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Sure, why not bicycle across the Zakim at rush hour?

Bicyclist on the Zakim Bridge

Roving UHub videographer JP from Somerville captured this lad just pedaling across the Zakim around 5:30 p.m., adds:

There were about four other kids. I don’t know how or where they got off the highway but I think they must’ve taken the government center exit because they weren’t in the tunnel.

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Comments

Probably safer than a lot of city streets at the same time.

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Might be faster than driving the same stretch on a given day, too.

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There are pathways all around there that are much safer than either.

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Government Center to Kendall Sq. Name the path.

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Thoreau path to the overpass over Storrow. Esplanade to the brand new bike flyover. Bike lane on the Longfellow to Kendall. Easy.

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is this a thing now? This is like the 2nd one this week...

Come on folks, thats just dangerous.

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These people are bicyclists the way city dirt bike tricksters are to motorcyclists. A bunch of people will use this as an opportunity to judge a large community by the actions of a few idiots.

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that a cyclist has been caught on camera using either the Zakim Bridge or the O'Neil Tunnel - and let's not forget the guy on the Expressway as well. If they aren't representative of the average cyclist, and are creating a bad reputation for all cyclists, then why hasn't the cycling community been vocally condemming their actions on line and in the media.

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Oh, sorry - might contradict your "theory" about things - can't have that.

Three times? You know how many times I've been cut off by motorists on that bridge while driving? a LOT more than that.

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* maybe he didn't see the "no bikes sign"
* maybe there was a blind spot on his bike preventing from seeing he was entering a highway
* possible medical emergency made him dart out onto the interstate
* the onramp could have just jumped out in front of him, obliviously and with headphones on
* one time I had to hit the brakes because I didn't see an on-ramp, they are very unpredictable and should be licensed and insured

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And how many cyclists are there in Metro Boston in a given day? I saw at least a dozen on my commute just this morning, and I drove in. In the past year I also saw 2 cars driving on the Minuteman Bikeway and they were not town utility vehicles. How many drivers do stupid things every day yet we don't hear about it?

There are stupid cyclists and there are nice drivers. And everything inbetween.

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Baker has scaled back transportation maintenance, security, etc. Ya know. All the non-essentials

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Just imagine how many people, nominally in charge of moving tons of metal, are using one hand and all of their concentration on filming you

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I'm not defending the idiots but it's probably safer to bike on the shoulder of I-93 (or cell phone recording them) then it is to do the same on congested city streets.

Of course, the outcome is much worse if you're hit by someone going 75 vs 25.

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Are you blaming the bicyclists for people potentially crashing while filming? If you need to pick up your phone, call the police if what they are doing is so dangerous. More people die getting hit by inattentive drivers than idiots riding on a shoulder in conditions like this.

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It was a commentary on the people who are like "look how unsafe these cyclists are" while paying more attention to their phone than to the moving giant vehicles they are supposed to be paying attention to

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Okay, I was just curious. I wanted to assume that was the case, but some people immediately go there (to blaming the people for having to film).

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biking over that bridge. I just looked it up and I cannot, googling at a glance, see that it is prohibited ( I do see that there is a bike trail beneath the bridge. I've done this ride I just can't remember it). here's one thing I hope though, for Adam et al: let's always make sure when bitching about a cyclist that the said cyclist is in fact doing something illegal.

Otherwise, one would just be thinking that they are taking the moral high ground while in fact actually just turning into an irritable Uncle Ass Hat.

I can't find the law, so appreciate anyone who can clarify with authority. *But under no circumstances should *legal* travel by bicycle be impugned or otherwise subverted by one's reflex to being an ornery opinionated prick (I am not saying that happened here as such, just didn't like the headline much). There is enough ordinary prickheadedness on the road, and in fact it leads to bodies of dead cyclists much of the time.

On this issue, more clear and concise reporting please, with specific references to laws, so the public can be informed.

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720 CMR 9.08 is the regulation that governs who can be on "limited-access and express state highways" in Massachusetts, which includes interstate highways, such as I-93, of which the Zakim is a part:

(a) Horsedrawn Vehicles. No person shall ride or drive a horse or a horsedrawn vehicle within the limits of or on any portion of any highway where official signs have been erected at the approaches of said highway prohibiting such traffic.

(b) Bicycles. No person shall operate or ride a bicycle within the limits of or on any portion of any highway where official signs have been erected at the approaches of said highway prohibiting such traffic.

(c) Pedestrians. No person shall use any highway for pedestrian or foot traffic purposes except in emergency, where official signs have been erected at the approaches of said highway prohibiting such traffic.

Now, as you can see, there is a possible escape clause - the requirement that the entry ramp be marked with those signs. Do the entrances to the O'Neill Tunnel and the bridge have those signs?

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Great question! I live in Charlestown and drive over the salon everyday, using the on ramp off Rutherford ave. There is indeed a posted, which only grabbed my attention because it had those circles-with-red-lined pictures that ban bikes and horses. $10 bucks to the brave, law-breaking equestrian who first gives it a try...

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Interstate Highways are pretty much by definition no bikes.

Yes, the restriction is specifically posted - at least it is at any interstate onramp I normally use around here.

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if there is no feasible alternative to riding on them. Generally these are western states where the highways go through deserts and mountain passes, or are the only roads that cross a river. There's no good reason to ride a bike on a Massachusetts interstate.

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Don't all highways have signs on the onramps indicating that pedestrians, bicycles, etc are prohibited?

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I bike through this area all the time and, unlike the putrid backward stupidity of Cambridge St that greets people crossing the Longfellow into Boston, there are pathways all over the damn place in this area.

No excuse for this. Let the cars have their car sewer.

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Actually, he is neither "Pedaling as fast as he can," nor even pedaling at all. Per the video, from 0:03–0:04, his left leg is fully extended and not moving, he's just coasting along.

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Damn! This cyclist is definitely an idiot, yet I'm somehow impressed by his sheer lunacy.

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but, yes, bikes on the interstate are illegal.

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future roadkill....

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If there were fewer cars that could be a possibility - like, at 5am or something like that.

Unless you are advocating for murder.

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To get to the other side.

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