DeadheadSF

It's probably the high degree of smugness and sense of entitlement in the city's population. Since it's gentrifying so quickly, you need to be rich to live there, so... what the rich want, the rich get. So if you're slowing down some rich old bastard in a Mercedes because your bicycle is "blocking him", expect to get run down OR expect him and his ilk to start leading a charge against cyclists in general.

To be fair, I see a LOT of stupid behavior by cyclists in the city. Very rarely to do they follow the traffic laws. Riding through stops, wrong side of road, weaving and swerving across lanes are all very common activities. I guess the cyclists own sense of smug entitlement blinds them to the fact that precisely this sort of behavior is what the cagers use to fuel their rage and give it some hint of justification.

work4bike

From what I can tell, that seems to be common everywhere, certainly is everywhere I've been. Funny how us cyclists want to be seen a part of traffic, but exempt ourselves from the rules of the road that all the other traffic must abide.

Doohickie

Maybe, maybe not. It's a judgment call, and more often than not, the court sides with the cop as an expert in such matters. If the cop simply claims that the cyclist could have stopped after the light turned yellow, the cyclist loses.

prathmann

Not if the judge follows the clear wording of the California Vehicle Code. There is no violation if you enter the intersection on a yellow light even if you "could have stopped." A violation only occurs if you cross the stop line and enter the intersection when the light is already red.

If the testimony of the cop is that the cyclist entered the intersection on a yellow but should have been able to stop then the court should immediately dismiss the charge. And even if a judge may mistakenly rule against the cyclist, such testimony would provide him with grounds for a successful appeal.

Doohickie

Perhaps the laws vary by state then. Yes, if you enter the intersection on yellow, you can't get a ticket for running a red light, but I once got a ticket in Michigan for running a yellow light with my car. Frustratingly, it was equivalent in fine and points to running a red light.

kalliergo 

In California, the CVC quite clearly specifies that the only function of a yellow phase is to signal that the next phase will be red. The only "red light" violation consists of entering an intersection (legally defined as crossing the limit line with any portion of the vehicle) after a light turns red.

Michigan law is indeed different, and effectively gives cops the discretion to decide whether proceeding on a yellow is legal:

bandit1990

Very well said. Thanks.

unterhausen

speak for yourself. When I riding my bike, I generally observe the law much more closely than the motorists I see. I'm amazed there aren't gun battles as bad as drivers are around here. I think they should consider calling Pennsylvania the "brake check state"

Doohickie

Yeah, well they got me. It was years ago though.

kalliergo 

Especially appropriate nickname to place on rear license plates.

Digital_Cowboy

I find it funny how some think that it is perfectly alright to cherry pick the laws that they will and won't obey. As well as how they'll b!+(h and moan about how motorists should do this or do that. Yet, they fail to see their own hypocrisy when they run red lights or stop signs. Or ride against the flow of traffic, or ride at night without lights.

If we want motorists to follow the law than we as legal, and legitimate road users must also follow the law. Otherwise we are in reality no better than the motorists that we speak out against.