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Anonymous

So, you would spend scarce civic resources clogging up the already crowded court and prison systems with drivers whose only “crime” was not seeing a bicyclist who was in their blind spot when they went to make a right turn. That’s not justice, that’s revenge. Bad things happen. People die. But that doesn’t necessarily make it a crime.

May 24, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Nathanael

I’m glad to see that someone noticed that the only real part of “BRT” is BUS LANES. BRT is silly — bus lanes are really valuable.

May 24, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
Anonymous

The victim was a friend of my children. We are all just devastated at his loss. What a horrible, horrible tragedy. To have been taken away so horrifically is the hardest part. He was a really GOOD, decent young man. He was still just a kid. Something MUST be done with regard to safer streets and ways to avoid this kind of travesty in the future. Still in shock… and I haven’t even broken this awful news to my daughter yet. She adored him. May God bless his family. RIP “D”

May 24, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
biking in SF

We don’t know the facts yet, but pointing out the cyclist was not wearing a helmet is implying that it’s their fault they died. Same thing when saying a pedestrian was not in a xwalk when they were hit. More often than not, it’s not the cause of the crash or the death, just a convenient and subtle way to blame the victim.

Something needs to be done to educate drivers turning right and cyclists going straight as it seems very few people know what to do. Given the law in CA: Drivers, signal your turn, move as far to the right (into the bike lane if there is one) prior to the turn when it is clear, then continue to the intersection and turn when it is safe. Cyclists, do not pass motorists on the right if they are turning right. Either wait or pass on the left.

Other thoughts/considerations:
1) A helmet would have made no difference here, most likely.
2) It’s not against the law to ride without a helmet, nor an indication of how responsible the person is. Some of the safest and best riders I know do not wear a helmet to ride their bike on an errand around town.
3) Jaywalking is only illegal when there is a signal at the two intersections on each end of the block. Otherwise, one does not need to cross in a crosswalk.
4) Sometimes crosswalks at intersections are not marked. That doesn’t mean the person crossed outside a crosswalk. I’ve heard too many reporters and cops not understand that.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Ramona Wheelright

uh p chazz, the driver should be punished because he killed someone. while he may or may not be at fault, why do you assume that he is not? Drivers, especially commercial drivers with routes in dense urban areas should be expected to be extra cautious and not kill people. another commercial driver killed another cyclist, Diana Sullivan, in february this year while making a right hand turn. In 2011, Nancy Ho was killed while cycling when a commercial driver struck her making a left turn. Derek Allen was killed riding his bike in 2010 by a Muni driver. As a cyclist, every time I see a commercial vehicle, I think about these deaths and I make sure I am not going to get killed. Instead of me, the vulnerable user of the road, the vehicle operator should be the one that is thinking every time he/she makes a right turn that he better make sure he is not about to kill someone. Every driver should be aware that they have the potential kill and the law should protect pedestrians and cyclists by making drivers accountable for their actions. As things are now, we will probably never again hear about the driver that killed someone with his truck today, nor the others who kill and injure people with their vehicles every day. That has to change if we want to have safe streets.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Mark Dreger

I think there’s something to using bicycle signals with a few seconds lead time. There’s now one in action on Oak St @ Broderick (you may have noticed).

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Filamino

Mixing zones are still the way to go for most intersections. I cannot see an extra cycle for bike turns added to the signal cycle being efficient. Maybe a bike leading interval like a pedestrian leading intervals used at many intersections around the city would be a better idea.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Filamino

I agree. It’s called defensive cycling (just like defensive driving and defensive walking). Be aware of your surroundings to avoid a collision in the first place. Trucks have large blind spots and drivers may not see you on a bike, so slow down and decide who goes first.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
murphstahoe

While the driver may not be at fault – “not seeing a cyclist” is not a valid defense. It’s a defense that appears to work, but it’s not valid.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

Why should the driver be punished? Based on the facts in the story, it’s unlikely he even saw the cyclist, so distraction or road rage would not apply.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

Bikes are WAY more maneuverable than cars.

And from the report I read, the truck was abreast with the cyclist, not in front. With most right-hooks, the auto will pass from behind only to turn right across a cyclist’s path. There’s not a whole lot the cyclist can do to prevent it except take the lane (or have lightning-quick reflexes and good brakes).

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

“…any vehicle that I know would equate to instant death.”

In other words, any motor vehicle.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
DJ

It’s sad to hear a top transportation aide refer to BRT as “lipstick on a pig.” I’d like to think our leaders would be more educated in the first place…

May 23, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
mikesonn

That’s good news but still doesn’t address fundamental lack of action once they get back to the city.

May 23, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
Anonymous

Then you should know that every other time there is a giants baseball game, the trains are filled by the time they reach Palo Alto and no further stops are permitted until SF is reached. And when (as happens every other day) there are delays, the trains that get cut are the commuter trains, not the ballgame trains. Already 3 times this season, Caltrain has simply decided halfway through the trip to skip stops and cater to Giants boozers.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Aaron Bialick

Well, the trip was paid by ITDP.

May 23, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
MrEricSir

I hope they also rode the Mexico City Metro while they were there. It costs about a quarter for a ticket, and trains come every ~90 seconds.

May 23, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
Ramona Wheelright

cars kill and drivers should be expected to take extra caution so that they don’t kill with their motor vehicles. we should also expect that cyclists yield to pedestrians, whom they can kill or injure in a collision. vulnerable users of the road need to be PROTECTED, by holding motorists accountable for their actions (distraction, road rage, etc.) behind the wheel. I will be surprised if anything serious happens to this driver as a result of killing someone with his truck and that is exactly what needs to change.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
mikesonn

So just like David Chiu’s trip to Copenhagen, these lessons can too be ignored. SPEND ALL THE MONEY!

May 23, 2013
in response to SF Officials, Advocates Take a Ride on BRT and Bike-Share in Mexico City
Anonymous

With muni chronically and structurally underfunded it is understandable that supervisor wiener and many readers would support any and all fees and surcharges to add to muni funds. That said, event surcharges is a bad idea, one born from fiscal desperation, not fiscal planning. At 7 billion dollars total annual budget, nearly 30,000 generally well compensated city employees, and hundreds or more non-profit contract employees in social and health service delivery, San Francisco spends a great deal of money. But we don’t prioritize transit funding. We don’t evaluate how to divvy up that 7 billion a bit differently and eliminate duplication in some areas (homeless services comes to mind) and add more to muni or schools or other key investments in people and the city’s future. Instead of layering on yet another tax on beneficial activities like attending an event at a downtown arena near transit, we should be insisting a different distribution of current municipal resources. Any new taxes and fees should past a prudence test and be assessed on practices or product consumption of things of more ambiguous value – alcohol, solo driving, foods with little nutritional value, etc. In other words, let’s be more mature as citizens and demand more fiscal accountability from our city government.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Everett Chan

I really wish more cyclists would have the common sense you do!

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Everett Chan

EVERYDAY I see cyclists ride straight through an intersection EXPECTING a motorist making a right to stop and look. BE SMART! You’re not going to outmaneuver a car and while you’re both moving, the guy ahead (whether bike or car) has the right of way and you need to slow down and let them go first. Thinking that you’ve got the right of way all the time = accident waiting to happen.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

This is tragic, just like every other time it happens. These deaths are about as predictable as clockwork, and act as constant reminders that we are light years away from safe-enough streets.

That’s the last I’ll say about that. It’s nice to have a forum like Streetsblog where we can mourn these tragedies without having to engage in constant political battles at the same time. I am sorry for the deceased and his/her family.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

wish i could upvote this more than once…

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Anonymous

Further, Garbage Truck vs. Helmet.. C’m-thefuck-on! Only someone completely insensitive, ignorant, and car-cultured would make helmet status the issue here

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Aaron Bialick

In that same vein, why would a reporter put out a tweet focused exclusively on the victim’s not wearing a helmet without even apparent evidence that he suffered a head injury? Meanwhile, no call for people to drive multi-ton trucks safely to avoid killing and maiming others?

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
michael o.

This area where the accident happened is quite dangerous. As a daily BART commuter that has to walk across said intersection, I often have to keep an eye out for cars trying to bet yellow lights and ones that make turns against the light when pedestrians are crossing. I’m surprised that this is not a red light camera zone – that would likely deter motorists from careless and rushed driving habits. Also, bicyclists have to be just as cautious in yielding to automobiles.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Joel

Protected, center lanes with no left turns would make the most sense. That’s what the SFBC proposed for Valencia in their CTC plan a few years ago. I’m not sure why so much time and energy is being poured into Polk when the low hanging fruit hasn’t been picked yet – fix Valencia!

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Allen Schlung

I try to avoid riding around buses, taxis, dump trucks, or garbage trucks….any vehicle that I know would equate to instant death.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Mark Dreger

I wasn’t able to make it out to the meeting, but the proposed revamp for Sloat & Forest View (linked above) looks promising. As it stands, there are no signal-controlled crossing points on Sloat for almost a mile between 34th Ave (at the Lakeshore Plaza shopping center) and 19th Ave. The new push-activated crossing signal will help, but we need additional controlled crosswalks and a perhaps a series of traffic signals to keep speeds down.

The upgrades from a year ago were nice, but what this road really needs is a full redesign – as it stands, it’s a ground-level highway cutting neighborhoods in half.

May 23, 2013
in response to Ped Safety Fixes on Sloat, Where Girl Was Killed, Moved Up to This June
eltejano

Why would a reporter “call for safer streets”? She’s reporting the story not writing an editorial. Also she didn’t “talk about the extra care that truck drivers must take to not run people over when making right turns” but she didn’t talk about but she didn’t write about taking the lane either as Mark D commented. Either way, sad story

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Todd Edelman

To be clear, not just “separated bike lanes”, but separated turning cycles in key intersections. NOT “mixing zones”! (The only difference between this and the new mixing zones is a bit of paint in the latter to tell you they are “safe”, or better than nothing.)

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Mark Dreger

Riding in mixed traffic often involves unfortunate trade-offs: you either confidently take the lane and risk irritating drivers behind you, or you stay to the right and risk doorings and right-hook collisions like this one.

RIP <3

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
bicicletera

So sad for the victim. So disgusted at the response and at a general culture that encourages drivers to be aloof and oblivious.

May 23, 2013
in response to Man on Bike Killed by Garbage Truck Driver at 16th and South Van Ness
Karen Lynn Allen

Sfgate comments are known to destroy brain cells. Read at your own risk.

May 23, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
Ben Gordon

It seems that either the posters to this have been paid to post in favor of this abomination or they are abysmally ignorant of what it is to be disabled in San Francisco!

May 23, 2013
in response to Advocates for the Disabled Say Free Parking for Placard Holders Must End
bicicletera

Victim blaming instead of pointing to the fact that the driver did not follow basic rules of the road. First SIGNAL and MERGE into the right lane and THEN make the turn, that way you won’t have bike to your right to begin with.

May 23, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
Now I Feel Bad

I shouldn’t have read the comments on the sfgate.com article.

May 23, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
mikesonn

Cyclist killed by garbage truck driver this morning at 16th & South Van Ness.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Cyclist-dies-in-SF-garbage-truck-crash-4542548.php

May 23, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
david vartanoff

RIGHT ON !!! Surcharging the event w/ the tix as fare for the trip to/from is brilliant. I suggested this plan to an MTC zeck 20 years ago.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
mikesonn

I’m on Caltrain’s Bicycle Advisory Committee.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Matt Laroche

Until recently, I was a daily Caltrain rider and am always watching Twitter for every tweet containing “caltrain”. I cannot recall a time where a train starts expressing unscheduled due to game capacity. I’ve seen it for special events, during breakdown situations, etc, but if it happens for Giants games, it happens extremely rarely.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Anonymous

Until you start riding Caltrain and know what you are talking about, why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
The Overhead Wire

This is a great idea and tickets should be used as POP so it benefits both sides.

May 23, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Sprague

Glad to see Muni is again attempting to improve its speed and reliability (in keeping with its “transit first” mantra). I hope the roll-out of this test/project is not subject to seemingly ridiculous delays.

May 22, 2013
in response to Muni to Test Double-Train Loading in Metro Stations This July
Anonymous

I love, Love, LOVE the idea of a Fan Parade down Second after every game.

May 22, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
mikesonn

That isn’t true. Express post game trains are clearly marked (for day games), otherwise the trains are pretty late (around 10pm) and only difference is the added express to San Carlos train.

But regardless, Caltrain needs to up capacity, especially at peak hours.

May 22, 2013
in response to Livable City: Ticket Fee a Smart Way to Fund Transit to Warriors Arena
Jym Dyer

The pictured shelter is the only one with these PV cells. It doesn’t put anything into the grid, it just powers the illuminated advertising.

Konarka went out of business a year ago. I guess we’ll see whether their product lasts longer than they did.

May 22, 2013
in response to Mayor Newsom and MTA Cut Ribbon on New Solar Bus Shelters
Karen Lynn Allen

Muni collects on average $.86 for every ride taken, against a cost of $2.86. (Pretty much terrible farebox recovery.) Although this includes all Muni passes, discounted riders such as youth and seniors, etc. People from out of town are way more likely to pay full fare of $2, so they are only subsidized 86 cents a ride. These stats come from Muni’s own stats on cost per ride and farebox recovery. (Of course these numbers are an average of all rides over the entire year.)

It’s true the marginal rider who crams into an already full train doesn’t cost anything extra except perhaps a small second of delay. But it’s also true Muni adds a lot of extra trains (and all their attendant driver and maintenance costs) to service ATT Park games. So shuttling people to and from the park does cost the city quite a bit. Perhaps with the increased load maybe Muni breaks even on trips to the ballpark, if a large part of their customers are full pay. I doubt, however, each trip gets as low as $1, so I still doubt $2 would cover the expense. And then you’re sacrificing the $4 the person didn’t spend on the fare on top.

Again, as the Giants develop the area and the parking lots go away, by necessity in less than five years most people (>85%) will arrive at the stadium by public transit unless the city can convince them to bike or walk. If we charge everyone attending a game an extra $2, then walkers and bicyclists are paying extra for benefits they largely don’t get.

I do buy the argument that everyone, even walkers and bicyclists, benefit when people take Muni rather than private cars, which is why I don’t mind so much of my tax dollars already going to subsidize every Muni trip taken. But I fundamentally don’t think Muni should be funded out of an entertainment tax, which is what taxing concerts and ballgames is. (Why not then tax movies? the opera? the symphony?) I think in the end Muni is going to have the bite the bullet of lowering their operating costs through stop consolidation and signal prioritization (increasing throughput), probably raising fares a bit to make their farebox recovery less abysmal, and getting adequate repair and maintenance money from the general fund. Property taxes produce a lot of moolah for this city. I think we will hear more about tearing down freeways and turning the land over to revenue producing buildings as time goes on.

In addition, while Muni takes less energy and contributes less carbon emissions than private cars (either via fuel or just the manufacture of the train cars) Muni takes substantially more energy and creates more carbon emissions than biking or walking. The last thing we want to do is turn bikers and walkers into Muni riders by making Muni a better economic deal for them.

May 22, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines
Anonymous

hmmm, maybe because MUNI has been underfunded for years and there’s only so much the Supes can do. The light rail trains cost 5.5 million each and right now there are none to spare so I’m not sure how SFMTA, the Supes, or you can bring the prices of those vehicles down.

From the article: “To put these annual amounts in context, an extra $22 million would allow Muni to buy four brand-new light rail vehicles a year or rehabilitate 18 annually. As of now, the transit agency has no spare light-rail vehicles, which explains a lot.”

May 22, 2013
in response to Today's Headlines