Originally Posted by
cvall91
Since the group is rather large, stopping half the group and trying to regroup after every light would be a mission. We stop when the light is already red or turning red. If it is green, we go as normal. If the light happens to turn red while we are still crossing, we signal to the drivers to let them know, and this only takes about 5-10 seconds to finish crossing.
This issue seems pretty obvious to me. If you are in this group, the light turns red before you enter the intersection and you see several police standing on the side of the road, past the intersection you are about to enter on a red, ticket pads & pens out & ready... do you stop or blow through the red light? If you stop, you do so because you know that blowing through a red is illegal, regardless of your group size & the inconvenience of regrouping after the light turns green. If you don't stop you can enjoy the ticket.
When I'm driving a car I have an expectation that when a light turns green I have the right of way to enter that intersection. I yield that right to police, ambulances, firetrucks & funeral processions. I do not yield that right to groups of cyclists. They should have no expectation that their need to stay in a single group overrides the law regarding stopping at red lights. If I enter an intersection on a green in the midst of such a group of cyclists and 3 or 4 t-bone my car I fully expect that they will be charged with breaking the law & pay for my car repair.