Cara Seiderman This is Me

 View all 14 references Web References

1. 1. MassBike: Better Bicycling for Massachusetts

   www.massbike.org/resources/loc - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/19/2008   Last Visited: 6/19/2008

   Cara Seiderman617-349-4629

2. 2. www.truewheelers.org

   www.truewheelers.org/cases/vas - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/16/2007   Last Visited: 4/18/2008

   When I [John S. Allen] served on the Cambridge Bicycle Committee (1994-1996), Cambridge Bicycle Coordinator Cara Seiderman repeatedly referred to motor vehicles' yielding when crossing bike lanes, rather than when merging into them, as required by law.
   ...
   Some Bicycle Committee members objected, Seiderman relented, and early Cambridge bike lane installations had dashed sections before intersections.But more recently, Cambridge has installed bike lanes with solid stripes all the way up to the crosswalk.

3. 3. Cambridge city government actions

   www.truewheelers.org/cases/vas - [Cached]

   Last Visited: 4/18/2008

   Cara Seiderman, CDD
   ...
   Vice Mayor Davis asked everyone in the room to introduce themselves and then invited Cara Seiderman of CDD to make a presentation on the issues.
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   Ms. Seiderman indicated that Community Development staff researched European and American models in developing the current bike lanes and in exploring new models (Attachment A, September 9, 2002 Report of Beth Rubenstein, Assistant City Manager for Community Development on European-style bike lanes).
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   Ms. Seiderman also reviewed the pros and cons of these designs.They have the advantages of creating more separation from traffic for bicyclists, preventing cars from driving in the tracks, which are too narrow for cars, and reducing the risk of dooring by allowing only the passenger side of cars to open onto the tracks.
   
   According to Ms. Seiderman, a big factor in the advantages of bike tracks in Europe is the fact that Europeans are better educated about bike safety and rules.The primary disadvantage and risk of bike tracks she identified for Cambridge surprise at intersections and driveways, and resultant accidents, occur where there is no public education and experience with how these tracks work.In those places, motorists and pedestrians will encounter bikes where they do not expect them.However, according to Ms. Seiderman, if there are clear rules about travel lanes, there is a better chance of success with tracks.Another disadvantage of cycle tracks is faster bike traffic, and this increased speed creates greater risk for pedestrians.
   
   Ms. Seiderman stated that the city plans to be cautious in redesigning bike paths.According to Ms. Seiderman, the city plans to run an experiment with bike tracks.Taking advantage of the reconstruction of Vassar Street, with MIT's cooperation, the city will create a bike track using Dutch and Danish standards; because there is only one intersection on the street where bikes will cross pedestrian paths, the risk of collisions will be minimized.
   
   Regarding the issue of "dooring," Ms. Seiderman stated that this has become a high visibility issue because of the death of bicyclist Dana Laird in Central Square earlier this year and is in the forefront of the city's efforts to improve safety for bikes.
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   According to Ms. Seiderman, the most serious accidents occur when cars turn without seeing bikers and hit them.Dooring is not usually fatal.She identified more markings and more safety education as two ways of preventing fatalities.Her department is aware of research and experience in the U.S. and abroad on these issues and this information on safety improvements has been used in the city's designs.
   
   Over the next few months, Cambridge will run a study on Hampshire Street to determine how to improve safety for cars and bikes.The study will include videotaping to identify traffic patterns, as well as education and outreach to drivers and bikers.Ms. Seiderman noted that statistics show that bike lanes increase safety.
   
   Ms. Seiderman suggested several possibilities to prevent dooring using the process for annual parking permits as an opportunity for educating drivers, a safety campaign using decals, posters, the web and flyers, mailings to motorists, use of variable message boards for reminders such as night lights for bikes, and efforts to change the state law to require motorists to check for bikes before opening doors.
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   Ms. Seiderman also suggested that people report endangerment by motorists on the city's Web site.