Originally Posted by
wphamilton
Here it's only $70, and no points on the driving record. Like a parking ticket. Even with cameras, Roswell only prosecutes "flagrant" violations.
Personally I wish that they'd actually enforce it and increase the penalties. Everyone else has to wait on these scofflaws. Anyone else in or approaching the intersection is placed in just a little more danger. Why should we allow the the scofflaws their selfish convenience at the expense of the law-abiding citizens?
For what it's worth, In Milton ( 8 miles north of Roswell ), it's $200 for running either a Stop or a Red, including a 'rolling' stop.
Now that said, I fall into a middle camp. Full stop at every sign and light can be tricky, particularly for newer riders that are still struggling a bit with balance issues, so while I think the scofflaw approach is disrespectful and selfish, I have absolutely no problem with what I call a conditional rolling stop.
Approach an intersection slowly, deliberately and fully prepared to stop, while observing any potential cross traffic risks. About half the time, drivers at the intersections will wave the cyclist through, or there will be no traffic and it is safe to proceed, again, calmly and deliberately.
Now that said, I personally have gone to a stop at every intersection/light policy, and I do take the lane if there is no shoulder or bike lane. I will quite happily sit there with traffic, and accelerate with the cars slipping to the side on the other side of the intersection. If it is a 'clear' intersection, I will come to a full stop, for about 1 second, without clipping out before accelerating through an intersection. That particular method has indeed landed me on the side of the road having a pleasant discussion with a Milton Vehicluar Tax Collector & Revenue Generation Officer.
On a side note, when an officer pulls you over and asks you if you know why you were pulled over, the response "you thought I looked dead sexy in my spandex" is not a great conversation starter, especially when the officer is male, and you are a 200 lb male as well.
Anyways, his contention was that I had not come to a complete stop because I did not put a foot down. My contention was that according to federal definitions (GA does not actually codify a definition of a complete stop that I can find), my wheels did in fact come to a complete stop, and that my speedometer did show a 0. He issued the citation. We went to court. I demanded his dashboard video as evidence. Upon review, the citation was dropped, as video showed that I did stop, however briefly. The judge did gently suggest that I put my foot down, but there is no legal requirement to do so.
My point is this. The letter of the law is subject to interpretation and enforcement by officers and judges. We have the option to practice civil disobedience, but have to understand that it comes with a risk.If we want change, that civil disobedience is pretty much worthless without an organized message and in channel advocacy for changes.
Riding like a scofflaw, and posting to a bike forum about doing so is worthless, pointless, and childish. Working with your local bicycle coalition (or starting one if you don't have one), working with your local media and organizing safe demonstrations of why change is needed would actually have a point. Everything else is just another rider being a selfish and disrespectful person presenting a bad image to drivers that will only recall the negatives when they see other riders.