REDLIGHTRUNNERS.mov

[sMASHsound]

i also saw a police car drive like normal there.

what is the purpose of stopping there? if u stop, and there is nothing ur holding up traffic. if u slow down enough to stop and then see something, then stop but if u don't see any thing and proceed, how is that unsafe. imagine if everyone stops until is is safe. is the blinking light  'a proceed with caution' or 'stop and then proceed with caution'?

all i am saying is to remove the stop sign, it is unnecessary.

[TheTiagoespanhol]

hy people stop is for stop is not to slow down is for stop ... people respect the stop sign stop is to stop ok !!!!!

[SupercarrotAway]

yeah, i've walked across there before. it's terrifying. (but even more terrifying is a few feet westward where the drivers make a left on 19th. oh lawdy! a blinking yield sign there would be nice, but surely ignored.)

i like that in NJ, there are signs at intersections that remind people that it's a state law to stop for peds at crosswalks. (even those that are nowhere near lights or stop signs, or corners for that matter)

[malxx16]

there is nobody walkin across the street.. well 2 people

[appo323]

HAHAHA THIS DRIVERS DONT GIVE A FUCK!!! I WOULD LUV TO SEE THEM GET A TICKET AND ASK WHY?

[appo323]

HAHAHA THIS DRIVERS DONT GIVE A FUCK!!! 

[cascadia999]

haha taxi cab. stop. ah must be new in town

[illnacord]

Wow. Get a cop there to give out tickets. If this is PA thank god I dont live in that community.

[trorb]

I just love the commentary on this one. (It'd be so good to do a reverse camera angle so you could cut to see the motorist.)

Good job.

[Steven197981]

It is interesting that only one of the two red flashers is working.

[Bryant5493]

The folks should stop. The stop sign seems to be for the peds. I think the stop sign placement should be re-thought, though.

[mcget99]

Dear Fpyout: your comments show the beginnings of a line of thought; but your use of tired vulgarities gets them deleted. So--verily, you faileth.

--mcget/trophy bikes

PS -- that's a Philly accent you heard--deal with it.

[fingilbert]

It doesn't matter if you think there doesn't need to be a stop sign there. The fact is, there is a stop sign there. That means STOP.

Hoobencan, your retarded if you think that because it's not a four way intersection there should only be a yield sign. The stop sign is there because, if you can't tell, the place is loaded with fucking pedestrians and neither cars nor bikes seem to give a fuck in this video.

Violators should be fined equally. There is no reason bikes should be charged more.

[Hoobencan]

That's not a good example at all, I wouldn't stop at that intersection either. There is clearly no road to the left and the one way continues on ahead. Really there is no reason to stop there. They should put in a flashing yellow light. Bad example.

I am from Texas.

[mcget99]

Dear Hoobencan -- the fact is that under Pennsylvania traffic law, an officer can give you a $119 ticket and 3 points on your license if you roll through that light--period.

MY point -- various pols in Philly were pushing a bill that would fine bicyclists $300 for rolling through that same intersection--more than motorists would face.

Thus my video--which shows how "stop as yield" works in the real world. Only one state (Idaho, I believe) allows it.

So my video is, er, not so bad! --mcget

[QuanticChaos1000]

@Hoobencan But there is a reason to stop there, it's called a stop sign! I had a guy use the exact same excuse when he blew through a stop sign causing me to broadside him, it did'nt matter that I had the right of way, or that he had a stop sign, he was convinced that because one road was a dead end and the other was less travelled that he did'nt have to stop... he looked me right in the eye as he did it too... he was charged by the Police and lost his job over it (company truck) and I sued him.

[miniwas]

So the cop didn't stop and the person behind him just followed through.

[joechill1]

How about putting this same camera on Walnut Street outside your store and film the legion of bicyclists riding east on the sidewalk? Or better yet, how about the red light on 32nd and Chestnut at which not a single bike messenger has ever stopped, thus endangering the lives of pedestrians.

[mcget99]

well, duh, that's my point... no one's planning for cyclists, and cars (which way a teensy bit more than bike messengers) are doing whatever they want. I've been riding for more than 40 years and I find Chestnut Street between 38th and 22nd unrideable for much of the day--thanks to poor planning and selfish drivers. That fear of getting maimed/killed is why cyclists are on the sidewalk, eh? --mcget/trophy bikes philly

PS -- not everyone with a messenger bag is a messenger

[carh8tr]

@joechill1

How about you put one out there? Or has driving a car everywhere you need to go made you lazy?

[CETMAracks]

I'm a cyclist. I don't believe it's necessary for these drivers to completely stop. I don't even think Stop signs are necessary here. Yield signs might be appropriate. It's a lightly trafficked, slow moving three-way intersection, and visibility is good. It looks to me like majority of the drivers in this video were able to pass through without endangering anyone. Most drivers appeared to slow and/or stop for pedestrians as necessary. Not a big deal to me.

[mcget99]

Hey, that's my point -- Philadelphia politicians are pushing to fine cyclists $300 for doing the same thing

That's the big deal here.

--I am NOT saying bust everyone for rolling stops--but I am saying, let's legalize stop as yield, as is done in Idaho or somesuch state. --mcget/trophy bikes philly

[mcget99]

Thanks, but there's no apostrophe in "its"...

other than that, nice image, but maybe a little harsh..

cheers  mcget

[mcget99]

Dearest ciscogrant, ofwratharuin, contagiousd and ryanissuper: thanks for your comments--they show potential! Let me know when you post a video worth commenting on.

cheers, dudes or dudettes--hard to tell from your tags and your writing. --mcget

[MAdk1p]

at 1:45 the cabby kinda stops bc of a pedestrian

[g0shu4]

If by "kinda stops" you mean "slows down" then you are right!

[chickeee]

send it to the mayor !

[revphil]

Rad. If I was making Transportation Porn I would surely consider including this.

[elko9er]

Great job, awesome commentary :)

[UltraHotAaron]

Mike, I think you should also post the same video where you have bikes actually stopping at that intersection so people can see how trailing cars treat a stopped bike ahead of them in this city. It is tantamount to constant assault if you follow existing stop laws on a bike it this city and a car behind you has to wait for you to stop.

[UltraHotAaron]

Philadelphia Needs an Idaho Stop Law for bikes!

[amiandcats]

Thank you for posting this Mike.

I sometimes feel sorry for the drivers who are so ignorant and SO STUPID to not see the consequences.

The city of Phila should enforce more strict traffic law to the drivers before ticketing the cyclists.

[Litarider]

Brilliant, Mike. What a simply, powerful response to this heretical argument that cars are law abiding but bikes aren't.

[mirandagt1]

I live about 6 blocks from here, and tho the 'South Philly slide' is a perfectly acceptable Philly driving practice (seriously- cops don't stop you when they see this), I've been pushing a baby stroller at this intersection and almost been hit b/c cars (esp cabs) seem to think they always have the right of way,

[amiandcats]

@mirandagt1

I've seen the situation where a lady pushing a baby stroller and cars didn't even stop!!

So many jerk drivers out there don't even see the possible consequences.

It has to change!

[htbetz]

Good job Mike!

[donkeybasketball]

Thx for posting this. Nutter was a complete jerk during the transit strike by cursing the union and not encouraging citizens to go green by cycling. He also referred to noob cyclists as a danger too. During the strike I rode to and fro' the rail stations (instead of just to and fro' the bar). At that time, drivers were yelling in frustration. I wish there was footage of that mess.

d

[mcget99]

Because this intersection is complex, motorists are careful +  generally slow.

Just a few blocks away on the Walnut St. Bridge, wide lanes + big green overhead signs encourage motorists to behave like they're on a freeway. Result? Scores of cyclists on the too-narrow sidewalk, pushed there by speeding cars. Make the signs smaller, widen the sidewalks, narrow the lanes + you'll get more cyclists in the road.

Messrs DiCicco + Kenney should come for a nice Philly bike ride--I'll provide bikes!

[JJENIK]

It's STOPtional.

[insectintellect]

thanks for this video, mike. a powerful tool.

[tiffismyname]

OMG this video is brilliant.

It's sick how so many drivers can't seem to process and follow the most basic traffic laws.

[OneRissa]

It's a $150 and no points but only if the cop is feeling nice. so yeah. not stopping completely at a stop sign is illegal, now why the f is no one getting run over? I wish they would so someone can actually start making a bigger deal about these stupid cars. not bikes. stop worrying about ticketing expired meters and get to the real road hassles.

I can't believe school buses or septa buses aren't stopping?? you could report the drivers and get them in serious trouble.

[Intersection911]

I love the commentary!!

[TuckertonRR]

this is going eastbound. They can either go straight or turn left to go south. there is no northbound car traffic. 19th st here is southbound only

[Litarider]

What's your point? There is a stop sign to allow people on foot to cross the street. People on foot enter and exit the park and they cross 19th Street. Have you never been anywhere except a freeway?

[turkeytk]

Mike.............I'm nit picking here..........was 18th street closed to traffic that day? Not one northbound vehicle in the over four minute video. I'm wondering if the west bound Walnut St drivers would react differently if there was opposing traffic. Just a thought.  BTW when did this intersection go with stop signs? It was controlled by a traffic light for decades.

[ChrissMari]

What are you talking about? 18th street (wayyy in the background) has tons of north bound cars.

Also, I don't know when they got rid of lights but for at least the past couple years it's been stop signs.. I ride around this corner daily.

[frankroche1]

Brilliant, man. I work near that corner. And well said about the cracking down on bicyclists while cars roll unimpeded through stop signs. Ugh.

[BgDog18]

Ummmm two one ways...and the "road" on the left is an entrance..

All of these drivers were driving perfectly safe.....hit breaks..check for peds (because it is one way both ways) then go...

What would you have them do...

Its obvious the person who recorded this does not drive.

[ChrissMari]

Oh my god... it's still illegal doesn't matter if it's safe or not.

I'm pretty sure you just made the same point most bicyclists make about rolling stops. But they're the ones being ticketed aggressively because two people jaywalked infront of bikes and died.

It's three stop signs. You stop 4 seconds and then go if it's safe. That's the law. Or is it just a suggestion?

[mcget99]

Actually, I drive a lot... I've owned about 11 cars... and I am not saying all these cars should stop, count to 3, then go--which is what the law requires...

I am just pointing out that they are doing what cars and bikes do, and that to freak out over a 30-pound bike doing it and ignore a 3-ton car is no too bright. --mcget

[timebandit215]

This is great. Well done.

[adamant628]

Lovely.  I also enjoy when cars pass me in school zones.

[bikejen]

Thank you Mike for the enlightening video on "how to stop at Philadelphia stop signs in the greater Philadelphia area". Do they include your video in the driving education classes that are offered in the area?