Commuting - Running red lights

I often rail against my fellow cyclists because of some of their antics on the road. I, however, consider myself a straight-line, motorist-friendly, predictable bike-commuter.

Of course, I'm also a hypocrite -- I run (or "jump") a serious amount of red lights. Apparently, this is a leading cause of motorists' angst.

So my question is: is there a legitimate reason to run red lights?

I realize that it is of course illegal to do so no matter what, but I still contend that there are situations where running reds is prudent for us cyclists. When safely done, of course.

One such situation is where lanes converge or tighten immediately beyond the intersection -- better to avoid a squeeze situation. Or when the road to the left 'T's, and there's no continuation to the right. Why stop there? (OK, this is not a safety thing.)

Motorists of course don't understand the situation, and it really must burn them up to see a cyclist run a light. But I do it regularly.

I was stopped at a red light, first in line, earlier this week. As I'm sitting there waiting to make a right (and I can't 'cause there's traffic coming), two serious cyclists on nice bikes blew right past me through the red light and assimilated themselves right into this oncoming traffic. I was puzzled at how insane this was for anyone to do let alone two obviously serious cyclists who should know better. I have never run a red light but I have committed a few rolling stops at stop signs. Why take the risk? It far outweighs the benefits of keeping your momentum.

Quick note: I never used to run reds when I began bike-commuting five or so years ago. I gradually started to run lights over time, but again only when it is safely done.

On my commute this tactic saves probably 10 minutes or so. More importantly, in many instances it actually increases the safety of the ride (no fooling).

(One day I'm going to count the amount of lights ... it's probably more than 20.)

It is handy on pedestrian crossings on steepish climbs on busy roads, such as whiteladies road in Bristol, there it is surely safer if the lights change just as you get there and you don't have time to change down gears and the pedestrians are at the other side of the road, to continue rather than stop and make a wobbly start and get hit by a bus.

Hey, I'll take the 10 minutes away from my job - I'll enjoy that time on the street more than I would in my chair!
You know it's coming: "safely" running a red light is a contradiction. As safe as you think it is, it's a dice roll and one day you might crap out. Worst-case scenario, you get hit running a red light. You are at fault. Your hospital stay may not be covered. You could get sued afterwards for a number of reasons. Other people may get hurt. Etc. etc. etc.
To me, 'I'm running the red light to save time' falls into the same category as 'I'm not wearing a helmet 'cause I look funny' and 'I'm going to listen to headphones 'cause I like this song '. I'm not trying to be insulting, please don't take that the wrong way. I simply feel that the risks outweigh the benefits.

Originally posted by Bikes-N-Drums
You know it's coming: "safely" running a red light is a contradiction.

I agree with you. However: take this into "light". On the way into work, I roll down a hill on Markette street. I can see both directions for 2 blocks on the other street. I can see this for about 3 blocks up on my side coming down. With no traffic, I can "run it" and be clean and clear with out problems.

Would you not consider this safe?

Also, on the lights that I make a left turn, that don't change, I sit in the turn lane until A) it's clear, or B) someone drives up behind me.

I agree, it's a risk, but if you caculate your risks correctly, you've handled them.

Is this so wrong?

My feeling is that it's still not a safe thing to do. If you are willing to accept the risks and any liabilities associated with it, then go for it.

I try to always stop at a red light. Now, I´m not a guy that loves rules for their own sake, but because in traffic they help save lives, and create a little order in what would soon be a total caos without rules. But I can understand when someone when in a hurry and alone in the street would rather run red light than wait for a car to get the light to change. Some lights don´t notice a bicycle. Rules are there for our own protection.

Anders K

In my opinion (and this is what I practice,) it's safest to merge into the line of traffic at a red light. When you are behind a motorist, you cannot be "squeezed." As traffic picks up speed at the green light, motorists simply pass you when it's safe to do so.

Once recently, I was positioned first at a red light, on my bike. I was tired. The other light turned yellow. I got ready. Then it turned red. I paused, then started. To my left, a van ran through the red light and would have hit me if I had not been more alert.

Running red lights is a risky business. Don't put yourself at unnecessary risk.

Originally posted by Bikes-N-Drums
My feeling is that it's still not a safe thing to do. If you are willing to accept the risks and any liabilities associated with it, then go for it.

:)

Originally posted by LittleBigMan
In my opinion (and this is what I practice,) it's safest to merge into the line of traffic at a red light. When you are behind a motorist, you cannot be "squeezed." As traffic picks up speed at the green light, motorists simply pass you when it's safe to do so.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm more aggressive a b-c'er than I thought. I always go to the light, bypassing the cars waiting in line. I never merge with traffic at lights. My experience is that merging actually increases my risk because I have fewer "escape routes". Personal choice, I guess.

Unless I misunderstand, if I merged into traffic prior to the red light itself, I'd have to ride with the flow and move over to the right sooner or later. This is because the traffic would pick up speed as it moved thru the intersection. I'd still get squeezed at the narrowing intersection (my example), unless I "took the lane". But I don't believe that taking the lane is called for in this case. (BTW, I have several such intersections on my route. And I have no qualms whatsoever with taking a lane when called for.)

However, by (a) being at the light and (b) jumping the red light before it turns green -- after cautiously canvassing the situation -- and then proceeding, I avoid the line of traffic at the squeeze zone altogether. I simply beat them there. Then, once I pass the narrowed area, I'm free as a bird.

In this way, drivers don't have to worry about passing a bicyclist in a narrowing space (which gets them all flustered), nor do they worry about bicycles in their midst (as is the case when merging).

One other thing: My bike-commute would probably add 15 minutes if I did not jump to the front and occassionally jump the light. But this is secondary. The primary goal (really, honestly) is safety.

There are some red lights I cross, but I never blast pass them.
One is installed at the bottom of a steep hill with a 20m stretch of road BEFORE any crossing. Its a 2-lane merging to 1 layout, and in the evening, the lights always flip against me before I safely cross the junction. rather than be caught against the traffic half way up a steep hill, I make an advance crossing.

Another is downhill, with the lights at a T junction, so Im never going to get pasted from the nearside. Again its a 2-wide lane merging to 1 narrow, with a traffic island, and on several occcasions Ive been half-overtaken and forced off the road by cars. I make an advanced crossing and pick up on the tail of the last guy out of the T.

Both situations are hazardous when legal, and safer when crossed.

My experience is when you don't run red lights or try to squeeze past cars to the front of the intersection drivers tend to respect you more and go out of their way to make room and pass safely.If you do these things they tend to give you less respect and less room taking the attitude bicyclists are unpredictable and don't belong on the road.Plus if you start running lights you tend to start getting in a risk taking mode whether intentionally or not and one miscalculation or unalert moment could prove fatal.So I think its just not a good habit .

Unless there is an emergency, I don't think running a red light is ever justified. Not only is it against the law and risky, it reflects badly on all of us. When I see another cyclist running a red, I call them on it.

Then, again...you probably should not listen to me. I'm enough of a crank to want to see "right turn on red" abolished.

Paul

Originally posted by RWTD
My experience is when you don't run red lights or try to squeeze past cars to the front of the intersection drivers tend to respect you more ...
My experience is exactly the opposite. When I move to the front I command attention. I find this works to my advantage.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not arrogant or anything. It's just that I am very, very visible.

Sure your visible but the cars will move to the right to try to block you from passing and I would be concerned looking over my shoulder for drivers mad because now they have to pass you for a second time instead of just once

Let me amend my posts by saying that if there is plenty of room or a bike lane I will go past cars in line for the reason you stated or to inda shady spot a good curb to stop at.On a crowded road I will not try to push past cars this is what I was saying.

Originally posted by RWTD
Sure your visible but the cars will move to the right to try to block you from passing and I would be concerned looking over my shoulder for drivers mad because now they have to pass you for a second time instead of just once
Sorry, this has not been my experience. I believe drivers are in fact relieved that they don't have to contend with a two-wheeled contraption.

I believe it´s important to act in such a way people don´t get offended in traffic. Therefore I think holding the place in line and not rolling past some cars and placing youself in front is a good thing. Do you like people who try to slip past you in a line? Also obeying the same rules that car drivers have to obey is good for "friendlier" traffic. Treat others in traffic in the same way you want others to treat you:)

Anders K

Originally posted by Anders K
[B]Some lights don´t notice a bicycle.[B]
Forrester says in Effective Cycling that if the light doesn't change for bicycles then it is legal to run it. Anybody know if this is true?

Are you happy to be fined if you're caught going through a red?

Are you happy for motorists to decide which road rules they like and which ones they feel they should obey too?

Should we all decide to follow only the laws we like and ignore the rest? Is it right to ignore the law if we can justify the reason to ourselves?

Sounds like anarchy to me.

(I'll sit here and wait for the flames.:D )

Italicized quotes from MediaCreations:

Are you happy to be fined if you're caught going through a red? Happy, no. Understand, yes.

Are you happy for motorists to decide which road rules they like and which ones they feel they should obey too? My original post acknowledged the illegality of jumping a red (I never "run" a red; only "jump" a red; subtle distinction, but still illegal.)

Should we all decide to follow only the laws we like and ignore the rest? Is it right to ignore the law if we can justify the reason to ourselves? I will gladly violate a law/ordinance if that law jeopardizes my safety. I believe this to be the case in certain situations. However, I readily acknowledge that I am unfortunately violating a law. I'd rather have the ticket than get squished like a bug.

(BTW, I've NEVER gotten a ticket or even a warning in my 5+ years of bike-commuting.)

Am I breaking the spirit of being the law abiding cyclist?? Sometimes, I am moving so well and cycling feels so good; I do not want to stop and unclick.. So what do I do... I make a right turn and ride maybe another 3/4 mile before I turn around. Do this several times, i might add 4-5 miles to my ride..

Originally posted by Andy Dreisch
My original post acknowledged the illegality of jumping a red (I never "run" a red; only "jump" a red; subtle distinction, but still illegal.)

To my knowledge, running a red light is perfectly legal if you have first stopped and ascertained that the sensor is not responding to you. Those are the only circumstances under which I have run a red light (I've ridden at 4.30am before, and there isn't always someone to come along and set it off for me).


Originally posted by Andy Dreisch
I will gladly violate a law/ordinance if that law jeopardizes my safety. I believe this to be the case in certain situations. However, I readily acknowledge that I am unfortunately violating a law. I'd rather have the ticket than get squished like a bug.

So will I. However, I generally find abiding by the law is the safest thing to do anyway, so there's rarely an issue there.

Another thing, if squeezing a bike up to the front of a traffic queue at a red light is illegal, can someone tell me why the Gold Coast City Council have line markings at so many intersections to encourage this practice? I've never thought of it as illegal, given that there is no law prohibiting overtaking in this country.

Originally posted by Andy Dreisch
(BTW, I've NEVER gotten a ticket or even a warning in my 5+ years of bike-commuting.)

I've never got a ticket or warning in my 20+ years of bike commuting. I've also never been squished or felt in danger by stopping at red lights.

I don't want to be overly aggressive in this thread, Andy, so bear with me on this. I just want to make a friendly point.

I have many opportunities to do things on the bike that are not legal from a vehicular standpoint; in other words, if I were in a car, I would never do them. So, in order to make a statement to other road users that I am "one of them," I follow the same rules on the bike, even if it's inconvenient. Overall, they understand me better and know what I'll probably do next.

It's not about my ability to make up rules, but it's about cooperating with all road users. This is ultimately safest, whether cycling or driving.

On the other hand, being on the bike means making some value judgements that aren't in black-and-white in some lawbook, since bicycles are often overlooked in traffic accomodations. But making the decision to ignore traffic rules carries a cost: I am not predictable and others may choose not to cooperate with me. The fact that they may cooperate with me when I "make my own rules" is due to their carefulness around me, but not due the quality of my decision.

Originally posted by LittleBigMan
I don't want to be overly aggressive in this thread, Andy, so bear with me on this. I just want to make a friendly point.
NP. (No problem).

It's funny that it may appear that I'm advocating jumping reds and inciting anarchy. I'm not!! I am definitely not one of those "no cop, no stop" types.

I'm only saying that there are times when jumping a red yields a safer outcome, and only in certain situations (two lights in my 20+ light route). Again, jumping the red and thereby clearing the intersection yields a better outcome for me and for drivers, who don't have to vie for space in a narrowing lane.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that traffic laws provide for a safe experience for all participants. Of course. But I'll continue risking a ticket in those certain situations where abiding by the letter of the law makes for an unsafe situation.

(Wouldn't it be cool if a trafic light had a 10-second flashing green light (or whatever) that allowed bikes to clear the intersection?)

I find that when it comes to my own community, the majority of cyclists will run red lights in the most flagrant fashion. No wonder we get no respect from other citizens, when so many cyclists act like scofflaws.

If I reach a red light, I wait. If I come to the rear of a queue of cars, I wait my turn at the end of the line (usually in a lane position that prevents a motorist from getting alongside me, forgetting me and then cutting me off). At stop signs, I stop, so people can see that there's at least one cyclist in this city who is willing to fulfill his duties.

If all cyclists embraced their duties with as much vigor as they bleat for their rights and privileges, I think we would be better accepted, at least in my community. There's one way to lead... by example. So do it. Be the one that stops at stop signs. Be the one that waits for your green light. Be the one that shows your fellow citizens that some cyclists do have class. It's a reasonable price to pay for the privileges you've been given.

Might I say, I am glad I live in a mostly rural area.. Last time I was in L.A., I saw cyclists on it's west side.. Cycling there looked awful.. Why bother.? Ride and stop one block later at a red light. I would be frustrated as all hell. Might make a cyclist feel like jumping a light...
Why bother. Makes you understand why motorists are so wacked out.. To think you can go somewhere- but can't ..
ps- In fact that is probably the reason I prefer cycling to work.. When driving ,traffic blockages really gets to me.. When on the bike, I can pace myself a little better and backed up traffic and stalled traffic at red lights, seems less annoying..

I must have misunderstood you then.I thought you were saying you ran 20 lights and I was having a hard time seeing this rationalized as a safety issue.While I don't jump red lights out of habit I can see two out of twenty being a safety issue because those situations exist. I usually go wide right and slowy through such intersections letting as much traffic as possible get by and gradually merge in keeping a good look over my shoulder.The situation I am specifically thinking of is the start of a bike lane on a slight curve where the vehicles have a tendancy to ride across the start of the lane.

Originally posted by Andy Dreisch
(Wouldn't it be cool if a trafic light had a 10-second flashing green light (or whatever) that allowed bikes to clear the intersection?)
Great idea. I can't see them ever doing it but it would certainly help matters.

Originally posted by MediaCreations

Great idea. I can't see them ever doing it but it would certainly help matters.

Some of our intersections have an 'ahead' box for cyclists with a lead up cycle lane. They're good in some ways but because the lanes are on the left, if the lights change whilst you're still in the approach lane you're in the wrong position for cars turning left, or for yourself if you want to turn right...

OK, this is an interesting thread. Confession, I run any red light that is not an intersection,i.e if the side of the road I am on is simply continuing and not crossed by anything. This comprises about 70 percent of my lights in central Tokyo. I never merge with traffic, I get to the front and then get away from them if I can. If I am in traffic I often overtake on the drivers side as this means I often have an empty road on the other side I can use if I need to.

I do not think I am taking any risks doing this, in fact I know it is a lot safer.

I think we need to put all this 'law abiding cyclist' stuff away. These laws are made for cars. And so is the traffic system. It is ridiculous to compare cars to bikes in terms of the law.

Cyclists need to claim the road and do their thing, however they can and in whatever way they deem safe. Blowing a (safe) light or overtaking in an empty oncoming lane is not legal but it IS safe. We are such a minority, we trouble no one by asserting ourselves and we are able to commute quickly, which means we can establish a possible bike commuting lifestyle.

Fine but no complaints about SUV's almost running me off the road or cars doing this or that.You are on their road and they are bigger and stronger than you LOL

Originally posted by primeowl

I think we need to put all this 'law abiding cyclist' stuff away. These laws are made for cars. And so is the traffic system. It is ridiculous to compare cars to bikes in terms of the law.


What you don't realize is that by flaunting the law, you are just begging the authorities to put more restrictions on all cyclists.

Don't you think we have enough problems?

When I ride in the street I mainly follow motorist laws. half the problem is that motorists don't understand that the rules apply to ALL vehicles using the roadway. I have to admit though that I use a blend of motorist and pedestrian rules when riding though... depending always on what ever is safest for me at the time. So yeah on these winding campus area streets I will flank cars at intersections to get through stop signs quicker... the further I am from a car the better you know. I don't run reds at intersections but I will from time to time jump to the sidewalk to circumvent the situation. Its all about calculated risks... most of the time I feel I can make the call because I'm paying more attention to cars and pedestrians than they are paying me.

Originally posted by Chris L
Those are the only circumstances under which I have run a red light (I've ridden at 4.30am before, and there isn't always someone to come along and set it off for me).


I agree. There is not really any point to me justifieing to someone that it's ok for me to break the law.

I understand that Bikendrums feels it's dangerous and illegal.

My point of view is that at 530 AM, there are few drivers, I'd have to wait 1 - 3 minutes per light (and there are a steady 4 that I habitually RUN due to the problem of sensors or the ability to see far enough ahead to do this safely). I am fully aware that it's against the law.

Infact, let me say this:

I don't disagree with the intent, execution or validity of the law. Not in any way, shape or form.

If I got popped for doing it, I'd accept the tickette as a punishment for commiting a violation of the law that is perfectly valid. I'd even thank the cop for being awake, and around. Because he/she was probably out nailing people in cars who are commiting violations, or other folks out with ill intentions. If they tickette me a cyclist, it means that everything else is calm. I'm the low man on the totem poll when it comes to Police concern. And likely, if they did nail me for it, it would be because I was doing it in a way that was really, in all reality, so unsafe that I was causing a problem for motorist. And I appreciate that as a wake up call too.

See, sometimes, a simple thing like running a red light when there is ZERO risk becomes a habit. Then, you run it when there is A little risk.. and it becomes you flying red lights with expert timing between carsl, causing them to panic stop, etc. So, a tickette, IMHO would be the wake up call.

I think people are blowing this out of proportion.

#1) it's illegal unless you can't trigger the light (which I'll look up to see if it's true).
#2) you do so at risk.
#3) if you get hit, it's darwinism.
#4) It's stupid if you endarger lives of motorist.
#5) you make a bad name for cyclist if you do it where it causes safter problems.

Consider all 5, make the call, and do what you will.
Reality will be the judge.

Originally posted by RWTD
Fine but no complaints about SUV's almost running me off the road or cars doing this or that.You are on their road and they are bigger and stronger than you LOL

Listen RWRD, don't make statements like that. It's akin to racial profiling, or whatever.
I drive an SUV with HUGE tires.
I don't run cyclists off the road.
And to boot,

IT's OUR road. Mutual. Shared.

Originally posted by LittleBigMan

What you don't realize is that by flaunting the law, you are just begging the authorities to put more restrictions on all cyclists.

Don't you think we have enough problems?

If we brake the law, and they create a stricter law, what's the problem in that?

I'm not trying to flame your or anything, I'm just curios as to what problem you see with Society or City Council's in general reacting to a problem we create as a problem in general. It's not a matter of more restrictions, I don't think. I mean, if we run a read light, are they suddenly gonna say "you have to wear pink". Most law creating boddies are reactive rather than proactive. What "more" restrictions are you refering to?:confused:

Originally posted by Andy Dreisch
(Wouldn't it be cool if a trafic light had a 10-second flashing green light (or whatever) that allowed bikes to clear the intersection?)

They do here. It's called a yellow light.

I generally go with the flow of the traffic generally following road rules. This makes the trip predictable and I don't have to worry about fighting traffic or calculating risks.I rarely merge with traffic but I think that is more a function of the types of road I ride on.I also sometimes take sidewalks for safety reasons and then I'll still follow the rules at intersections.When I take a sidewalk I'll stay on it and not jump on and off which I view as unpredictable and dangerous. If I have to take a sidewalk to get past traffic that is when I will just maintain my place in line at the edge of the road .For what its worth I generally don't have problems with vehicles thinking I don't belong on the road and generally don't have problems myself with vehicles being on the road.I don't strictly commute as I work at home but I don't own a car and use a bike for all transportation which results in commuting type milages.Let me say I am just giving my opinion and not trying to make anyone defensive or change any opinions.I never call out cyclists running lights. I just ignore them same as I do vehicles driving by too close or otherwise trying to provoke a reaction .I prefer to save my energy for cyclng.I will say cyclists running read lights is one of my pe peeves which is probably why I got drawn into this thread.

Originally posted by William Karsten

What "more" restrictions are you refering to?:confused:

There are some roads around here where cyclists have been banned completely.

William I don't recall accusing you of trying to run anyone off the road but do recall thread on this board of bikers complaining of SUV's trying to run them off the road.My point to primeowl(not you)was if you concede the road and rules to vehicles and take a kaikazi approach you have no basis for such complaints

Originally posted by RWTD
William I don't recall accusing you of trying to run anyone off the road but do recall thread on this board of bikers complaining of SUV's trying to run them off the road.My point to primeowl(not you)was if you concede the road and rules to vehicles and take a kaikazi approach you have no basis for such complaints

Problem being, of course, that these drivers don't have the intelligence to discriminate. If they find that one cyclist has annoyed them, they'll generally take out their frustrations on the next cyclist they see.

Originally posted by Chris L


There are some roads around here where cyclists have been banned completely.

Chris,

I apologize. We live in different countries. My experiences are completely different than yours, I probably could have figured that out had I looked a little below the gorilla. In context of your situation, I have no clue, so I was wrong to even ask. Sorry.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Am I breaking the spirit of being the law abiding cyclist?? Sometimes, I am moving so well and cycling feels so good; I do not want to stop and unclick.. So what do I do... I make a right turn and ride maybe another 3/4 mile before I turn around. Do this several times, i might add 4-5 miles to my ride..

This is commonly my solution as well. I am not a regular commuter, but do virtually all of my riding on streets. The added distance is no big deal when out for the exercise. I frequently make 2 right turns with a U turn to end up going straight ahead.

In any case however, I generally will do nothing which might take a driver by surprise, especially if it is actually illegal. "Better late than never" I suppose.

Carl

Originally posted by RWTD
William I don't recall accusing you of trying to run anyone off the road but do recall thread on this board of bikers complaining of SUV's trying to run them off the road.My point to primeowl(not you)was if you concede the road and rules to vehicles and take a kaikazi approach you have no basis for such complaints

Well, I kind of took offense to the "suv driver" comment. Perhaps I shouldn't have. I get criticized often for what I choose to drive, and the result is that I get a bit defensive. Some people are a little bit un informed.

Funny story: There is an enviromental group that likes to put "I'm changing the enviroment: ask me how" to protest the "unneeded excess of an SUV". One of these semi - terrorist put a sticker on the hood of my SUV to "protest me". We were out in the Anza Borrego Desert. His comment when I caught him in the act "You're out tearing up the wilderness here, and poluting the enviroment". I was pretty angry, but didn't want to make a scene in front of friends. Some of my friends are a little lynch mobish so they would have taken joy in a fight or doing something bad. And there is a lot of damage out there from the off road crowd.

Around 7pm that night on the way back to camp, I drove by him, and he was in a bad way. He had run out of water and was dehydrated to a pretty scary point. He had been wandering around looking for people to sticker all day and got lost in one of the washes.

I gave him my entire camel bag of water, some gatorade, bananna chips and took him to the Salton Sea Gas station with out so much as an "I told you so". It was a quiet ride.

I wanted to yell at him, but I thought the point was taken. He got into the car that was waiting for him (a Lady who looked REALLY worried). The car stopped, he got back out, came and tried to pull the sticker off my jeep, and gave me a big tearfull hug and said thanks.

I've never felt so humbled in my life.

The point is, sob story aside, that grouping people together is an idiot thing to do. Motorist do it when they claim "all cyclist do this" and we can do the same to Motorist about thier actions. There are good and bad with all groups. All we can do is set the right example, as much as possible.

Perhaps the worst thing I do when I "safely" run a red light is set a bad example or image for my fellow cyclist. This, is probably the thing that makes me reconsider most.

William I personally have no problems with SUV's and notice they actually tend to be the about the most curtious drivers on the road toward bikers as a large percentage of them tend to be bikers themselves .I agree with the grouping concerns you express and I generally don't take an us vs. them approach to cars when cycling of course sometimes you need thick skin to maintain this approach.I also don't like hearing the complaints of vehicles doing this or that and was basically only saying I thought he had lost any basis for making such complaints.Truthfully though I probably reacted a little too rashly in my statements to primeowl and I apalogize to him for that.

It is a question of safety you really do not know what is going to happen. But more importantly it is also pretty arrogant to decide that because I am on a bike I can run red lights. You most likely would noy run any of those lights if you where driving a car. I to o roll stop signs but I am always prepared to stop and yeild to the traffic when they have the right of way. But a red light is a red light and usually I catch up to those who run red lights so it really doesn't save you any time.

last September, I was touring with cycling friends down California's Central coast. Think we were in Arroyo Grande, Calif. when my cycling partner decided to run throgh a left turn arrow, that had just turned to red. I didn't.
Well, in rear view mirror, I saw the cop car. Mike didn't. ( I would not run arrows with on-coming traffic anyway, Mike wanted to stay up with the group._)
So Sheriff deputy gave MOI a bunch of crap about "I could turn left, when ever I felt like it. !" Why me.? Had I talked back to the cop, I suspect Mike would have gotten the ticket. I Was good to Mike that day.. Because, I did not like the cop giving me a bunch of crap for Mike's actions..
So moral of story, why did not the cop chase after Mike? Mike took a risk -traffic was coming on quickly. Are cops sometimes too lenient on cyclists? I would have chased down Mike,had I been a cop. Guess I take my responsibilities too seriously !