Originally Posted by
nkfrench
Really! This is the first I've heard of this one, it's a good thing I have that bell on my bike.
I have encountered horses being ridden on bike routes/MUPs here, and the riders do appreciate it when the cyclists call out a warning and slow down before passing. I never want to spook a horse.
Back on topic: by following the laws, traffic is more predictable, less chaotic, and presumably safer and less stressful for all. The "everyone else does it" argument belongs to gradeschoolers.
And to traffic engineers. The 85% speed rule for example. The main point being, traffic is more predictable when everyone is following the same
rules, not the "laws" such as stopping on the highway at the city limits. In most cases it's the same thing, most people are prudent drivers and are following the laws. That doesn't mean that devotedly following every law will make traffic more predictable and safer. There are many examples proving the truth of this - you can see it for yourself if you want to. Try driving one mile per hour under the speed limit in the left lane of a multi-lane highway, and never move out. You're obeying the law, anyone going faster is violating the law. But if you won't yield to faster traffic, then you're disrupting traffic and causing a potentially hazardous situation. And could be ticketed in fact.
btw, I think it's also still illegal to carry fencing wire cutters in your glove box.