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'>Mercer Island update — Where is enforcement; what is a stop?
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Mercer Island is warning that police officers will issue tickets to bicyclists who don't stop at stop signs on the island.
It's part of a crackdown that is also to involve ticketing motorists who unsafely pass cyclists, particularly on the twisting Mercer Way loop around the island.
The island has been the stage for conflicts between bicyclists and motorists for years. Situated in Lake Washington between Bellevue and Seattle, the island is a thoroughfare for bike commuters passing through on the I-90 bike lanes. A narrow road that encircles the island is a popular loop for cyclists out for a spin.
Educate, then ticket
A press release issued last week by the city of Mercer Island addresses bicycle/motorist enforcement:
“… Two of the most commonly observed violations are bicycles not stopping for stop signs or lights and cars passing bicyclists in unsafe areas. In order to ensure the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike, the Mercer Island Police Department is stepping up education and enforcement throughout the summer.
“Officers will increase patrol of locations where violations commonly occur and will stop bicyclists and motorists who violate the law. Over the next couple of weeks, officers will handle most violations by issuing a warning and providing educational literature to the violator. After that, enforcement will increase. Officers will issue citations along with distributing educational literature.”
The Seattle Times reported on the enforcement on Thursday. David Hiller, advocacy director for the Cascade Bicycle Club, is quoted the plan “looks good on paper.”
The Times reports that police will begin by issuing warnings and a safety brochure. Later, they'll issue tickets: $91 for not stopping at a stop sign and $112 to motorists who unsafely pass cyclists.
What is a stop?
There's a discussion at the Cascade bike forum about the enforcement crackdown, especially surrounding the perennial question: What's considered a stop for a bicyclist?
One person writes that, in the past, police (sometimes in unmarked vehicles) staked out intersections on Mercer Way and ticketed cyclists who did not unclip and put a foot on the pavement. Another said he stopped without putting a foot down in full view of a police cruiser and was not ticketed. I'm trying to get this point clarified.
This whole dust-up between cyclists and the island's resident came up a couple of years ago. At that time, a city committee suggested requiring cyclists to pull over when they block five or more cars.
Previously, the city had considered requiring large groups of cyclists to register at City Hall to ride on the island and banning cyclists from the cross-island bike/hike lanes.
Fortunately, none of those suggestions were ever implemented.
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