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One of the first things that comes to mind when we talk about Amsterdam is how bike friendly the city is. It is true that the city is very bike friendly. But is it pedestrian friendly?
NOTE: The featured photo above shows a cyclist trying to squeeze between two elderly cyclists and me in Rittenhouse Square (I was seated).
I visited Amsterdam recently during the Thanksgiving break. I stayed close to the De Wallen neighborhood. De Wallen is full of tourists and is very crowded. I was very surprised at the number of bicycles in that area. You cannot walk the streets, window shop or take in the canal views without bicyclists constantly passing you on both sides (and in both directions)! The streets were very noisy (constant sound of bells ringing) and the bikers for the most part were rude and impatient when it came to the pedestrians.
Adequate spaces are not available to park the bicycles so they park anywhere they can find a spot. In many places the pedestrians have to walk on the road because there is no space to walk on the sidewalk due to parked bicycles.
I am sure that most American bicyclists will not feel comfortable riding in Amsterdam. Amsterdam in addition to being a very bad city to bike is clearly also the least pedestrian friendly city in Europe. The air quality may or may not be better over the city of Amsterdam, but the streets definitely look junky and unsafe for pedestrians.
In July of 2019, a pedestrian was killed by a bicyclist in the Flatiron District of New York. This incident highlighted the growing problem presented by the bicyclists in the city of New York and other American cities. According to published reports, since 2011, 2250 pedestrians have been injured by bicyclists in New York City alone. This includes seven pedestrians who died. The City started tracking such accidents only in 2011!!
Overall, it is very difficult to find data about the number of pedestrians killed or injured by bicyclists in the United States every year. I do not know whether this is because the data is not recorded and/or published. On the other hand, there are plenty of articles and data regarding the number of “cyclists and pedestrians” injured or killed by motor vehicles.
I have always wondered why the “cyclists and pedestrians” are clubbed together in these reports. Are the cars, buses and other vehicles the only bad actors on the road? It is very clear that the bicyclists themselves are a major part of the problem. Particularly when it comes to pedestrians. In Center City Philadelphia, as a pedestrian, I am more worried about the cyclists than I am about the cars.
Mayors of American cities love to copy what their counterparts are doing in Western Europe. A bike friendly agenda is one of them. JFK Boulevard, Market Street and Chestnut Street now have bike only lanes (the one in Chestnut is a Bike + Bus lane (the government and those who can lobby them get a lane for themselves while the vast majority of the commuters have to manage with the lone remaining lane!!)) Traffic jams are common in Chestnut Street. There is a wide open late available, but nobody can use it.
A bike only lane is one of the key steps Philadelphia is taking to transform the city into a city like Amsterdam, a city that has shoved the pedestrians aside (In Amsterdam there are neighborhoods where the local communities have gotten together and blocked the streets (with bicycles) to prevent the bicyclists from using them!!).
In spite of the hype, even in cities, very few Americans commute to work in a bicycle. My office is on Market Street. Most people who work in offices along Market and JFK are from the suburbs. They take the train for the most part. The bike lanes are rarely used (after office hours, Market Street and JFK are mostly empty).
It is difficult to justify bike only lanes in these areas. It is a lame attempt by the City government to appeal to the bicyclists. The effort and money spent on segregating these lanes and policing them should be spent elsewhere.
We are always told bicycles are legal vehicles. But are they treated as one by the City? Have you ever seen a bicyclist either ticketed or cautioned by the police or the parking authorities in Philadelphia? I have not. Meanwhile, in Center City Philadelphia, it is very common to see parking tickets being issued, cars towed and moving violations issued. Clearly the bicyclists are getting preferential treatment.
Try sitting in one of the park benches in Rittenhouse Square for about 30 minutes. Count the number of bicycles that are passing you. Riding inside the park is common. I have seen bicyclists in large groups cut across the Square sometimes. Some of the bicycles that you see these days are very different than the ones from a few years ago. They are much larger, have bigger tires and are motorized. Very intimidating if you are a pedestrian.
Until a few years ago, the security inside the Rittenhouse Square park would ask the riders to get off the bike. But they have stopped enforcing this rule for some reason. The City does however continue to enforce the no riding rule in Dilworth Park (City Hall). It seams the long arm of the law is fairly short in the City of Brotherly Love!!
What is Indego?
Indego is a form of public transportation launched by the City of Philadelphia. There are “stations” in many parts of the city, where you can pick up a bicycle, drive it around and then drop off. It is a nice program that allows people like me and others who enjoy riding to ride around whenever we want, without having to own a bike.
But there is a flip side to Indego allowing the casual riders to ride the bike. Some of these riders may not be aware of the city bicycle laws. There are two stations that are close to Rittenhouse Square. Many cyclists who bike inside the park are riding the Indego bike. The Indego website has very good information about bicycling in the city. But I don’t think very many people are reading that information before renting a bike. Indego has to do more to educate the renter.
Philadelphia Biking Laws. What are the Rules of the Road?
- Do not ride on the sidewalk (you are allowed to ride on the sidewalk if you are 12 years old or younger). Riding on the sidewalk is a direct threat to pedestrians and pets. Unfortunately, this is extremely common.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic. In my opinion this is the second most violated bike law in Center City Philadelphia. It is very common to see bicyclists riding in the opposite direction on the sidewalk. It is common to see people biking on the sidewalk even when the traffic is in their direction (because it is easier and faster to scare the pedestrians and ride on the sidewalk rather than patiently ride through traffic).
- You cannot ride inside certain public parks and other pedestrian only areas. It is your duty to know where you can and cannot ride.
- Bicycles are considered as vehicles in Philadelphia. Follow traffic laws. Use the bell to signal your presence. Note to pedestrians: If you ever see a bicyclist pulled over for not following the traffic laws, make sure you take a photo. It’s rarer than the Haley’s Comet!!
- You cannot wear headphones when riding. It is rare to see a human being in Center City who is not wearing a headphone these days leave alone a biker without one.
I love bicycling. I always had a bike growing up. I am proud to say that I have bicycled in India (India is the bicycle capital of the world). If you can bicycle in India, you can bicycle anywhere. It is not a test of endurance or speed, but patience and your ability to stay balanced!!
But I love walking more and also sitting in a park and relaxing. I don’t want to constantly worry about bikers when I am doing this. It is a safety issue particularly for the children and the elderly. It also takes the fun away from walking and quietly relaxing.
The City should be encouraging people to walk and/or take the public transportation. Replacing one menace (the cars) with another menace (bicycles) is not what the city should be doing.
What do you think about pedestrian safety in Philadelphia? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you.
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