GravelMN

Survey finds bicyclists and motorists ignore traffic laws at similar rates | Public Radio International

This doesn't surprise me at all as it is the attitude of the person, not the mode of transportation that determines behavior.

Dave Cutter

Yeah I saw that piece. I searched.... and can't find a single word about the author, Robert Boos. That distracts from any credibility, even though he apparently tried to bolster cred by filling in with quotes from "a PHD Wesley Marshall". PLUS he mentions (throws in at the end)..... the Netherlands. Like that's all cyclists need to hear to take notice.... is something positive about a hereditary monarchy where the king has ordered the nations subjects to ride bicycles.

I-Like-To-Bike

Have you heard about that "Google" thing?
Robert Boos | People | Minnesota Public Radio

Dave Cutter

Thanks! Yeah... targeted piece to me. I see no reason to put any faith in it. He obliviously is just publishing... no expert himself. And his quoted "expert" is a traffic engineer. Neither seem expert in Sociology.

And I think his conclusion hints that all we really need is some life controlling family of dictators..... to make us all safer. Shows this is just an opinion piece.

Daniel4

I'm not sure what your point is.

Are saying that you violate traffic laws as much as any motorist and cyclist (which is what the survey says)? Or are you saying to get rid of all traffic laws and regulations?

howsteepisit

Boos is just reporting, Marshall is the researcher who did the survey. So it makes sense to quote the PhD since he authored the darn thing. As far as the reference to the Netherlands, it a statement of how safe it is, regardless of the form of government. And why would you have to be a sociologist to survey public self reporting of adherence to traffic laws? Seems like a researcher in traffic engineering could handle that competently.

Dave, you should eat some Wheaties and go back to bed, seems like you got up on the wrong side today. Agineering could handle that competently.

Seattle Forrest

I don't understand why bus (public transit) drivers are allowed to run red lights with impunity in every city I've lived in. They do it as a matter of routine. If a light just turned red during rush hour, the bus will always run the light and sit in the intersection, blocking traffic for a whole cycle until it's able to move.

youngbull

you could even drive it under the subway!

genec

Doesn't surprise me at all... humans are the main cause, no doubt.

Of course the vast vast difference between a motorist running a red light and a cyclist running a red light is easily explained when one is asked "which one would you prefer to hit you."

Dave Cutter

I think compliance is subjective. Unless the King decides.

Of course not! But I would be willing to donate some effort and risk to help rid a nation of a socialist dictator.

Dave Cutter

Yes. A (PHD) traffic engineer making a comment on the social behavior of people. Not exactly his field... IF Boos reporting is even close to what was said in the interview.

Really?!?!? Than you've spent time in the Netherlands and/or have knowledge of the safety there? I am NOT familiar with their excellent safety record.

I am fine. Actually maybe you missed your coffee this morning. You don't seem on top of the subject. The article is fluff. It has nothing of use.

Daniel4

Actually it is very useful. It supports the 2012 survey by Consumer Reports listing the top gripes of motorists and the 2015 Expedia Road Rage Report. Any motorist complaining about cyclists only need to look at these two reports to know cyclists are at the bottom of their list of worries and their behaviour is no different from the average motorist.

Cyclosaurus

Traffic engineers are in the business of controlling human behavior. That's what is behind the design of roads, traffic control devices, etc. I would hope and expect a good traffic engineer would have insight into the sociology of motorists.

Details here. The graph below puts the safety numbers in perspective.




I have to disagree. One of the major obstacles to addressing anti-social behavior of motorists is the argument cyclists are rampant scofflaws. This report demonstrates that to be false.

genec

It is my humble opinion that scofflaw cyclists become scofflaw cyclists due to the anti-social behaviour of motorists... IE, it is the cyclists reaction to how motorists treat them as NOT fellow users of the road, that makes for scofflaws.

JoeyBike

I know personal observations aren't worth diddly around here but here goes:

I have been cycling AND driving since I was 15 years old. Most PEOPLE do whatever they think they can get away with on roadways. Pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists pretty much do whatever they feel like doing at the moment if the risk of getting caught is low. There are a few folks out there who behave themselves like little angels, but they are in a small minority.

As I have written here many times. Get on the freeway in an automobile at rush hour and drive the EXACT speed limit and see what happens.

I posted the results of an experiment here on A&S last year. Wife and I did a 30 mile drive on I-10 counting cars passing us vs. cars we passed while setting the cruise control on the speed limit plus 2 mph. Hundreds passed us, we passed ZERO. I could have driven 5mph over the limit and had identical results. I am not surprised by the results of the OP "study" whatsoever.

Hokiedad4

Exactly. Cyclists know police are primarily there to enforce rules for cars, so we'll happily ride through stop signs and whatnot knowing there's little chance of a ticket, something we would never do in a car.

Cars, on the other hand, are far less likely to drive on the sidewalk or wrong side of the road thinking "it's safer".

Daniel4

Either I see it or it's reported in the Toronto traffic reports regularly.

Dave Cutter

So.... guess you've never visited there huh. I have real problems buying into the credibility of stats issued by some Monarchy.
I know it's easy to forget that the Netherlands isn't really anymore than some tiny little outdated Kingdom. The stats only represent what the King wishes others to see.

I don't read the who's who of Kings and Queens.... but last I heard the King today was only one generation away from the King.... Anne Frank feared.