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Updated
June 21, 2007

 

The Hearst Times Union has a Monday morning feature called Getting There, where readers are allowed to submit questions relating to roadways and traffic in the region. The first question this past Monday was from my old friend John Morse, formerly living in Albany but now residing in Delmar. John does not drive and has never owned a car. I've often seen him on his bike in the coldest weather, although he does ride the public transit quite a bit.

John asks what sounds like a bizarre question, but it turns out that he is aware of traffic signaling technology that appears to be designed to encourage bicyclists to break the law . . . laws that are designed to facilitate motorized traffic and discourage pedestrians and bicyclists. After all, note Diva de Loayza was held responsible for getting killed by a minivan driver because she proceeded through a red light. But how could she have reasonably avoided doing so?

Options Available To Cyclists Invisible to Metal Detectors

First published: Monday, June 11, 2007

Q: I do not drive, so I ride my bicycle for most local travel. Sometimes, I encounter very long waits at certain traffic signals, including one in Albany at Academy Road and Hackett Boulevard -- especially at night.

I wonder if these streets have pavement sensors that don't detect bicycles. I either must wait for an indefinite time at a red light until a motor vehicle approaches on the same street, thus activating the detector, I suppose, or violate the law by "running" the red light after a few minutes.

-- John Morse, Delmar

Did you know that? I didn't know that. This technology is designed for the sterile godless suburbs where no human being dares emerge from a motorized vehicle except to enter a mall or watch TV. Clearly this traffic device does not belong in an urban setting.

The Getting There Answer Person always tries to give positive answers or solve the questioner's problems. But this time, all he/she can do is confirm that this discriminatory technology does indeed exist:

A: All signals owned and operated by the state Department of Transportation have vehicle detectors on approaches to the intersection, DOT tells us. It's a mixed bag for signals owned and operated by local municipalities, but it seems likely that the one you mentioned is equipped with sensors.

This problem is much like a complaint we hear sometimes from motorcyclists. Loop detectors embedded in the pavement are triggered by the magnetic disturbance that occurs when a large metal object passes overhead. Since most bicycle frames have very little ferrous metal (the kind with lots of iron), they usually don't have the magnetic oomph to trigger the signal.

As you probably know, bicyclists are subject to almost all of the same rules and regulations imposed on drivers under state Vehicle & Traffic Law. So, to enter the intersection legally, you really should either wait for the signal to turn green or go right on red.

State DOT spokesman Peter Van Keuren pointed out one option we hadn't thought of, though.

If there is a pedestrian button at the intersection, consider pressing that button, which should trigger the signal and allow you to legally enter the intersection. This would be especially helpful late at night, when your chances of getting an assist from an automobile are slimmer.

Did Peter Van Keuren really say that? I would hazard a good guess that the DOT spokesman does not ride his bike in urban traffic. If he did, he would know that is a silly suggestion. Anything that makes a bicyclist dismount unnecessarily and climb onto the sidewalk is an unreasonable burden placed upon the bicyclist.

Installing this kind of technology in a city like Albany is a deliberate attempt to discourage pedestrians and bicycling. Forcing non-motorized and human traffic to obey motorized rules encourages injury and death. Surely Mr. Van Keuren's employers are aware of that much.

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