Two Wheeler Blog

We've Moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Our blog has moved to http://www.rahmanlawsf.com/blog/

This site will no longer be updated so be sure to check out our new home for the most recent posts.

Congratulations San Francisco!

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:32:00 +0000

We are the 4th fittest city in the Nation!

Keep up all of the cycling, walking and general healthiness.

Source: SF Streetsblog

Memorial Day Weekend Kicks Off Most Dangerous Time to be on the Road

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer in California with great weather, end-of-the school year celebrations, picnics and barbecues. It also kicks off the most dangerous time of the year to be on the roads in California.

May-September sees nearly twice as many fatal motorcycle crashes as other months. Better weather means more people on the roads and this has already led to a spike in vehicle-related fatalities this year. Failure to wear seat belts and drinking-while-driving are huge factors in these accidents.

CHP Officers advise awareness of one's surroundings and caution when on the roads. "I don't think the average citizen realizes how many impaired drivers they share the road with" cautioned CHP Officer Sarah Jackson.

California has amazing weather, plenty of attractions and out-door activities and tons of roads to travel and explore. However, it is important to be aware and to be safe when sharing the road.

Source: SJ Mercury News Article

BART Bike Plan Focuses on Secure Parking

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:40:00 +0000

BART is setting a goal in its new bike plan to double the rate of passengers who bike, currently at 4%, within 10 years. Their updated bike plan includes:

Expansion of secure parking facilities
Reduction of 'blackout periods'
Reevaluation of the bike ban on escalators

According to a SF Streetsblog post, the plan is supported by the SF Examiner and the SF Bicycle Coalition. SFBC Executive Director Leah Shahum commented that the organization "commends the BART leadership for stepping up their commitment to encouraging more bicycles on and to the BART stations."

The final plan will be presented to the BART Board on June 14, 2012.

The draft BART bike plan can be accessed in its entirety here.

Shaana Rahman Featured in the American Association for Justice's Trial Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:52:00 +0000

For their February 2012 edition entitled "Moving Violations", the AAJ's Trial Magazine chose to address motor vehicle and bike accidents and their place in the law. As such, I'm pleased to say that our very own Shaana Rahman was featured in Trial Magazine with her highly informative essay on what attorneys representing bicyclists should expect, and what they should be doing to protect your rights.

Rising Rate of Pedestrian Accidents Caused by Headphone Use

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:40:00 +0000

"Injuries to pedestrians wearing headphones have more than tripled in six years, say researchers from the University of Maryland."

On the average day, we see dozens of people walking across the street with headphones plugged into their ears. And as city-dwellers, we are practically allergic to silence. So it's not difficult to feel a bit scared when we read statistics that say, out of the times where headphone-wearing pedestrians have been deaf to train whistles and car horns, 3/4ths of them end in fatalities.

According to a Care2 article, "Distraction and sensory deprivation while using electronic devices is called 'inattentional blindness'." Case reports published by associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland, Dr. Lichenstein, and his associates listed the following statistics regarding injured pedestrians who were wearing headphones at the time of their accidents:

68% of victims were males.
67% of victims were under 30 years old.
Over 50% of accidents involved trains
29% of vehicles involved reported sounding a warning prior to the accident

While pedestrians have no control over reckless drivers, they can help their odds at least a little by keeping their ears open. So try to keep both unplugged and aware of your surroundings out there.

Used Motorcycle Review's "Most Common Causes for Motorcycle Accidents"

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Last Thursday's Used Motorcycle Review's blog post touched upon the 4 Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents. These are the difficulties faced by motorcycle riders that might be helpful to keep in mind while riding safely:

1. Driver Negligence/Blind Spot

Many drivers have difficulty spotting or noticing motorcyclists on the road.

"Approximately 70% of collisions are the result of the negligence of drivers."

2. Poor Road Conditions

Many collisions occur "due to the presence of curbs, debris, potholes, bumps or even roadside barriers" when a rider tries to avoid an accident. These are the accidents that have caused severe lower body and spinal damage, and sometimes even brain damage.

3. Speed Disparities

Accidents don't always occur because of speeding, but can also occur as a result of going too slowly, compared to traffic flow around the rider. These accidents manifest as rear-ending or being rear-ended.

4. Other Factors

- Climbing skill of the driver

- Drunk driving

- Undivided roads

- Aggressive driving/recklessness

- Old bikes or old bike parts

---

Source: Used Motorcycle Review

Assembly Bill 819 to Aid Bikeway Developments

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

For those unfamiliar with it, Assembly Bill 819 is the important new bill that would give California cities a significant boost towards advancing bikeway designs and renovations. Introduced in February 2011, the bill aims to "amend Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, relating to bikeways." The bill's opening statement is as follows:

"Existing law requires the Department of Transportation, in cooperation with county and city governments, to establish minimum safety design criteria for the planning and construction of bikeways, and authorizes cities, counties, and local agencies to establish bikeways
[...]
This bill would include a class IV bikeway among the bikeways subject to the above provisions and would define a class IV bikeway to include a segregated bike lane which provides exclusive use of bicycles on streets, as specified." ^[1]

How would AB 819 change current bikeway advocacy plans?

Around this time last year, select San Francisco streets were newly painted with green bike boxes. The effort and lobbying put into implementing these boxes are often ignored, but it is important to acknowledge that just these 7 boxes took a year to complete. ^{[4, 5]}

Such delays in development are caused by current state laws and Caltrans guidelines, which dictate what and how new bikeways are created. And "under current state law, facilities like protected bike lanes and bike boxes--which are not established within Caltrans guidelines--must go through an expensive and time-consuming approval process." ^[2]

Meanwhile, AB 819 would allow planners to "use guidelines that have been established outside Caltrans, like the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, which includes designs for protected bikeways." Such guidelines have allowed cities like New York, Chicago, and DC to develop protected bikeways with greater ease, efficiency, and therefore success than those in San Francisco. ^[3]

Current status of AB 819

Last Monday, the State Assemble Transportation Committee passed AB 819, but with crucial corrections. The amended bill "would only require Caltrans to create an experimentation process through which engineers can establish bikeway standards" ^[3] before making any real and effective changes to bike lanes and bikeways.

Though a step forward, it is still not the greenlight the California Bicycle Coalition and other advocacy groups have been waiting for. Despite such setbacks CBC Communications Director Jim Brown says, "We're continuing to work with Caltrans to figure out how innovative bikeway designs already used in other parts of the U.S. and Europe can be implemented in California." ^[3]

Sources:

¹ AB 819 Assembly Bill

² New Bill Could Free CA Planners to Use More Innovative Bikeway Designs

³ State Assembly Undermines Bill to Let California Cities Build Safer Bikeways

⁴ Eyes on the Street: San Francisco's First Green Bike Box Remains Unfinished

⁵ Eyes on the Street: San Francisco's First Green Bike Box Gets Bike Stencil

Shaana Rahman and S.F. StreetsBlog on Criminal Charges for Drivers Who Kill Pedestrians

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:34:00 +0000

In Tuesday's StreetsBlog Post, "Will DA Gascón Reform the Double Standard for Drivers Who Kill?", our very own Shaana Rahman was interviewed for her thoughts and experience on the matter of charging drivers and bicyclists who kill pedestrians as criminal offenders:

Shaana Rahman, a lawyer who represents victims of traffic crashes in civil court, explained that injuring or killing a pedestrian due to negligence has traditionally been categorized as a civil offense rather than a criminal offense, which requires “intent to harm.”

“What I have seen in my practice is unless there’s an issue where a driver or cyclist is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving recklessly and willfully, such as drag racing or something of that nature, by and large there are no criminal charges filed against folks who injure other people in those situations,” she said. Regarding the criminal charges against Ang, she added, “In this situation, with this particular bicyclist where you don’t have those aggravating circumstances, it seemed unusual to me.”

This recent decision to charge bicyclist Randolph Ang for the death of pedestrian Dionette Cherney has been met with both support and criticism. Support for breaking from the established tradition of DA inaction against pedestrian deaths by drivers and criticism for beginning this tide change with this year's one bicyclist-caused death betwixt 12 driver-caused deaths.

But the most important question to consider is the one raised by Streetsblog: "Is Gascón getting serious about driver recklessness and negligence?" As quoted in the article, Ms. Rahman believes this could indicate “a fundamental shift in the punishment aspect of drivers who, in all other circumstances, would be seen as negligent drivers.”

“Criminal charges are important to deter certain behavior,” she said, and with so many cases of negligent drivers who kill or injure other people, “he’s going to have his hands full.”

Shaana Rahman & KGO Radio on Embarcadero Collision

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:54:00 +0000

For those who missed it, Shaana Rahman spoke to KGO this past Tuesday afternoon regarding the District Attorney's decision on Monday to charge Randolph Ang, the cyclist involved in the fatal collision with pedestrian Dionette Cherney, with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The collision occurred on July 15th, 2011 on Embarcadero and Mission and resulted in Ms. Cherney's death after the 68-year-old tourist received "blunt force injuries to the head" from being knocked to the pavement. On Monday, Assistant D.A. Omid Talai announced that Mr. Ang would be arraigned on November 23rd to carry out his one-year sentence in county jail.*

Reactions to Mr. Ang's sentence have ranged from cries of too little to too much. Fast forward to 43:52 to hear Ms. Rahman's speak on this tragic accident. What are your thoughts?

Shaana Rahman on KGO Radio by rahmanlawsf

Audio Clip Courtesy of KGO Radio

*Source: The Bay Citizen

The Tour de Fat is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:29:00 +0000

Grab your bike and get ready to party. Because this year's Tour de Fat is gonna be next Saturday the 24th at Linley Meadow in Golden Gate Park, from 10am to 5pm.

Organized by member-volunteers over at the SF Bike Coalition, the Tour de Fat is a free and open celebration for everyone of all ages. This year's entertainment features live music, face painting, and silk screening. On top of the fun will be the conventional bike parade, as well as the slightly-less-conventional fire-jumping bike show.

And finally, if a rodeo-circus isn't your cup of tea, remember that there will be plenty of good food and beer for sale in the park as well, with all proceeds going to the SFBC and The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council!

For event details, visit the SFBC website at http://www.sfbike.org/?fat

Berkeley Police Work to Improve Motorcycle Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:58:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, officers of the Berkeley Police Department were stationed throughout the city on streets with the highest rate of motorcycle accidents.

This operation came out of the growing issue of motorcycle fatalities in California. A CBS San Francisco article said that data has shown the causes of these accidents to be mostly:

Speeding
Unsafe turning
Driving under the influence
Inexperienced riding

If these are the causes of accidents, it would seem that police vigilance is not going to be the cure-all to our problem. Instead, the best way to decrease dangerous riding might be to improve the manner in which all motorists are driving out on the road. For motorcyclists, rider training is readily available to refresh your memory of the rules of the road. Such training is offered through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program, which can be contacted by visiting www.CA-msp.org.

The police may be able to catch and charge unsafe drivers and motorcyclists, but they can only address half the issue at hand with tickets and fines. It's the motorists that will need to take on the challenge of safely sharing the road.

Sharing the Road Means Sharing the Air

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:20:00 +0000

A recent study done by Canadian scientists from Health Canada, Environment Canada, and University of Ottawa warns cyclists of the health risks they take when riding in the streets.

Now, they're not just talking about the everyday fear of being struck by a car, but specifically, the study shows that car pollution and tailpipe exhaust can cause heart problems in cyclists who share the road--and subsequently, the air.

In this study, the scientists attached heart monitors to 42 healthy, nonsmoking cyclists to measure their heart rates before, during, and after their cycling. They also attached air pollution-detecting instruments to their bicycles and assigned some to congested and others to uncongested roads.

It was discovered that those who traversed the more congested roads had a lower heart rate variability after their ride. Heart rate variability, as described in the SF Chronicle article about this study, is a way to indicate how efficiently the heart can respond to stresses like exercising. The heart of a person with a lower heart rate variability has a harder time responding than the heart of a person with a higher heart rate variability.

What is it about congested roads that make the air so toxic? According to the SF Chronicle again, the fine particles of pollution that escape through tailpipes are "small enough to lodge deep in the lungs. Tiny particles can also cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially harming the nervous system." And the cars that are known to emit the most of these toxic particles are diesel buses and trucks.

So now that you are properly worried for your health, keep in mind some simple advice from these scientists: (1) Keep farther away from tailpipes, as the the small particles clump together the further they get away from the car, making them too large to lodge deeply in your lungs; (2) Avoid streets with heavy traffic.

While this advice might seem trivial, it is the common sense of it all that will keep you safe.

Ford to Leave Muni at the End of June

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:04:00 +0000

At the end of this month, Nathaniel Ford will be leaving his post as the chief of Muni. And in the search for his replacement, the SFMTA is switching it up from their conventional nationwide hunt and sticking to the local candidates with more intimate knowledge of the city's transit history and needs.

Tom Nolan, the Chair of SFMTA's Board of Directors, revealed the leading local choices to be Chief of Department of Public Works Ed Reiskin and Executive Deputy Director and Interim Boss of the SFMTA Carter Rohan.

Reiskin is described as the more popular and likely choice because of Rohan's time spent in Texas, where his family resides. Friday's SF Examiner Editorial entitled "What the City needs from Muni's next boss", explains the need for a chief that is "in-it-for-the-long-haul" with "100 percent commitment to solving the problems." The column specifically criticizes Ford for displaying a lack of investment into his post other than using it as a "stepping stone to some even-larger city's better-paying transit post" as exemplified by his recent dalliance with DC's Airports Authority.

It should also be mentioned that these changes bring some potentially good news for the taxpayers. The SFMTA is looking to negotiate the salary with its next chief, which will hopefully mean that he won't be making Nathaniel Ford's preposterous $308,000 annual salary. Not only was Ford the highest-paid city official, he is also receiving a $384,000 severance check along with three months of $3,000/month family healthcare coverage. On top of that, he will also be cashing in $67,000 worth of deferred compensation and unclaimed bonuses.

Source: SF Examiner

Plaintiff Magazine: Bike Law 101 by Shaana Rahman

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:17:00 +0000

As those of you who follow us on Facebook may know, our very own Shaana Rahman recently wrote an article for Plaintiff Magazine in which she outlines 4 key tips to bike law and to representing cyclists.

As explained in the article, the attention directed on cyclist-motorist collisions--and the laws concerning them--is a direct result of the rise in urban cycling.

While I highly recommend reading the article itself, here is a brief summary of the 4 tips Ms. Rahman offers:

Remember that the California Vehicle Code applies to cyclists: "It is important to ascertain whether or not your cyclist was in a riding position that comports with the Vehicle Code."
Get to know what type of cyclist your client is: "The best client will be someone who is an experienced rider, riding a bicycle that has all the requisite safety equipment, meeting the requirements of Vehicle Code sections 21201 and 21201.5 and who is wearing bright, reflective clothing (including a helmet) to maximize their visibility."
Evaluate differently each of the 5 most common car-versus-bike collisions: "1) A vehicle making a right turn across the cyclist's lane of travel; 2) A vehicle executing a left turn at an uncontrolled (or non-dedicated left turn) intersection; 3) Dooring; 4) The failure of the cyclist or motorist to stop at a red light or stop sign, and 5) A vehicle or cyclist passing on the right."
Identify the other causes of the collision, including defective roadway collisions: "If you can identify a dangerous roadway condition, you will need to pursue a claim against any public entity that owned, possessed or maintained the roadway. If the public entity retained a private contractor to perform the road work which gave rise to the defect, the contractor will also be a defendant."

If you are a regular reader of our blog or Facebook, or even if you have just been in the city streets, you are probably more than aware of how important bike law and safety is becoming. These tips, particularly the 4th, are critically important to follow when defending your client, not only to aid the individual, but to prevent future accidents from occurring by improving the condition in which our cyclists are riding.

Make it your mission to protect and speak up for these cyclists if you want to see some real change to our city.

Folding Bikes on Muni

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Muni has recently decided to allow folding bikes aboard all buses and streetcars, excluding the historic cable cars.

Bike advocates including Bert Hill, chairman of the SF Bicycle Advisory Committee, have been lobbying for all bikes to be allowed onto Muni buses. Nevertheless, Hill and others see this as a step in the right direction. Spokesman Paul Rose of the MTA believes this policy will promote the city's transit-first policy which, according to the Chronicle, "aims to get people out of their cars to cut down on air pollution and traffic congestion."

However, Rose also warns that officials need to keep an eye on how this change will affect commuters. Because while Hill and other bike advocates have responded positively to this announcement, many comments on this article--by mostly non-biking commuters--are not nearly as welcoming. The topics of criticisms range from demanding bikers pay extra to complaining that bikes will overcrowd already overcrowded buses. Such comments included:

JuniperoSerra: Bad idea! Who wants to get dirt from their tires or grease from the bike's chain on their clothes when these folks take their folding bikes onto a crowed [sic] bus or streetcar.

ender_of_sf: Things are bad enough on our too often overcrowded busses [sic] as it is, espeically [sic] during commute hours. Why do bike riders think the public transit should haul their vehicals [sic] around at no extra charge when they don't feel like riding them.

sfnative650: So now some guy rides his bike up to the bus and everybody has to wait for him to fold up his bike? And then they get to trip over it trying to get in or out the bus? Looks like lawsuits here...Aren't bikes to be ridden and not ride on a bus? How about the bus tow a trailer behind it so you can store your car and ride the bus?

qframer: I'm a folding bike rider. I love them. I am a member of bicycle advocacy groups, and I want transit options for bikes.

But this is INSANITY. There is no way I can fit comfortably in any Muni vehicle with my folding bike unless it is nearly empty. I can't believe both Muni and Bicycle Coalition people put this much effort into something that will only build resentment toward cyclists.

What are your thoughts?

Muni Overtime Budget Exceeds Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 13 May 2011 19:32:00 +0000

Muni's budget for overtime this year was $30.8 million out of a total budget of $775 million. Now overtime has gone up $18 million to $48.3 million. Why?

A normal day for Muni requires 1,491 operators to run all services. And also on any normal day, they are short 300 of those required operators (which might explain why your bus never seems to be coming). Muni officials say that if they were to decrease the budget for overtime, buses would have to run less frequently, angering more passengers.

However, passengers are already angry. Comments in Chronicle article say things like, "The riding public will not miss the runs as it'll just be normal riding Muni" and "Is anyone working for this agency competent? Problems with drivers are well known, but it's pretty clear that management (especially the absentee Nat Ford) are a pack of idiots as well."

And the criticisms aren't just coming from the public, but from city officials as well. Board President David Chiu is accusing Muni officials for not taking their budget mishaps seriously, saying, "The years of promises remind me of Groundhog Day. Management is far better at providing excuses than delivering results."

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/cityinsider/detail?entry_id=88891

Speed Limit for Bikers on the Golden Gate Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:37:00 +0000

The Plan

In the past couple of weeks, there has been a lot of talk about how officials with the Golden Gate Bridge District are planning on imposing a biking speed limit of 10 mph on the regular path and to 5 mph near the towers. Highway patrol will be using radar guns to monitor passing cyclists' speed. Violators will be fined $100.

GGB spokeswoman Mary Currie told the Chronicle that this plan is to prevent bike and pedestrian accidents that are, according to GGB officials, commonplace on the bridge. A study showed that in the past ten years, there has been a total of 164 accidents, 39% of which involved excessive speeding. The solo bike crash happened 5 times more often than collisions between bikes and pedestrians.

The GGB's Board of Directors will vote on the approval of this new project on May 13th. If it's approved, the limit would most likely be in effect by the end of the summer.

Cyclists' Criticisms

So far, the response has been generally negative. Hunter Ziesing of local cycling group ZTeam calls the plan a "smart" idea, but thinks the fine is too high and the speed too slow.

However, most others are not so agreeable. In contrast to the safety concerns raised by the GGB officials, many cyclists are arguing that this speed limit is unwarranted and unnecessary. In another article by the Chronicle, recreational cyclist P.J. Gallagher, who often bikes the Golden Gate, calls this plan "a joke" because "it's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist."

Other cyclists have raised the complaint that it will be difficult for them to know what speed they're travelling because most bikes are not equipped with speedometers. According to the study, the current average speed of cyclists on the bridge is 13-17 mph.

And even more have complained about the singling out of bicyclists when tourists are "the real problem" because, according to daily-commuter Lew Ketcher, "There are people coming right at you with a camera in one hand, looking out at the water. There are people stopping right in the middle of the path to take a picture."

It's too bad that, with money as the concern, tourists and unnecessary fines are the city's best friends.

"HowFuckedIsMuni.Com"

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:58:00 +0000

When you’re standing at a bus stop for far too long and you have no idea whether the bus passed by earlier than schedule or if it’s just extremely late, would you say that ignorance is bliss or just really, really annoying?

Well, considering the popularity of NextBus.com—the handy site that tracks your buses and their estimated time of arrival to all stops—I’d bet you’re more likely to be standing at that bus shelter with a frown on your face than a smile. If you haven’t checked out NextBus, I would recommend giving it a try so you never again have to stand in the cold, wracked with will it/won’t it questions. And instead, you’ll know exactly when the bus is coming in real-time and plan accordingly.

How Fucked Is Muni? is a site inspired by Is the L Train Fucked? which tells New Yorkers if the L Train is late enough for them to splurge on a cab ride home. HFIM combines the L Train model with NextBus.com real-time technology to tell you how delayed your ride is. So instead of waiting impatiently for your late bus, now you can know exactly how fucked you are because of Muni.

Bike Boxes: Good Idea?

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:31:00 +0000

In light of the new Market Street bike boxes, the SFMTA has provided a handy infographic on how to safely use them:

In their press release, the SFMTA said that bike boxes are "designed to improve the visibility and positioning of bicyclists at intersections with traffic signals and to prioritize bicycles as they move through intersections. Bicyclists stopped in a bike box are easily seen by motorists, improving safety at intersections. Bike boxes provide a separated waiting area for bicyclists and can increase pedestrian safety by improving visibility and decreasing both motorist and bicycle encroachment into crosswalks."

Also included in the press release was additional guidelines to using these bike boxes. Whether you bike, walk, or drive, it's very important to know these rules.

What Motorists Should Know
When the traffic signal is red, motorists must stop behind the white stop line behind the green bike box. Motorists should not stop on top of the bike box, but rather keep it clear for cyclists to use. Right turns on a red signal will not be allowed at these intersections.

When the light turns green, motorists and cyclists may move through the intersection as usual, with cyclists going first. Motorists turning right on green should signal and watch for cyclists to the right.

What Bicyclists Should Know
When a traffic signal is red, bicyclists must enter the bike box from the approaching bike lane and stop before the crosswalk.

When the light is green, bicyclists should proceed as normal through the intersection. Bicyclists should be aware of right-turning motorists, especially while in the crosswalk and the intersection.

What are your thoughts on these bike boxes? Do they seem more helpful than potentially harmful?

The People Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:26:00 +0000

In preparation for the 2013 America's Cup yacht race taking place on our city's waterfront, Mayor Ed Lee is working towards improving Embarcadero's pedestrian, bike, and transit congestion.

The People Plan lays out the possible changes city officials can make. According to SF Streetsblog, these changes include:

Extending the F-line to Fort Mason
Implementing a bike share program with safe parking systems
New wayfinding signs on biking and walking routes
Prioritizing Bike Plan projects and adding more bike lanes

These changes can really make a big difference to the waterfront, not just for the event, but permanently. If there are any changes you want to see, this is the time to suggest them. And hopefully, after the tourists have all gone home, they'll leave behind a more commuter-friendly Embarcadero.

MTA Calls Slow Street Safety Improvement "Paralysis by Analysis"

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:07:00 +0000

The Confusion

A meeting at City Hall on Tuesday discussed the climbing political pressure to bring about a quick fix to pedestrian danger. The problem has long been established and addressed, so what's taking so long to solve it?

Well, according to MTA's Board of Supervisors David Chiu, "We are experiencing a little bit of paralysis by analysis." With so many different agencies conducting studies and presenting plans and statistics, Chiu claims that it is the bureaucracy that is preventing any real action.

Deputy Director of Planning for the SFCTA (San Francisco County Transportation Authority) Tilly Chang calls this problem a problem of "fragmented responsibility." And it is unsurprising that responsibility is so difficult to delegate because, in the SFCTA's "Update on Citywide Pedestrian Safety Efforts", the Authority is listed as "one of 12 agencies currently participating in the City's newly-established Pedestrian Safety Task Force." Despite the confusion, Chang says that the responsibility falls mostly on the MTA because they are "arguably" the lead agency on pedestrian safety.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Stampe of Walk SF doesn't think it's that simple, saying, "In some ways having the MTA be the agency where it's centered makes sense, but in some ways the work that the other agencies are doing gets translated into real action on the streets faster and in a way that satisfies people more."

But while everyone is trying to figure out who's running the show, reps from all agencies agree that immediate action needs to be taken--if not because it's been long overdue, then because the political pressure is getting to be too much.

A Few Results

From the meeting's confusion arose a few key ideas for improvement:

Data integration.
Better enforcement efforts by the SFPD.
Reducing the speed of automobiles. According to Rajiv Bhatia of the SF Department of Public Health, "We've calculated that serious injuries could be reduced by over 50 percent from a 5 mile an hour reduction in the travelling speed." However, he also noted that traffic laws might impede the realization of the plan. And I think it's safe to say that we don't need anything else impeding real action.

Source: http://sf.streetsblog.org/2011/03/22/san-francisco-pedestrian-safety-efforts-mired-in-city-bureaucracy/

Nathaniel Ford: Soon to be jobless?

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0000

Last we heard of him, Nat Ford was on his way to being the new head of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. But, according to theWashington Post, late Wednesday, Ford received a message from DC informing him that they've "reopened the search" for potential candidates.

And should they deny him the position, it is not guaranteed that Ford will continue as the director of the SFMTA. In fact, many board members are now questioning his loyalty and dedication to the SFMTA.

According to SF Streetsblog, Supervisor Scott Wiener said, "I like and respect Nat Ford but it's also very important that we have an executive director of the MTA who is completely focused on the agency, and who wants the job. And it seems like Mr. Ford is looking elsewhere and we need a complete focus on MTA."

Chairman Ross Mirkarimi also pointed out that the pay history of directors has risen because they "are always looking for the next best thing." He said that this system is a "self-perpetuating cycle [created] by the transit directors themselves and by the industry that supports the rotation of these transit directors so that they keep earning more money each time they relocate, and there is no end in sight. The theory behind this is, in order to get someone that's competitive and comparable to the industry standard, we have to spend $50,000 more each time we get a new director. Pretty soon we're gonna be at $400,000 for a new director. I find that absurd."

It seems that members of the SFMTA board itself are fed up with their directors' preoccupation with their wallets rather than our transit system. If Nathaniel Ford is booted from the SFMTA, let's hope that his replacement won't just be another addition to this self-perpetuating cycle.

New Chief of the SFMTA?

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:59:00 +0000

A month from now, Nathaniel Ford will be finding out whether or not he has been offered the spot as the new president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Should he get the job, the city will have 60 days to find his replacement.

According to the SF Chronicle, the top candidates for replacing him as the future chief of the SFMTA (and future earner of the highest salary on the city payroll) are:

Edward Reiskin - Director of the SF Public Works Department who "has no direct transportation background but a deep well of management experience is well liked by supervisors and the mayor."
Carter Rohan - Deputy Executive Director for the Municipal Transportation Agency and and former Capital Projects Director, described as a "a veteran transportation executive."
Stuart Sunshine - Currently working for a "private-sector construction management and engineering firm" and "held several senior positions in city government, including the top job at Muni on an interim basis."
Debra Johnson - Director of Administration at the MTA who is "leading contract negotiations with Muni operators."

The SF Chronicle article also goes on to list the several, multi-faceted problems the new chief would face in this time of transition and scrutiny for the SFMTA. To read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/06/BA7T1I4CJO.DTL

Who do you think would be the best chief? What qualifications and experience should we expect from them?

Bike-Friendly Candidate for Mayor

noreply@blogger.com (Rahman Law PC) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:28:00 +0000

On Monday, President of SF's Board of Supervisors David Chiu announced his candidacy for mayor. Running on a platform of improving "sustainable transportation", Chiu declared on the steps of City Hall: "We're the city that invented the cable car, but while we call ourselves a Transit-First city, we are sick of gridlock, we are sick of potholes and we're sick of Muni."

Chiu is presenting himself as the "candidate for mayor who doesn't own a car, who gets to City Hall either on the number 49 or on [his] bicycle" and as the candidate who firmly believes that "we can do better" when it comes to public transportation and protecting pedestrians and cyclists on the streets.

We'll be sure to keep an eye for what he's got planned!

Source: http://sf.streetsblog.org/2011/02/28/bicyclist-supes-prez-david-chiu-announces-bid-for-san-francisco-mayor/#more-263793