Police to crack down on illegal cycling in San Fransisco

More enforcement is needed in the UK

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MNM41O1CI7.DTL

The week after a 71-year-old pedestrian died after being struck by a
bicyclist in a Castro district crosswalk, city officials vowed Tuesday to
hold errant cyclists accountable and to redouble efforts to get everyone -
pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers - to travel more safely.
Part of that plan includes a new program that would allow bicyclists to pay
lower traffic fines in exchange for taking a safety class.

"Cyclists do need to understand that traffic laws will be enforced fully,
and certainly if there's behavior that crosses the criminal line, I expect
the San Francisco district attorney's office to be working with the San
Francisco Police Department in prosecuting those laws," said San Francisco
Board of Supervisors President David Chiu.

Capt. Al Casciato, who heads the SFPD's traffic company, said his officers
regularly issue tickets to bikers who run red lights, ignore stop signs and
break other laws. They've targeted Market Street, the Embarcadero and the
"wiggle" bike route near the Panhandle where the problems are most
prevalent, he said.

The Police Department also plans to acquire handheld computers that will
allow them to write tickets electronically and track where most tickets are
issued. That, officials said, will allow officers to target enforcement and
better track how many tickets they issue.

On 11/04/2012 13:29, Mr Benn wrote:

More enforcement is needed in the UK

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MNM41O1CI7.DTL

The week after a 71-year-old pedestrian died after being struck by a
bicyclist in a Castro district crosswalk, city officials vowed Tuesday to
hold errant cyclists accountable and to redouble efforts to get everyone -
pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers - to travel more safely.
Part of that plan includes a new program that would allow bicyclists to pay
lower traffic fines in exchange for taking a safety class.
"Cyclists do need to understand that traffic laws will be enforced fully, and
certainly if there's behavior that crosses the criminal line, I expect the
San Francisco district attorney's office to be working with the San Francisco
Police Department in prosecuting those laws," said San Francisco Board of
Supervisors President David Chiu.
Capt. Al Casciato, who heads the SFPD's traffic company, said his officers
regularly issue tickets to bikers who run red lights, ignore stop signs and
break other laws. They've targeted Market Street, the Embarcadero and the
"wiggle" bike route near the Panhandle where the problems are most prevalent,
he said.

I'm intrigued by this mention of a "wiggle" bike route near the Panhandle".

Nothing obvious shows up on Google Maps (but then, neither does the famous
bit of Lombard Street look like much on Google Maps).

The Police Department also plans to acquire handheld computers that will
allow them to write tickets electronically and track where most tickets are
issued. That, officials said, will allow officers to target enforcement and
better track how many tickets they issue.

This bit is interesting too:

QUOTE:
But, Casciato added, "the enforcement piece is a very small piece." What's
more effective, he said, is educating cyclists to prevent problems in the
first place.
The idea for a biker safety class is modeled [sic] after a Marin County
program [sic]. There, a bicyclist who is given a traffic ticket can attend a
traffic school that teaches basic street skills and rules of the road. In
return, they pay a lower fine.
ENDQUOTE

Sounds like an excellent idea. It is either ignorance or wickedness which
lies behind typical London cyclist behaviour. It would be good to rule out
ignorance (bit by bit).

No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman, http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

On 11/04/2012 15:41, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Of all large American cities, San Francisco is probably the most like a UK
conurbation (apart from the excellent road network, of which which no UK town
has the equal, of course).

On Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:05:29 +0100
JNugent wrote:
On 11/04/2012 15:41, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Of all large American cities, San Francisco is probably the most like a UK
conurbation (apart from the excellent road network, of which which no UK town
has the equal, of course).

I've never been to SF but central Boston has a rather european feel.

B2003

On 11/04/2012 16:13, d wrote:

wrote:
Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Of all large American cities, San Francisco is probably the most like a UK
conurbation (apart from the excellent road network, of which which no UK town
has the equal, of course).

I've never been to SF but central Boston has a rather european feel.

It's an English town, well-established (of course) long before the American
revolution.

Hmmm.... just noticed the repeated "which"...

On Apr 11, 3:41*pm, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman,http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

Must be a slow day for the trolls when they have to look at an off
topic story from the other side of the world one presumes.
Can't they find any closer to home?

--
Simon Mason

"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...

On Apr 11, 3:41 pm, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman,http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

Must be a slow day for the trolls when they have to look at an off
topic story from the other side of the world one presumes.
Can't they find any closer to home?
=====================================

How about stories about ponds and home brew? Both of those are on topic,
aren't they? Err, hang on.....

"Mr. Benn" wrote in message
...
"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...

On Apr 11, 3:41 pm, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman,http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

Must be a slow day for the trolls when they have to look at an off
topic story from the other side of the world one presumes.
Can't they find any closer to home?

Obviously not - more non UK stuff to get rid off yet again.
--
Simon Mason

"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...


"Mr. Benn" wrote in message
...
"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...

On Apr 11, 3:41 pm, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
No relevance to the UK. SF is absolutely nothing like any UK town or
city.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman,http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

Must be a slow day for the trolls when they have to look at an off
topic story from the other side of the world one presumes.
Can't they find any closer to home?

Obviously not - more non UK stuff to get rid off yet again.
--
Simon Mason

How's the killfile?