Follow up to quesiton on moped parking

[fumblerette1.livejournal.com]

The entry I posted last week about issues of where to park my moped finally got some answers. Sort of. see this article in the globe.

Comments

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

I found it intriguing that mopeds and bicycles are not supposed to cut to the front of a row of cars at a stop light by driving between them and they can get fined $25. Hell, I'd fall over dead from shock if I ever saw a cop yanking a bicyclist over and fining them for anything.

[kjc.livejournal.com]

My boyfriend saw cops in Harvard Square pulling over bicyclists and ticketing them for lane splitting, going through red lights, and cutting off cars. This is recent, and just outside the Eternal Construction Zone.

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

GOOD!! The way some bicyclists ride they are going to get themselves killed going through busy red lights in the area.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

agreed!

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Cambridge does this once or twice a year.

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

Lanesplitting's just illegal, regardless of whether it's at a light. I've seen (like kjc mentions) officers stopping cyclists in Harvard, but that's about it.

[tober.livejournal.com]

...although, that said, there is one type of "lanesplitting" that is explicitly legal in Massachusetts. Two (but not more than two) motorcycles may ride abreast if it is safe to do so and both are fully within the same lane (it is never legal to ride directly upon the painted dividing line between two lanes). I think it may be legal for two bicycles to ride abreast if not obstructing traffic however I am not certain about that (I am certain about two motorcycles riding abreast in one lane being legal).

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Man, I was just reading about this and now I'm fuzzy on the details...

I believe in *most* states it is explicitly legal for bicyclists to ride two abreast when not obstructing other traffic; however, this is *not* the case in MA, where the law states single-file. I have never seen this enforced; then again, I've only ridden double out in the countryside where there's no other traffic, much less cop cars.

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

I've seen cyclists getting pulled over in Kendall Square for all number of things.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I saw some bicycle cops ticketing cyclists for running a red light in Cambridge.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Wow. Compare and contrast with last week on Boylston St. Some chick on the bike was riding the wrong way up one of the middle lanes and I almost slammed into her in my truck and she had the nerve to give me the finger. The kicker was, there was a cop only about 30' away, and I don't see how he couldn't have not noticed the sounds of brakes locking up and skidding. But did he do anything? No.

I'm too used to european biking.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

I've heard that from others, but that law rather annoys me. Cars can/do pass bikes while we're in the same lane as they are, so if we're all the way on the right and they've stopped for the light, why can't we pass them to get up to the line?
And what does "between the rows of cars" really mean? Like, in between the right and left lanes (which is obviously stupid), or the right lane and the edge of the road? If there's a labeled bike lane, does that law then not apply?
argh stupid laws

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[fumblerette1.livejournal.com]

In my interview with the guy who wrote the article, I learned about this. He said that obviously not between two lanes of moving cars. You are also not supposed to ride up the side of a (non-bike) lane where there are parked cars on the side of the ride. So you can pass on the right if there is a bike lane, or if there are no parked cars on the side.

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

What about in places like Mass Ave in Cambridge where they make the so-called bike lane also the parking lane?

Thanks for responding though, it does make things a little more clear :)

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

while getting pulled over on my bike today for running a red light in cambridge (ah well--just got a warning) i asked about this rule, and the police officers both seemed a bit confused about it, and said that yes, we can always pull up (on the right) to a red light.

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

This is where the law- to me- is kind of murky. Basically, the law's intended to stop bikers (and motorcyclists are really guilty of this one) from riding between 2 lanes of traffic and cutting to the head of a line of traffic.

When it comes to biking, Boston's pretty lame. I've got a good friend in Amsterdam and when I visit, we split our travel pretty evenly between taking the tram or taking the bikes. The system there is awesome- dedicated bike lanes with their own traffic signals and a very clearly-defined set of rules. Stay to the right, pass on the left, use your bell when passing, lights on at night, no riding on the sidewalk.

Not to say you can't bike in Boston, but there's no respect by either bikers or motorists for the rules and it's pretty damn dangerous. I can't tell you how many times I've seen bikers blow through red lights and then flip off drivers who have the green light for almost hitting them. Likewise, I've seen a lot of bikers have to swerve into traffic to keep from getting doored.

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

yeah, i love the dutch for their detailed bike system. germany is pretty good too.
i miss it.

i bike here all the time, and while i do break certain laws, i am very aware of the fact that i am and very careful about it.
meh, maybe in 20 years things will be great for bikers here in the US.

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

If I had a little better setup for my bike (I have these horrible knobby trail tires that make peddling a bitch) I might bike some more, but that, coupled with the insanity of the drivers out there, makes me a bit trepaditious. (sp?) And having been spoiled by the Netherlands, it makes me even more wary.

Hate to discourage you, but 35 years ago my Dad used to ride his bike and he always hoped things would get better but they never have.

Re: I'm too used to european biking.

[annalauwa.livejournal.com]

:(
i only hope because people are already changing their habits with the gas prices and such...

[libberding.livejournal.com]

ZOMG it's my roommate! Should we post the Globe article on the neighbor lady's door and stuff? Lol...

[nungnung.livejournal.com]

You guys should decoupage the article directly ON the scooter... ;)

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

What's interesting to me is that while T&P may not ticket/tow mopeds on sidewalks, that fails to change the law as written: that you can't park *any* vehicle on a sidewalk - which should include mopeds.

What I wonder is whether this may become an issue of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing; that is whether some other agency within Somerville who has the authority to do so (say, the Police) starts issuing citations/summons/confiscating offending mopeds, or whatever.

There's also the converse situation - where the city does nothing, but some moped owners (as we can see on any given day if you walk enough) fail to park their mopeds in a way that permits others to use the sidewalks, which is a particularly important issue for folks in wheelchairs.

Ultimately, it seems to me that if the option is available, parking a moped somewhere else entirely is really the desired outcome, though for most folks, the option simply doesn't exist.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

Is there some sort of requirement that any article that mentions bicycles or scooters include this ridiculous sequence of statements:

"Police say that moped owners routinely break driving laws such as speeding..., passing illegally and not wearing appropriate helmets... And as for safety training, it's virtually nonexistent."

Wait. There's speeding, illegal passings, and general unsafe vehicle operation going on in my community? I am SHOCKED, I tell you! Outside of the mention of helmets vs. seat belts, couldn't this be in any article that mentions a car?

[nonnihil.livejournal.com]

The lanesplitting, too -- most of Mass Ave. in Arlington is striped for one lane each way, but you would never even guess that from traffic, and you'd be killed if you tried to obey it.

[fumblerette1.livejournal.com]

I agree. Not that I am trying to say woohoo let's all go break the law just because, but I do find it somewhat ironic that people seem to be so concerned about speeding or breaking the law on a moped when both cars and cyclists do it all the time.

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

Anyone know what (if any) streets/roads mopeds/scooters are excluded from? For example- can they go on Storrow Drive?

They look cute & fun but I wonder where you can store it over the winter.

[tober.livejournal.com]

It is my understanding (IANAL, TINLA etc) that a motorized bicycle/moped/scooter is legal to operate exactly everywhere a bicycle is legal to operate, which is on all public ways except for divided limited access highways that are explicitly marked as prohibiting bicycles. So... yes, you can ride a moped or a bicycle on Storrow Drive although there was a time when the MDC claimed that you could not (despite that Storrow Drive is not even a limited access highway). My understanding is that the DCR and State Police make no such claim today.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

One, at least, MAY ride a bicycle on Storrow Drive ;). I am not sure how many people CAN.

(I did once, when I was lost and oh damn that's Storrow Drive! I would prefer not to do that again.)

(On the other hand, I think I will find myself regularly biking a small chunk of Mem Drive this year because, astonishingly, it turns out to be the easiest way to navigate that particular intersection. I don't recommend it, though.)

[fumblerette1.livejournal.com]

mopeds can be driven on any road a bicycle can go on, with the exception of bike paths. So yes they can go down storrow and memorial drive, but not say, 93.

Mod Note

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Could you please add a descriptive subject line to this entry, as well as perhaps some text so that folks can know what it's about without following the links?

Thanks.

One thing not mentioned in the article

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

One thing not mentioned in the Globe article that moped owners should be aware of: If you are driving a moped and are involved in an accident with a car, motorcycle, bicyclist, pedestrian, etc and you don't have insurance and are found at fault, you could be on the hook for major $$.