Chicago Police Say It Loud: Bikes Belong

Traffic Enforcement for Bicyclist Safety from Chicago Bicycle Program on Vimeo.

This amazing video, via Chicago Bicycle Advocate, was produced for the Chicago Police Department to educate drivers, cyclists and officers on traffic laws pertaining to bikes.

Considering the consistent disregard and hostility projected by New York’s Finest, that such videos exist (San Francisco has one too) is remarkable enough. But here, interspersed with horror stories from civilian cyclists, we have actual police officers — close to a dozen are listed in the credits — instructing their colleagues not just to enforce the law, but to treat bike riders with respect as rightful users of the road.

After a primer on how to fill out cyclist-involved crash reports, for example, the narrating officer gives advice on cyclist interviews. Given that a cyclist may be suffering from shock after a crash, he says: "You may need to follow up the next day, or talk with them after a trip to the emergency room." Imagine.

Does anyone know of other U.S. cities with similar police training materials? Will New Yorkers ever see the day when an NYPD officer publicly says something like, "The public counts on us to keep the roads safe, and to protect those who are at the greatest risk"?

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Rosanne Ferruggia of Chicago DOT and Sam Sinyangwe of Campaign Zero at yesterday's Vision Zero Cities panel. Photo: David Meyer

Addressing Racism and Police Brutality in Traffic Enforcement

|
Police brutality and racial inequities in criminal justice must be addressed by advocates and agencies aiming to reduce traffic fatalities. That's the key takeaway from a Vision Zero Cities panel yesterday on police violence and traffic enforcement. "Vision Zero cannot be a reason to overly-police black and brown bodies," said Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Tamika Butler. "You can’t ignore the country we live in."
STREETSBLOG USA

Chicago Aims for Zero Traffic Deaths by 2022

|
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his DOT head Gabe Klein have introduced a bold, 100-page plan to make the Windy City’s transportation system more safe and sustainable. Published last week, the “Chicago Forward Action Agenda” [PDF] places a very strong emphasis on safety, in addition to setting admirable cycling ridership targets and goals for transit […]

Tale of Two Cities: Bicycling in Chicago and Los Angeles

|
Two news stories came across the wire yesterday that highlight vast differences in the way U.S. cities treat the use of bicycles for transportation. First, there was this story out of Chicago: Chicago bicyclists, Mayor Daley (pictured right) knows your pain. The mayor introduced an ordinance Wednesday that would slap fines ranging from $150 to […]

NYPD’s Embarrassing “Safety Tips” for Cycling

|
Jen Chung filed a Gothamist story this week on the latest meeting of the Central Park Precinct community council, where commanding officer Captain Jessica Corey explained the precinct’s zero tolerance approach to cyclist traffic infractions. Chung also posted a copy of the department’s “Bicycle Safety Tips” brochure, a deflating compendium of misleading information and copied-and-pasted traffic rules. […]