Boulder, CO Sets Speed Limits on Cyclists!

I'm surprised to say that the concept of imposing speed limits on cyclists is going national. I've been reading reports on this for the last few months, and it appears that yet another city is about to impose greater restrictions on cyclists!

Boulder, CO is changing up the rules for crosswalks. There will now be a speed limit of 8mph for anyone entering or traversing a crosswalk. I'm pretty sure this doesn't just apply to cyclists, so runners who are really blazing along will also need to slow down before entering a crosswalk.

In addition, before entering the crosswalk any pedestrian or biker must activate the warning device to let cars know of their intention. The new rules aren't just for pedestrians, as drivers are now prohibited from passing a car that is stopped at a crosswalk.

These are curious times. On the one hand, this seems like extra rules for little-to-no benefit, and they seem to be more about trying to force people to pay attention and do what most of us would consider to be safe practices.

But isn't that what a lot of the rules of the road are? I've talked before about setting speed limits, and that one of the main factors considered is the speed that 85% of people drive at. So the limits are set based on what your average safe driver does naturally.

If I'm riding a bike and come to a crosswalk I slow down, and most likely so do most people. Unfortunately, there are some people who get so caught up in their exercise that they ignore the rules. We've all seen them on the highway. A couple times a week I see a guy blow by me going at least 25 mph over the limit while talking on his cell phone. I've even seen girls speeding while doing their nails!

In addition to giving police a greater ability to punish offenders, these rules are designed to give cyclists more rights. Previously, they had to travel under 2.5 mph to enjoy the same rights on a crosswalk as a pedestrian. If you've ever tried to ride a bike that slowly you know that it is incredibly difficult. They essentially had to stop and walk next to their bike to have the same protection as a pedestrian. The new 8mph speed limit will force drivers to be more aware of cyclists, increasing their safety.

Enforcement of these new regulations may prove difficult. Having a cop with a police radar gun sit at crosswalks to catch speeding cyclists seems like a waste of resources. More likely there will simple be a greater police presence at the crosswalks to remind people of the new rules. A lot of people would be mad if they started getting tickets when riding their bike.

I feel that bike police should be equipped with Handheld Police Radar to catch these speeding cyclists. Then the bikers will get radar detectors and mount them next to their little bell, and a fun time will be had by all.

Especially me. Cause I'll be on my Rollerblades, and we all know there are no rules when you're bladin'. Radar guns can pick up my speed, but they also show a little note to let the cops know I shouldn't be stopped. The note says, "Too cool to go slow." And the cops understand and just give me a thumbs up.

Labels: bicycle, police radar