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Old 10-16-07, 02:44 PM
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zeytoun
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Location: Portland, Oregon
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Bikes: 1975-1980 SR road bike

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following the rules of the road makes the cyclist less likely to make a mistake (if nothing else because violating the rules of the road is often already making a mistake), and it also makes a cyclist less vulnerable to a motorist's mistake.
False.

Following the "rules of the road" sometimes makes a cyclist less like vulnerable to a motorist's mistakes. Sometimes it increases vulnerability.

For example:

-careful filtering (counter to the rules of the road) can make a cyclist less vulnerable to being rear ended.
-beginner cyclists are probably less vulnerable to motorist mistakes if they do a pedestrian left turn, rather then trying to cross several lanes of arterial traffic
-many cyclists are probably less vulnerable to motorist mistakes if they choose to ride on the sidewalk of a bridge, if it has a slippery metal surface on the car-traveled section.
-many beginner cyclists are probably less vulnerable to motorist mistakes if they ride on an MUP, using due care at intersections
-on sections of freeways where cyclists are permitted to ride, cyclists are safer when they ignore destination positioning, and instead exit at each offramp, regardless of whether they are continuing on.

As Rando astutely pointed out once, (paraphrasing slightly) Cyclists fare best when they recognize that there are times when acting vehicularly is not the best practice, and are flexible enough to do what is necessary as the situation warrants.

For many of us, this is a daily, frequent occurrence.
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