spare_wheel

Let?s talk seriously about why cyclists break traffic laws - The Washington Post

Chris516

What about all the motorists' who are speeding and/or driving drunk and/or blowing through red lights and/or honking their horn to make people get out of the way.

The only ultimately bad thing about scofflaw cyclists'. Is that they are putting their own life in danger by breaking the traffic law.

kickstart

Same old song and dance... Looking for justifications to excuse behaving badly happens on both sides of the fence, any discussion will merely be a reflection of an individuals biases.

spare_wheel

Did you read the article?

Maybe bad behavior is only bad behavior because it violates norms that do not apply to people who cycle.

genec

FIFY

Funny how the Idaho stop laws seem to "fix" much of the problem.

spare_wheel

Yes it would.

dynaryder

Around here,we try to avoid reading WaPo bike articles;they tend to just be click bait. And never,never,read the comments section.

Edit: I know the guy in the photo,that's Coach. He's one of like two messengers that use trailers.

JoeyBike

Interesting how the cyclist scofflaw behavior gets talked about as "problems" with possible "solutions". Makes me laugh every time.

Here is what I need when it comes to cycling in a city grid. It's really EASY, CHEAP, and INSTANT. Here it is: Stop worrying about what I do. MYOB!

So there, just like that, my entire city is bicycle friendly! No money spent on road diets, bike lanes, sharrows, striping, signage, or anything else. It would be nice to get some smooth surfaces to ride on - a situation that benefits ALL road users. Other than a smooth surface, feel free to begin ignoring me immediately. I don't need any help or any judgements out there.

As for motorists sharing the roads with me, please sober up and try looking out through the windshield now and then. Maybe signal your turns. Leave the house with plenty of time to get where the Hell you are going. Oh yeah...mind your own beeswax.

kickstart

Yes, its just the predictable tripe expected from those trying to justify their behavior, and not limited to cycling. Everybody wants to think they're special.

kickstart

Its the same for cars, pedestrians, commercial vehicles, public transportation.....There are those who behave badly in all user groups, and there's somebody focusing on one or all to suit their agendas...... Maybe there would be fewer busybodies if there were fewer jerks.

Perhaps if we were all willing to be as critical of ourselves as we are of others, everybody would be better off.

genec

Your method doesn't work for everyone. I expect a certain amount of cooperation from other road users when I am riding. Taking a lane in high speed traffic requires that I am not ignored. Making a left hand turn and merging with traffic demands that I am not ignored.

On the other hand... I also don't expect motorists to cooperate... I ask for cooperation and acknowledge when I get it.

spdracr39

I just do everything I can to ride safely without inconveniencing car traffic anymore than necessary. I do roll through stop signs and red lights if there are no cars present and there is plenty of visibilty. If there are cars around I stop because I do not want them to get the impression cyclists ignore the law. I think the biggest problem between cyclists and drivers is that the drivers do not understand why we do the things we do and they take offense when we take the lane and blow stops. If everyone would ride friendly it will encourage more tolerance from drivers. There will always be some that are eternally angry at the world however and that cannot be fixed.

spare_wheel

Except in the article the argument was that many cyclists run lights because it feels safer than interacting with the tangle of traffic that occurs when the light turn green.

Is trying to cycle safely really a justification of bad behavior that results from a belief that one is "special"?

spare_wheel

IMO, you are in complete denial. I do advocacy work and many, if not most, of those who are vociferously opposed to cycling simply dislike/hate sharing the road with cyclists. Moreover, the underlying motivation is, IMO, not cyclist scofflaw behavior but a dislike/hate of people who are "different" and/or violate societal norms.

gregf83 

Incorrect in most circumstances. I ignore frequently ignore traffic laws, however, I never put my life in danger or do anything to increase my risk.

kickstart

Yes, because its BS.

When I take liberties its because I want to, and it fits my desires, no lame excuses will change that, I can be just as safe when I obey the law.

kickstart

I will agree with that, but those people represent a tiny minority, and they shouldn't be who we base our perceptions and actions on lest we become just like what we abhor about them.

kickstart

That may be true for you, but many if not most scofflaws I see, be they pedestrians, cyclists, or drivers, act selfishly in an aggressive and careless manner, and I'll bet they feel their actions are safe and justifiable too.

genec

My mother in law used to state the same dislike for cyclists... in spite of the fact that I am one... her big reason was simply that cyclists made her driving task more difficult... to her cyclists were small swarming beasts that were hard to dodge and tended to just get in the way. She was in great fear of accidentally hitting one simply because they were too hard to notice all the time.

She has passed on now, but I suspect that this sentiment may be one carried by many older drivers... or drivers "too busy" to want to deal with yet something else on their road.

When I drive, I am keenly aware of cyclists... because I do look specifically for them... but I can imagine how some motorists might think... just looking out only for other CARs may be more than enough of a task for them.

gregf83 

95+% of the cyclists and pedestrians I see behave in a safe manner while ignoring many traffic laws.

Perhaps your definition of a sofflaw is different? Something more akin to the downtown city couriers who completely ignore all traffic laws.

Pretty well every cyclist I've ever seen from young to old ignores some traffic laws. I seldom see anyone doing anything that would be considered unsafe however.

kickstart

Absolutely correct, I don't mean to imply every deviation from the law is scofflaw behavior. A scofflaw is someone who believes their desires place them above the law, and will do things that have a negative impact on others, and/or inappropriate for conditions.

spare_wheel

Treating stop signs/signals as yields is one of the primary examples given of cyclist scofflaw behavior. How exactly does treating stop signs/signals as yields have a negative impact on others?

PaulH

When they fail to see me on the bike and hit me.

spare_wheel

That's not yielding.

PaulH

It's an interesting and useful piece. I have always found the motivations of these people a mystery, and they have seemed not fellow cyclists, but alien beings. She offered an explanation -- that people feel certain non-standard procedures are safer for them. Now, I don't share Ms. Badger's feeling that red light running feels safer -- hell, it's hard for me to do a right on red. That pisses off people when I am driving, but I am not inclined to let me bully me -- I'll do what is comfortable and feels safe. That's exactly the motivation reported by Ms. Badger, so I get it.