As a penalty for certain offenses, a new sentencing option sends New York City's cycling scofflaws to a remedial class to learn about bicycles and traffic, reports J. David Goodman.
Of the 30 students initially entered in the class, the most common infractions were riding on the sidewalk and not using the bicycle lane, neither of which were deemed worthy of such punishment (which often includes a day of community service in addition to the class) by offenders.
According to Goodman, "The class included slide presentations on bicycle law,
hand signals and moving safely through traffic, as well as a discussion
of cyclists' rights and how abiding by the law could help them curry
good favor from the broader public."
"It [the class] comes amid broad agreement among bike advocates and the
Transportation Department that compelling riders to obey traffic
signals, go with traffic and stay off the sidewalk is critical to
improving the image of cycling and ensuring the long-term health of New
York City's expanding bicycle network. That mission will become even
more important," writes Goodman, "once the city's bike-share program rolls out in the next month or so."
FULL STORY: Penalty for Rule-Breaking Bicyclists: A Remedial Class

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie