely has its merits. Here's the quick Bike Retailer write-up on it:

COLUMBIA, MO (BRAIN)—A city of 84,000 people in Missouri has passed a bicyclist harassment ordinance making the throwing of objects, verbal assault and other offenses illegal, and a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $1,000 fine or one year of jail time.

The Columbia ordinance, which is modeled after similar ordinances in South Carolina and Colorado, makes it a misdemeanor to do the following: throw an object at or in the direction of a cyclist, threatening a cyclist to frighten or disturb the cyclist, sounding a horn with the intention to frighten or disturb a cyclist, knowingly placing a cyclist in the path of physical injury, or knowingly engaging in conduct that creates a risk of death or serious physical injury for a cyclist.

Here's a link to the more detailed story in The Missourian.