Think cycling examples don't matter to drivers? Think again.
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Tom (ex)Builder
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Think cycling examples don't matter to drivers? Think again.
I was on the way home yesterday from a grocery run, in my evil SUV. I was waiting on the light in the left turn lane while cross traffic had the green. From the opposite direction comes a cyclist, more accurately a rare breed of cyclist around here; a roadie. He approaches the light, clears traffic, and procedes to blow through the light.
When I got my green arrow (as did the car on the opposite side) and started to move to turn, the vehicle coming straight from the opposite side ran through the red light and almost creamed me.
I tend to watch how drivers behave around cyclists, and this driver was sitting there directly watching the cyclist, and he had more of an amused look on his face than an angry one. Despite that, as soon as there was another automobile moving, he followed the cyclist.
When I got my green arrow (as did the car on the opposite side) and started to move to turn, the vehicle coming straight from the opposite side ran through the red light and almost creamed me.
I tend to watch how drivers behave around cyclists, and this driver was sitting there directly watching the cyclist, and he had more of an amused look on his face than an angry one. Despite that, as soon as there was another automobile moving, he followed the cyclist.
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Thanks for the post. That's an excellent reason not to run a red.
It's just like crossing on a red as a pedestrian. You may know what you're doing, but the guy who follows your lead without looking could be in a lot of trouble.
It's just like crossing on a red as a pedestrian. You may know what you're doing, but the guy who follows your lead without looking could be in a lot of trouble.
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twahl, is your title based on the novel "Pillars of the Earth"?
#4
Cycle Year Round
So it was the cyclist fault, that the motorist that almost creamed you, was too stupid to actually look at the traffic signal?
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So what's your point? That cyclists should be held to a higher standard than the jackholes piloting land yachts?
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Isn't illegal to run a red light on a bike? I see a lot of people doing this on bikes, and I wonder if it is giving us a bad name. I wonder what the people do when they see a bike in the photos that are taken to snag people who run red lights?
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Ya... running red lights on a 25lb vehicle is a bad thing.
So is speeding thru residential neighborhoods in a 2000lb bullet.
You don't see car centric forums lamenting about scofflaw members lighting up rubber.
#9
Prefers Cicero
I almost caused an accident myself to a school kid about 10 years old. I reached an intersection on foot, and the light was about to change, so I impatiently stepped from the curb and then stopped since the cars were still coming, and she saw me step into the street and started across and I had to yell at her to stop.
My dad had an aquaintance who hated cab drivers and tried to deliberately get them in accidents, by starting forward at red lights when he was next to them.
#10
Cycle Year Round
In part, yes. We can all get suckered from time to time. I've seen several examples of people mindlessly starting to follow someone else who is crossing against a red or whatever. Sure it's their own fault, but the other person contributed to their error.
I almost caused an accident myself to a school kid about 10 years old. I reached an intersection on foot, and the light was about to change, so I impatiently stepped from the curb and then stopped since the cars were still coming, and she saw me step into the street and started across and I had to yell at her to stop.
My dad had an aquaintance who hated cab drivers and tried to deliberately get them in accidents, by starting forward at red lights when he was next to them.
I almost caused an accident myself to a school kid about 10 years old. I reached an intersection on foot, and the light was about to change, so I impatiently stepped from the curb and then stopped since the cars were still coming, and she saw me step into the street and started across and I had to yell at her to stop.
My dad had an aquaintance who hated cab drivers and tried to deliberately get them in accidents, by starting forward at red lights when he was next to them.
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Frankly since most motorists drive in some illegal manner some way most of the time, perhaps motorists should "worry about their own house" before ragging on other road users.
In fact the next time some motorist brings up the "running red lights issue," just ask if they drove the speed limit or less that day, all day.
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And it's a fun number.
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#14
Prefers Cicero
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The elephant in the room is the demand-triggered traffic signal which does not respond to bicyclists.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
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But I do agree that the demand-triggered light may cause appearances to be one of a cyclist running a light.
I know more then once I have left such a light after a mandatory wait, only to have a motorist pull up moments after I am into the intersection. I would suppose in the mind of that motorist, I am a scofflaw. (BTW while sight lines are such that indeed I can see approaching motorists, I cannot tell which ones may or may not chose to slip into the LTOL at the last second)
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In part, yes. We can all get suckered from time to time. I've seen several examples of people mindlessly starting to follow someone else who is crossing against a red or whatever. Sure it's their own fault, but the other person contributed to their error.
I almost caused an accident myself to a school kid about 10 years old. I reached an intersection on foot, and the light was about to change, so I impatiently stepped from the curb and then stopped since the cars were still coming, and she saw me step into the street and started across and I had to yell at her to stop.
My dad had an aquaintance who hated cab drivers and tried to deliberately get them in accidents, by starting forward at red lights when he was next to them.
I almost caused an accident myself to a school kid about 10 years old. I reached an intersection on foot, and the light was about to change, so I impatiently stepped from the curb and then stopped since the cars were still coming, and she saw me step into the street and started across and I had to yell at her to stop.
My dad had an aquaintance who hated cab drivers and tried to deliberately get them in accidents, by starting forward at red lights when he was next to them.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#18
Prefers Cicero
Fortunately when we get older we outgrow our dangerous games.
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So, in Idaho, a cyclist must come to a stop at a red light, but can proceed through the intersection if there's no other vehicles nearby with right of way.
Personally, I think this is a good law...it encourages cycling, and legalizes what is often common practice.
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a 78 mustang weighed in at 2900lbs, an 94 mustang (actually the same size) weighed 3900lbs.
I've noticed many people on bikes that blow through reds, always made me wonder what (if anything) they had going through their minds.
Ken.