By Kyle Ramey
Our family was biking north up Mass Ave, alongside the Christian Science Publishing Academy at 210 Massachusetts Ave. An ambulance was parked in the unprotected bike lane, with no lights or engine running. We signaled with our left hands and biked into the car lane to go around, and Megan was narrowly missed by a speeding (~50 mph) electric car, passing at a distance of less than 1 foot from her left elbow. We stopped to talk to the ambulance crew, who were staring at phones in their laps, and explained that they nearly witnessed a fatality next to their vehicle because of where they decided to park, and they moved. Several more times on Mass Ave, we were forced to veer into the car lane to pass cars illegally parked in the unprotected bike lane.
OUR EXPERIENCE BIKING IN # BOSTON
The unspoken culture in downtown Boston is that if a car feels the need to park in a bike lane - personal vehicle, delivery vehicle, idle police cars and ambulances, some guy picking up Dunkins, whatever - it's theirs. There will be no repercussions for the driver. When police park in the lanes, so does everyone else. Somerville, Jamaica Plain, and Cambridge have less of this entitled car-centric energy, but it’s never gone entirely when the bike lane is just a strip of paint.
WHY WE LEFT BOSTON AFTER 8 YEARS OF ADVOCACY
Boston predates cars. Boston started as a human scale, people-centric city connected by meandering routes and ribbons of green. Those roots are still there, but the automotive dominance that other major cities have started to walk away from, Boston seems unable to shake. Mayors in New York, Paris, and Seattle have won landslide elections (and re-elections!) running on a platform of getting cars out of the heart of their city. Mayor Wu started off in that direction but has recently backed away from her earlier commitments, facing a re-election. We’ve been gone ten years, and downtown feels the same.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Louisa Gag’s death should’ve been more than an ample wake up call for Mayor Wu. She has examples around the world of other leaders putting people first, and winning. What else really matters?
#peoplefirst
a month agobikabout
@dashcambike thanks, but I don't live anywhere that requires me to record for my own safety.
a month agobikabout
@back_bay_ali they weren't "doing a job". They were on their phones. A bike lane isn't a bike lane if it's blocked by any vehicle. There was also 2 empty vehicle lanes to the left of the bike lane where they could have parked and browsed their phones.
a month agobikabout
@back_bay_ali the 2 women in the ambulance were on their phones and when I told them about the near fatal crash they caused, they turned white and immediately moved the ambulance. A bike lane isn't a bike lane if it's blocked by any vehicle. There is one good exception and that is cycletracks can double as ambulance routes to bypass traffic to attend to an emergency. This has been a key benefit of cycletracks in Paris traffic, but it relies on keeping the cycletrack clear of obstructions.
a month agoback_bay_ali
@mr.dogadmirer it's not always a truck's fault with the accidents you are eluding to, especially recent cases, stay tuned for the full reports. Often it is both sides or sometimes, it can be a cyclist's error. But that's not what we are addressing on this post. We have a legitimate Emergency vehicle pulled over doing their job. Whether it's a car or a cyclist or other, everyone needs to yield and pull over while being passed by the emergency crews or when approaching them parked. They have a ton of paperwork, communications and other tasks they need to do while stationary. And even if you smare right, you could very well be "dead right". Time to pack some real patience on your rides.
a month agoback_bay_ali
@mr.dogadmirer it's not always a truck's fault with the accidents you are eluding to, especially recent cases, stay tuned for the full reports. Often it is both sides or sometimes, it can be a cyclist's error. But that's not what we are addressing on this post. We have a legitimate Emergency vehicle pulled over doing their job. Whether it's a car or a cyclist or other, everyone needs to yield and pull over while being passed by the emergency crews or when approaching them parked. They have a ton of paperwork, communications and other tasks they need to do while stationary. And even if youbsre right, you could very well be "dead right". Time to pack some real patience on your rides.
a month agoback_bay_ali
@mr.dogadmirer it's not always a truck's fault in the accidents youbsre excluding to, especially recent cases, stay tuned for the full reports. But that's not what we are addressing on this post. We have a legitimate Emergency vehicle pulled over doing their job. Whether it's a car or a cyclist or other, everyone needs to yield and pull over while being passed by the emergency crews or when approaching them already parked. They have a ton of paperwork, communications, and other tasks they need to do while pulled over like securing equipment, etc.
a month agoback_bay_ali
@mr.dogadmirer it's not always a truck's fault on there accidents. But that's not what we are addressing on this post. We have a legitimate Emergency vehicle pulled over doing their job. Whether it's a car or a cyclist or other, everyone needs to yield and slow down when being passed by or approaching them- no exceptions. Respect Emergency personnel and all they are doing. Driving around like youbown the road or are entitled as a cyclsist is not going to get your far..and furthermore
a month agoback_bay_ali
Where would you suggest the ambulance park to carry out their priority services? And the police car parked was likely there to assist an officer carrying out a priority call and simply needed to park nearby. I don't see cars making headline posts when ambulances and cruisers block their lanes daily and they have to move around them. We are a uniquely small City with 100+ year old roadways and must realize we are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole of sorts when it comes to bike lanes everywhere. If an ambulance is in the way, do what normal car drivers do, slow your roll, pull over and/or safely navigate when oncoming traffic finishes coming toward you. If necessarily, consider getting off your bike to navigate around the obstacle. And, pack patience while on our shared roadways and less entitlement, "it might get you further along." The expectation of a continuous door-to-door passageway for cyclists is unrealistic and unreasonable- and ...false expectations leads to great disappointments.
a month agobostoncyclistsunion
We're so glad you weren't physically harmed. Thank you for sharing your story. @bosstreetscabinet
a month agodashcambike
Sorry this happened! Happy to send you a free phone mount if you want to record future rides with your smartphone. Videos can help advocate for change. Either way, glad you’re physically okay.
a month agobostoncyclist
Boston desperately needs more driving enforcement, cameras, and a public safety campaign to get people slowing down and lessening the road rage. It’s a wonderful place to ride bikes within, but only on very specific spots
a month agobike_this23
@mayorwu @cityofboston do something. Advocates are here with ideas. @alexalex_100fordem
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![🥧 اینجا تخصصشون باقلوا و کنافه اس و میتوی توی یه جای دنج با معماری زیبا این آیتم های خوشمزه رو به همراه چای خوش عطر و طعم لاهیجان ، نوش جان کنی😍😋🤌 [ اگه رفتی لاله زار ، تجربتو برام کامنت کن ✍️]
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جهت اطلاع از منو و قیمت ها به پیجشون سر بزنید👇
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@laleh_zar_cafe_kunefe
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🥧کافه باقلوا و کنافه لاله زار🥧
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📬 ابتدای بلوار پیروزی ، پیروزی ۳ (خیابان رودکی) ، داخل رودکی ۴ ، نبش سه راه اول
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#باقلوا #کنافه #باقلوا_مشهد #کافه_مشهد #کافه_گردی](https://s11.imginn.com/848933398_18495028396105247_2774139776776601415_n.jpg?t51.82787-15/848933398_18495028396105247_2774139776776601415_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_p1080x1080_sh2.08_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ig_cache_key=NDAwNzgxMzIxNDAwMjIwNTM5NDE4NDk1MDI4MzkwMTA1MjQ3.3-ccb7-5&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=58cdad&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6IkNMSVBTLnhwaWRzLjEyMTQuc2RyLnZpZGVvX2RlZmF1bHRfY292ZXJfZnJhbWUuQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=OCTVm8oCz2MQ7kNvwFevJV8&_nc_oc=AdrpbIBjLjMJ4Rhn4k_L20sxfce4WAt4NsijtBRLiWn1FuZdmvnTgfvRM8yzWxsfuZt31pKew0pfS9XBxJnFb5OT&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-3.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=VDpmKykiXO8svpaHX3TAiw&_nc_ss=70689&oh=00_AQN-Rxp6WjqcKLNXyhU-rKRZ_E_Yh-xHNsysHBrFlp0vwA&oe=6AD954C7)
