Originally Posted by
jpatkinson
Spend one day in San Francisco on your bicycle. If you follow all the traffic laws perfectly, you will piss off a few motorists (I have had bus and car drivers honk at me for coming to a stop sign, yelling "Just go!" out the window in one case 2d ago). If you blow stop signs (and quite a few red lights), you will piss off quite a few (more) motorists, as is reflected in the (unscientifically significant) anti-bicycle rants about the "horrible cyclists" in SF every time a cyclist gets run over (usually by a right-hooking truck).
Living here 10 years: a significant majority of cyclists in SF blow stop signs (no change in pace), jump red lights, and pass on the right (which drives me F*ing nuts). I believe these behaviors contribute to a broad local perception that "every cyclist" has a death wish. And, as a consequence, I DO believe this -- in-turn -- decreases the respect given by non-cyclists to cyclists, and increases the relative danger I face each day I choose to commute by bicycle. For my daughter's sake, I hope I am wrong. - JP
I've also spent some time in SF and I would have to say I nearly completely disagree with you that the majority disregard lights and stops, but I do agree with you that it is a problem, and that it is not worth just sweeping under the rug which seems to be a common thing around here. Funny how people cherish living in a relatively safe society until is comes time for them obligate themselves philosophically to the same standard which keeps their society safe.