Video about sidewalk riding

No progress toward safety

The problem with HPV’s at SJSU
I am not against bicyclists, or bicycling, but I am seriously against the very dangerous use of them. I am an avid cyclist. I know that cycling, even done carefully, can result in serious injury or death. Life is full of risk. I am not against anything that involves a risk, but I am against unnecessary needless risk. Risk needs to be taken carefully, that is why we have “Risk Management” at SJSU.

I am against what I feel is a grossly dangerous unmanaged risk situation. That is why I have been complaining for years about how bicycles and other human powered vehicles (HPVs) are currently being used, and I think abused, on the sidewalks at SJSU.

I am a union steward and have filed grievances. I will continue to file grievances, complain, document and make public what I feel is a danger as long as I am able, or the problem gets fixed!

The ironic thing is I am not only advocating for the pedestrians at SJSU, I feel I am advocating for the safety of the cyclists, skateboarders and other users of HPVs at SJSU.

I have been in a serious bicycle accident. Everyday I suffer pain and discomfort from that accident. I know what that feels like and I know what knowing that the pain will NEVER go away feels like. Judging by the way some people who use HPVs navigate the campus, I doubt many of them do.

In my opinion, so far the university has done nothing to manage the risk on our campus.

[More photos here]

Bikes out of control at SJSU

Many of the people who ride bicycles on the sidewalks at SJSU do so in ways that risk serious injury to themselves and others. Cyclists riding with no hands are unable to take evasive action if a pedestrian, cart or disabled person steps into their path. Usually cyclists who ride like this way are not wearing helmets.

This bike position is especially prone to falling. These cyclists, as well as endangering others, risk head injuries that could kill them or leave them permanently disabled.

[More photos of human powered vehicles on and around SJSU]

Bikes a hazard to disabled at SJSU

Here are some of the photos I have made recently of bikes locked to the exterior stairwells of SJSU’s Clark Hall. These stairwells are used routinely as exits from the classrooms in Clark Hall and would serve as emergency exits from Clark Hall in the event of an evacuation. In addition to the obvious safety issues, I am concerned about the barriers these are for people with disabilities.

I have tried to get University Police to act on this. My understanding from conversations I have had on this is they are waiting for more bike lockers. In my opinion; to put the needs of bicyclists before providing accessible facilities is a form of discrimination directed at people with disabilities. I think we should be striving to provide accessible physical facilities just as we are striving to provide accessible technology.

When I addressed the issue to the Disability Resource Center at SJSU, Lucille Surdi the ADA Compliance Specialist wrote me back:

The ADA Compliance Office has spoken with Chief Barnes regarding your notification to us of the bikes being locked to the exterior stairwells of Clark Hall. The Chief and UPD are working over the past several months with AS Transportation and FDO to address this situation throughout the campus for the entire campus community. Proposals are being developed for more bike racks and more bike cages. This situation is being overseen with coordination from other university departments and is diligently being addressed. UPD is currently enforcing the issue of unsafe bike parking and has impounded many bikes that create a hazard. You are correct, safety is always the primary concern and please do report any direct safety issues to UPD as soon as possible.

I had a previously scheduled appointment next week to discuss this issue in person with them. In the same e-mail Surdi said:

My office had scheduled a meeting with you and I for next week but I do believe that this matter is being appropriately handled and prioritized and there is no need for a meeting. We thank you for bringing this to our attention and we will be monitoring this situation in the coming weeks.

Sounds like bureaucratic double-speak to avoid doing anything to me. In my opinion providing safe emergency exiting of buildings as well as accessible facilities is more important than having people be able to park bikes all over campus. I am a cyclist myself, I rode my bike to work this morning. It amazes me how many abandoned bikes there are in the bike lockers and chained to poles on campus. Perhaps these can be removed if we really need more on campus bike parking.

[Click Here to See More Photos]

Incident with bicyclist at SJSU

Yesterday evening while walking to my car, moments after a near miss by one bicyclist I was hit by another. Fortunately I was not injured or knocked down. There were witnesses and I filed a police report (Case #090020.)

Both cyclists were riding at excessive speed, in the dark with no lights.

What is it going to take for this university to deal with this safety problem, somebody getting seriously injured or killed?

Photographs page added to this blog

[More photos here]

If you click on the the word “Photographs” in the title bar above, you will see photos I think illustrate the issue. By my most recent count I have assembled over 350 photos here that illustrate how skateboards, bikes and other human powered vehicles are used and, I think, abused at SJSU. The current use pattern of HPV’s

People riding in buildings

People riding in buildings a regular occurrence

Just a moment ago I saw a student riding his bike out the front door of Clark Hall. Right after that another rode his skateboard in. This happens all the time and has been going on for awhile as the photo above attests.

We have students, faculty and staff who have visual and mobility disabilities. This is just so dangerous it makes me really angry.

Follow up on Morgan Hill fatal bike crash

A follow up article has been published in the Morgan Hill Times. Apparently the CHP is continuing their investigation. Sounds like the car may have been turning left from the stop sign and may have pulled out in front of the bike which struck the left side of the car. The visibility doesn’t seem bad at this intersection.

[Link to article]

Why is this important to SJSU skateboard riders and cyclists? Because, in my opinion, the university has been incredibly lax in encouraging safe use of human powered vehicles (HPVs) on and around SJSU. Even the most safe and careful user of HPVs is incredibly vulnerable. HPV users on campus usually use them off campus. Cars simply do not see them!

In my opinion by being lax in educating HPV users and by the lack of enforcement of rules regarding the safe use of HPVs, the university has become part of the problem and is partly responsible for a dangerous situation. I have reported my concerns, as have others, many times and the university has refused to act.

Mom sues school over cyclist death

Parent of killed cyclist sue’s school

A recent Mercury News article said, “accusing San Jose Unified School District of falling short on traffic safety, the mother of a sixth-grader struck and killed by a motorist has filed a claim against the district, saying it shares the blame in the death of the youngster who was riding her bike home on the last day of school.”

According to a Mercury News article dated October 14, 2008 [link to story]:

The claim, filed Monday, said the school already had been put on notice by residents in the neighborhood that the situation was dangerous…

San Jose State University has been warned time and time and time again. There are 40,000 people at SJSU who share our paths and sidewalks with skateboarders and cyclists. One wrong step, one slip, one mistake and a tragedy could happen here. Yes, our school has been put on notice the situation here is dangerous.

SJSU violates best practices

On April 13, 2006 the Victoria Transport Policy Institute released a document entitled Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning A Guide to Best Practices. This document is an 89 page guide that covers all aspects of pedestrian and bicycle planning. It is intended for policy makers, planners and advocates who want the best current information on ways to make their communities better places for walking and cycling. Page 40 of the guide says the following.

Sidewalks are generally unsuitable to be used as bikeways for the following reasons:

• Sidewalks are generally not designed for cycling speeds. Cyclists must either reduce their speed or travel too fast for conditions.
• There is generally insufficient width for shared bicycle and pedestrian travel, particularly due to obstacles such as utility poles, signs, and street furniture that narrows the effective width of the sidewalk.
• Bicyclists face conflicts with motor vehicles at driveways and intersections. Motorists are generally not expecting a cyclist to cross their path from the sidewalk, and may not be looking for them.
• Traffic rules, such as obligations to yield, are unclear when cyclists ride on sidewalks, creating confusion and risk between pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

In my opinion we are one mis-step, one inattentive moment away from a serious injury; or worse. With a campus population of around 40,000 people what are the odds that this will happen.