When Matt Tuerk talks about making Allentown bike friendly, he wasn't thinking about large group of teenage riders, often starting in the wards (1st and 6th). Matt was envisioning the middle class, west end spandex types seen in Trexler Park. In Matt's vision, they stay in those stenciled lanes, and use bike racks when stopping at Starbucks.
I've seen the real-life hordes in Allentown. They're often going the wrong way, and ignoring traffic lights and stop signs. I've seen them doing wheelies in the middle of Tilghman Street.
But the reason for this post isn't the hordes, but reaction to them. Local photographer Devin Ford posted a batch of photos on a recent ride, and they were shared on social media. He wrote...The point of these group rides is to create an outlet for inner-city kids as opposed to getting involved with guns, drugs, etc. Very fun to get out there. Good energy & a great cause. Commenters were describing these group rides as kids being kids in 2025. They were saying give them room, and allow them to stay together, even by ignoring the traffic lights.
It appears that there has to be discretion about different groups of riders at different times. It appears in the photo above that Matt is exercising that judgement.
photocredit:Devin Ford
It’s not just bikes.
ReplyDeleteLast week I was going south on 13th and (with the light still green) made a right onto Hamilton. When I did, there was a young teen girl riding a motorized scooter in the wrong direction in my lane. Luckily, there was no one coming in the eastbound passing lane on Hamilton, and I was able to swerve around her. Had I (or she) been 2 seconds earlier, she would have been crushed, as neither of us could see each other with the cars parked along Hamilton.
Similarly, the bike hordes are accidents waiting to happen. Worse yet, they are teaching the youth that they don’t need to obey basic rules of the road. That doesn’t bode well for the future, when many of those same young bikers will be instead be driving multi-ton motor vehicles. At that time, other innocents will pay dearly for the law-breaking that is condoned today.
In short, Tuerk’s acceptance of “minor” lawbreaking will end up costing lives.
“Exercising judgement” is the last phrase I’d use to describe Tuerk’s actions. “Aiding and abetting” is far more accurate.
Bicycle riders have to obey the same laws riding on the streets that motorists do.
ReplyDeleteThat also includes signaling turns and obeying one-way street signs, traffic lights and stop signs.
Mr. Moll, perhaps you could have this conversation with the Chief of Police?
DeleteI am a conservative and I don't pay him his salary. I'm just an out of town nobody also He doesn't care what I think. Only if I break traffic law or overpark in a metered space in Allentown do I matter.
DeleteWell my wallet does in actuality.
those intended west end, spandex wearing members of the middle class in Tuerk's imagination have mostly all moved to places like South Whitehall Township where the public schools are not ranked 487th out of 495 districts in PA, where the EIT is 1%, where the local government actually does provide "high quality services to residents" where you are not taxed excessively when you sell your home, where elected officials do not contemplate local taxes on your Netflix service, where the police have not quit enforcing quality of life crimes and traffic violations, where municipal managers do not make daily selfie videos of themselves, drive over-priced cars around and take junkets all over the country etc. etc. etc.. I could go on and on and on, but the truth is that Tuerk and his City Council allies will not rest until they stick it to the shrinking but still remaining members of the above population unitl they are driven out as well.
ReplyDeleteDon’t confuse the readers here with the facts.
DeleteWell, this is all interesting, however, what will transpire when a stoplight/stop sign/speeding driver comes upon the horde of cyclists doing the exact same thing??? SPLAT, me thinks... also OUCH!!! I'm so glad you can drive any way you like within the confines of Allentown, the formerly once "All American City"!!! Now a hodge-podge of "do whatever you like" drivers...
ReplyDelete