Comments on: 2017 Deadly Year On Boise Streets

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 16:00:39 +0000

Officer Paul Burch did inform me that when the BPD are called for traffic control for EVENTS, sporting games, parades, things as such, road enforcement officers are used!

By: No Bones about it

No Bones about it — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 09:06:39 +0000

Frank there may be 10 officers to enforce traffic laws but those 10 I’d bet are never all on duty at the same time. I’d venture to say it’s probably closer to 5 at a time for the entire city. This gross understaffing is due to Chief Bones continuously eliminating traffic positions and making new, “more community oriented” positions. For example paying a police officer $70k a year to walk a mascot dog around town.

We might never get to understand the cause of these crashes or what can be done to improve safety when fatal crashes occur because the Chief decided crash reconstruction was not a priority and got rid of the reconstruction team all together.

By: erico49

erico49 — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 00:13:20 +0000

So.. there will be more members on the proposed? citizen advisory committee (12) than officers dedicated to traffic? That’s pretty funny.

By: It's not my fault!!

It's not my fault!! — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 23:42:23 +0000

Motorcycle riders have super strength and superpowers so they cannot possibly be resulting in half the deaths. (The missing statistic is the gigantic numbers of not dead but might as well be motorcycle crashes.)

Go to YouTube and search/view motorcycle crashes. You will see the vast majority of motorbikes that wreck are being driven outside the law and outside of commonsense. We all know this because we see it every time we drive.

I’m truly disgusted by all the jackass motorcycle riders who blame ‘cagers’ for their own stupidity and recklessness.

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 22:17:48 +0000

I brought my concerns to constituent services guy Jeff, in the mayors office in the city of Boise 4 times in the last two years. I’ve talked to 3 different officers the latest officer Paul Burch who informed me there are only ten officers whos job description is to enforce the rules of the road. Most other police, on the road, have other responsibilities. They can choose whether to enforce the rules of the road. Imagine the disgust when watching KTVB piece on the GRANT money, given to BPD to help make
our roads safer! The police officer stopped someone going 6 miles over the speed limit and gave the driver a warning? AND I THINK MAYBE A CHOCOLATE BAR Policemen tell me we don’t have the funding SO then when grant money is available they don;t enforce the rules of the road. It is trickle down mismanagement. And I’ve noticed the excessive speeds are now carried over into our neighborhoods! All of the treasure valley roads are more dangerous. PS BPD added the word Lead on their cars? With the words Serve and protect. Where are we being led?

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 19:47:33 +0000

Riding a motorcycle – particularly in traffic – is a calculated risk (like pretty much everything else!). They try to make that VERY clear in the STAR introductory course, and some prospective riders decide the reward isn’t worth the risk.

There are things that motorcycle riders do, to to exacerbate (increase) the risk:
– riding while impaired
– speeding, crazy lane-changing, etc.
– riding beyond skill level (EASY, on a 150hp motorcycle that will go 150mph!)
– no protective gear

There are also things that motorcycle riders can do, to mitigate (decrease) the risk:
– riding sober
– riding legally
– riding visibly (bright colors instead of black, f’r example)
– riding predictably
– situational awareness (CRITICAL, IMO. I try to be aware of anything else that’s moving, and prepare as though it will become a threat. I try to watch my intended path, 1/2 mile up the road, and the road surface 50 feet in front of me, etc.)
– safety gear (helmet instead of do-rag, armored jacket, boots, etc. If everything goes well, you won’t need any of this stuff. If it goes south on you, the gear might prevent death, or reduce injury. Or not.)

It’s amazing, the high percentage of motorcycle fatalities and injuries that are single-vehicle crashes. In most cases, pretty easy to determine who was at fault.

I’ve been motorcycling for 50+ years, well over 100,000 miles, here in Boise and within riding distance. Miraculously I survived the immortality of Reckless Youth. Now I try to ride mitigate-style, instead of exacerbate-style. So far, ZERO collisions, and I intend to keep it that way.

(Sorry to wax verbose.)

By: Clancy Anderson

Clancy Anderson — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 19:23:54 +0000

It is worth noting that the rate of vehicles deaths is less in Boise than that of Ada County. While deaths of pedestrians and bicyclist happen at a higher rate in Boise City limits.
This is mainly due to the slower speeds inside Boise an urban environment vs the higher speeds in the rest of Ada County including Meridian and Eagle. Boise is also generally more walkable and bikeable, so that explains the higher death rate of the active travel modes.

While fatalities are a very sad and significant number, vehicles are involved in 95% of crashes in Ada County. http://gis.lhtac.org (2011-15)
We need more enforcement and education for drivers while designing roads that don’t look like the Autobahn.

By: rabula

rabula — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 18:18:58 +0000

Too many drivers are heedless of Idaho crosswalk law, which gives pedestrians the right of way to cross at non-signalized intersections whether marked as crossings or not.

There is little or no enforcement of this law in Boise, even cops disregard it. ACHD will not paint all lawful crosswalks—say, on Vista or Chinden—because people would think it safe to cross there.

There are Idaho towns—Moscow comes to mind—where pedestrians are accorded courtesy. Driver education/training and enforcement are key.

In the meantime, know that trying to cross some streets in Boise can be fatal.

By: Shoogi

Shoogi — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 14:43:53 +0000

CELL PHONES!

By: Bieter Begone

Bieter Begone — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 14:05:15 +0000

That’s why they’re called murdercyles or donorcycles.