Robert Prinz

Robert Prinz

@prinzrob.bsky.social

Advocacy Director at Bike East Bay. See me for bicycle culture & transportation infrastructure news on the sunny side of the Bay.

2.2K followers336 following11.7K posts

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Here in Oakland a woman in a crosswalk was killed by a hit-run driver less than a 1/4 mi from a speed camera. It’s okay to be in favor of speed cameras w/o exaggerating their impacts. They won’t end reckless speeding. Upstream/downstream issues still exist. Stolen cars & obscured plates still exist

David Zipper@davidzipper.bsky.social

If your city is serious about ending reckless speeding, this is how to do it. Not by wasting money on PSA ads asking people to please drive a little slower.

latimes.comL.A. rolls out speed cameras across the city to crack down on fast driversYour morning catch-up: Speed cameras have arrived in L.A., SoCal coast expected to be under siege and more big stories
Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Like physical traffic calming, speed cameras are less effective when installed as a spot improvement. But unlike physical traffic calming, speed cameras are much less scalable along an entire corridor. So design interventions still need to be our primary focus, by far, for safe & equitable streets.

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

I know that even after this election some folks will still pit bike/walk & public transit interests in opposition, in an attempt to marginalize each group. But the RTM campaign reveals the reality, that we’re all one big nerdy family in coalition against auto-centrism.

Robert Prinz@prinzrob.bsky.social

Thanks to everyone who came out to promote #MeasureRTM at the Berkeley bike bridge and help save Bay Area public transit. It was a beautiful morning, with many supportive honks from drivers crawling toward the Bay Bridge on I-80!

Robert Prinz reposted

Rebecca Saltzman
@rebeccaforec.bsky.social

Having a great time phone banking for Measure RTM with @bikeeastbay.bsky.social team! Called one person who was boarding a BART train and another person who was thrilled I had called and thought this was the most important thing on the ballot. Love hearing so much enthusiasm to fund transit!

Robert Prinz reposted

Rebecca Saltzman
@rebeccaforec.bsky.social

My @bikeeastbay.bsky.social coworkers are awesome! Feeling inspired? Join Bike East Bay on Thursday morning to display the RTM banner in Richmond: bikeeastbay.org/event/region...

bikeeastbay.orgRegional Transit Measure Action: Sign Display Party Richmond - Bike East BayWe are gathering at the 580 overpass on Marina Bay Parkway in Richmond (map view here) Thursday 10/29/26 8am-9am to support for the Regional Transit Measure. Come help hold provided […]
Robert Prinz@prinzrob.bsky.social

Thanks to everyone who came out to promote #MeasureRTM at the Berkeley bike bridge and help save Bay Area public transit. It was a beautiful morning, with many supportive honks from drivers crawling toward the Bay Bridge on I-80!

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Thanks to everyone who came out to promote #MeasureRTM at the Berkeley bike bridge and help save Bay Area public transit. It was a beautiful morning, with many supportive honks from drivers crawling toward the Bay Bridge on I-80!

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

This @sfchronicle.com analysis seems extremely deficient & full of holes. Beyond that this UC Davis researcher quote is borderline offensive. COVID wasn't an example, it was a warning. Traffic fatalities spiked from 2020-2023. People were only able to stay home b/c of massive federal subsidies.

San Francisco Chronicle@sfchronicle.com

To better understand how proposed BART cuts could impact regional traffic, the Chronicle teamed up with researchers to simulate three possible scenarios for the morning commute.

bit.lyHow much worse could Bay Bridge traffic get if BART closed stations? We modeled itTo better understand how proposed BART cuts could impact regional traffic, the Chronicle teamed up with researchers to simulate three possible scenarios for the morning commute.
Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

I can't believe that any functioning adults are seriously considering "What if we COVID'ed ourselves by blowing up public transit, instead of paying a 1/2 cent sales tax?" (around $5-8 per resident each month, on average).

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

I'm not an academic, but the majority of the time when I delve into the methodology of a transportation-related study the flaws and significant data issues are instantly obvious. But the media seems to never question the results & just runs with whatever is in the summary.

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

This informative chart was shared by staff at last week's Oakland bike/walk commission meeting. The next time someone tells you "protected bike lanes are too expensive", remind them it's probably not the bikeway driving up the project cost, but all of the other non-bike-specific project elements.

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

And the "low cost" Oakland protected bikeway projects in question were still robust, using actual concrete curbs and islands, not just plastic posts! bsky.app/profile/prin...

Robert Prinz@prinzrob.bsky.social

More protected bikeway construction progress on Franklin in Downtown Oakland, and on 11th St from Clay to Broadway (both delivered rapidly via routine paving projects)

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Here’s my proposed CA vehicle code update that I’ve shared w @calbike.bsky.social to enable bicycle stop-as-yield. The new text is in red, & it copies language from 2022’s Freedom to Walk Act that decriminalized jaywalking statewide.

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Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

This code change wouldn’t legalize bicycle stop-as-yield per se, but it would decriminalize it & allow safe rolling of stop signs by bike riders as long as there is no right of way violation.

Robert Prinz reposted

tschuy 🏳️‍🌈
@tsch.uy

✨ new from me: over 1 million Bay Area residents are served by microtransit, but it's hardly discoverable. What should agencies and our region do to make it easier to take multimodal trips combining micro and fixed route transit? @seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social

seamlessbayarea.orgThe Last Mile: The Gap Between Microtransit Service and Communication — Seamless Bay AreaMicrotransit services have grown increasingly common in the Bay Area. Today, there are some 14 different services operating in all nine Bay Area counties covering approximately 1 million residents.&nb...
Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Oakland staff: “We can’t build a protected bikeway on 3rd Street, it will be blocked by the produce market operations! Use the 2nd Street painted bike lane instead.” The 2nd Street painted bike lane:

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

There is no sustainable way out from this freeway funding sinkhole w/o reducing vehicle miles traveled. This would simultaneously benefit traffic safety, environmental & human health issues, also w positive budget impacts. But unfortunately real fiscal conservancy doesn’t exist in US politics.

Yonah Freemark@yonahfreemark.com

The federal Highway Trust Fund, which funds road & transit, faces a >$318 billion shortfall by 2036. How can Congress address this? —Cut spending by 40% —Increase the gas tax —Implement new taxes (VMT, registration) —Transfer from the general fund We lay it out: taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/congr...

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Meanwhile per actual East Bay Parks data 30% of incidents on the Iron Horse Trail in the first half of 2026 (15% in 2025) were e-device related, w 9 actual bike or e-bike related collisions.

The Oaklandside@oaklandside.org

Three years ago, the East Bay Regional Park District allowed e-bikes on trails. A community survey shows hikers on Iron Horse Trail now feel unsafe.

oaklandside.orgE-bikes have been allowed on East Bay trails for three years. How's it going?Three years ago, the East Bay Regional Park District allowed e-bikes on trails. An informal survey shows hikers on Iron Horse Trail now feel unsafe.
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Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

My hunch is that it's largely related to trail crowding, resulting from a lack of safe on-street bike infrastructure in the vicinity of the Iron Horse Trail, throughout the communities it serves. The many high speed arterials in the area also increases the demand for high-speed e-devices.

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

All of the fatal collisions in the cities along the Iron Horse Trail corridor have involved cars. There have been no bike/pedestrian fatalities in these cities, no youth e-bike fatalities of any kind, and no fatalities on the trail.

Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

Meanwhile per actual East Bay Parks data 30% of incidents on the Iron Horse Trail in the first half of 2026 (15% in 2025) were e-device related, w 9 actual bike or e-bike related collisions.

The Oaklandside@oaklandside.org

Three years ago, the East Bay Regional Park District allowed e-bikes on trails. A community survey shows hikers on Iron Horse Trail now feel unsafe.

oaklandside.orgE-bikes have been allowed on East Bay trails for three years. How's it going?Three years ago, the East Bay Regional Park District allowed e-bikes on trails. An informal survey shows hikers on Iron Horse Trail now feel unsafe.
Robert Prinz
@prinzrob.bsky.social

On the intersecting Contra Costa Canal trail there was 1 collision in 2026 & zero in 2025, which implies that the issues on the Iron Horse Trail have something to do w that facility specifically & less to do w bikes/e-bikes in general.

Robert Prinz reposted

City of Emeryville
@emeryville.org

Notice to Voters The voter registration deadline is October 19, 2026 Local Measure BB is on Your November 3rd Ballot On July 21, the Emeryville City Council unanimously placed Measure BB on Emeryville's November 3rd Municipal Election ballot. More Info: www.instagram.com/p/DekDt3DGvS...

Robert Prinz reposted

Rebecca Saltzman
@rebeccaforec.bsky.social

33 elected officials urged AC Transit Board to censure Director Joel Young for substantiated gender based harassment. And on Wed the Board Pres said they would take no action. Now voters must hold Young accountable and elect @valencia4actransit.bsky.social to replace him. And we need your help...

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Robert Prinz reposted

Ken McLeod
@kenmcld.bsky.social

Just submitted a comment for @bikeleague.org on NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, also known as the 5-Star Safety Rating for new vehicles NHTSA says the 5-Star Safety Rating is "the gold standard" but it proposed a standard that is a decade behind its peers and not responsive to bicyclist deaths