Originally posted by manderax
It is less about saving a few seconds and more about keeping moving... keeping the momentum going... and not sitting at the light inhaling tailpipe fumes.
That's why you pass the other cars in the queue and get to the front of the light. In any case, if time is so important, why ride a bike at all?
Originally posted by manderax
And sure, Chris L., I wouldn't do this in heavy traffic where I would be dodging tons of cars to make the U. But in low-to-moderate conditions...
In low to moderate conditions, the cars are likely to be travelling much faster, especially if they're trying to reach the green light on that side before it changes to red.
Originally posted by manderax
And I am suprized how many riders are saying they don't do things "because it is illegal". C'mon, I mean how often have you cut a corner through a parking lot, and jumped that quik curb to make that shortcut?
Never. Having seen the way people behave in parking lots around here, picking myself up off such a parking lot after being "hit" would negate any time saving of cutting through. The same goes for jumping curbs and colliding with pedestrians.
Originally posted by manderax
One of the reasons I love commuting is the agility and freedom of the bike. Road laws were written for big, cumbersome, clunky cars, then they took those and said, "ok, this applies for bikes, too". Well, bikes fall into a much grayer area. We don't need laws telling us exactly how to behave on a road. Riding is much more organic, less structured, and hence, should be more unregulated.
Wrong. The rules are written for all road users. They have been around longer than cars have. The only exceptions to this are those that are written into the laws (such as passing traffic on the inside) as being specifically for bikes.
Originally posted by manderax
Stop signs are a perfect example. I commute through a residential section that has a stop sign about every two blocks. At each intersection, I am very safe, I slow to a reasonable speed, look both ways, and cruise through. But I am not going to bring my bike to a complete stop every two-hundred meters. That would be silly.
Fair comment. However, there is a valid reason as to why some intersections only have stop signs and others have more expensive traffic lights.
A
Originally posted by manderax
If I am riding, and I want to turn around, and I think it to be safe, then dammit, I will turn around. Wouldn't you?
In a word, no.