Originally Posted by
Zomar
I don't think that going through red lights is a dangerous act in cycling, assuming you look both ways and slow down as appropriate. I think that motorists overtaking and passing cyclists is a WAY more dangerous act, and we get overtaken, often by angry/annoyed/speeding/distracted motorists, every time we ride. I've been buzzed way more than I've had close calls while running redlights, and I run lights every day.
Focusing on running red lights or obeying laws or whatever from a safety perspective is silly, in my opinion, because WE ARE NOT A DANGER TO OURSELVES. Cars are dangerous to us, and they are constantly doing unsafe actions around us. The less cars cyclists are around, the safer we are.
The idea that running red lights is inherently dangerous is non-sensical. Obviously safety conscious people don't run ride through a red light if it is more dangerous to do so than stopping. Politics and Advocacy aside, running a light is without a doubt often MUCH safer than waiting amongst motor vehicles, particularly in urban environments.
So would it be ok for cars or motorcycles to do the same....slow down and look both ways and then go? If not ok for cars....it is not ok for bikes
The problem are numerous problems on of which is the simple slippery slope, some bicyclists will look very closely and then go when they think it is clear.....but as time goes on and they get comfortable, the look less and less closely, increasing risk.
Other cyclists will never really slow down and look carefully....just blow the light
What is always missed is the unintended consequences..... you run a red (iillegal) and miss the seeing a vehicle legally crossing with the green.....what happens? Maybe you get hurt or killled......and the driver suffers ongoing mental health issues (real thing look at what happens with train engineers when some one does something stupid and dies under a trrain) or the driver swerves to avoid you and hits something or someone else. Bottom line running a red can have some serious consequences to other people
There is no justification for running redlights that is not simply selfish and narcissistic. all the other excuses are just rationalizations.