After A Crash, Measure The Facts
A serious collision deserves a serious response. That means facts first, not denial from riders and not panic from policymakers.
Before restricting an entire category, cities should document the facts that actually matter:
- Location, crossing type, visibility, path design, and pedestrian volume.
- Estimated speed, direction of travel, braking distance, lighting, and protective gear.
- Device type, weight class, rider experience, and whether existing law already prohibited the behavior.
- Injury severity, police/citation outcome, witness reports, and available video.
- Whether infrastructure or signage made safe behavior clear and realistic.
Good regulation starts by separating reckless conduct from lawful access. If the behavior was already illegal, enforce it. If the rules were unclear, fix the rulebook. A ban should not be the first serious policy thought a city has.