As a lot of people in the free-world knows, just as some people in the oppressed-world know, bad laws need to be challenged before they change. World history has shown that progress is made when people make personal sacrifices and time spent in jail before the tide turns.

So we hope your day in court will come and the red-light law is stricken down once and for all.

I agree laws need to be tailored to cyclists. But I'm personally not in the habit of chasing down cyclists (or drivers or pedestrians) who break rules. I pay taxes to pay cops for that job.

Why do traffic lights seem so much longer when you're on a bike? It's like a time warp...


ETA: I'd never presume to tell anyone how to ride. It won't change them one bit, it'll just piss you off when they tell you to mind your own damn business. :D

...says the guy who has his sig full of prevention mantras.

Huh?

Which of my signature quotes contradicts what I posted?

Just shake your fist and yell, same as you would in a car. Keep the yelling clean, never know when kids are listening.

It's like being in the gym and telling everybody how to do the exercises properly.

Or beats you with their frame pump. Which you (not you) would deserve. I mean... really... wondering if you should chase down a cyclist who ran two lights to tell them it was wrong? The sad thing is the number of posters who feel chasing him would be an appropriate response. Ir isn't. Neither is hoping it will all catch up with him and he will get flattened by a droop snout Kenilworth for his scofflaw antics. You may be waiting a LONG time. I still haven't been hit yet. I haven't counted, but I'm sure I'm in the several thousands of stopsigns and red signals blown. In fact, a red signal at the top of a 'T' is my favorite kind of red light to blow. Peds are your only concern there... and, if you're wondering, I've never, ever hit a ped. Ever. Scared one or a few, for which I am very, very sorry. I'm sure it is more than balanced out because I have been scared many, many times. Not always by peds, but sometimes.

It may not look like it to an observer, but the cyclist streaking through an intersection at top speed has, in fact, checked that it is clear of cross traffic. Count on it! If this were not so there would be dozens of cyclists hit daily, but this simply isn't the case, is it. Of course not. That cyclist is in control of the situation as much as one can be in such a situation and has likely even considered the possibility of a late arrival to the party from a driveway or drive-thru and probably has an escape line in mind should the present configuration of cars in the vicinity change. Where I live now, it isn't cyclists that you have to worry about. There is always a car or two sneaking through, after a signal has gone red. There are a LOT of cyclists in Portland and my wife is blind. She has lived for most of her life in places where cars respect traffic laws. In Portland she has had to completely re-learn how she crosses streets and has to wait an extra beat after lights change to avoid being hit by the one or even two red light runners that aren't going to be cyclists! In NYC cyclists run reds all the time. Its just how we roll. I hear its the same in Chicago. Portland has as many or more cyclists on the road as NYC but only a tiny fraction, a tiny fraction, run reds. Get some Portland cyclists together and the subject of reckless Portland cyclists will come up sooner or later.

It just completely flummoxes me is that cyclists worry so much about what other cyclists do! Seriously... if a motorist flies through a red light at high speed he can cause quite a mess and change lives for ever. It happens several times daily in cities all over America. It isn't a huge topic on Automotive Forums and it isn't a huge topic on Cyclist Forums. The behavior of cyclists on the other hand occupies Drivers Forums and Cyclists Forums in roughly equal measure and both groups feel that cyclists deserve death or worse for their willful flouting of traffic statutes... ... hmmm.... just, hmmmm.

When driving, have you ever checked your blind spot carefully before changing lanes and then see someone directly behind you after you've changed lanes and you wonder why you didn't see him before? Or have you ever entered an intersection after checking it was clear and then suddenly see someone right behind you? In both these cases have you ever wondered if you did check carefully or if the driver did suddenly zoom in from behind?

I was making a left turn in a busy downtown street. As the light turn from amber to red I was preparing to go but didn't because I was looking a cyclist right in the eye sincerely deciding if we was going to run the red - and that's after he saw me jerk and stop.

I would not bet that there probably has been more than one occasion where others were more observant than you. And that's part of the reason why you had never had a collision when running through reds.

My wife got pulled over for cruising a red at 6:30 in the morning with no traffic around.

All it takes is one cop being a butthead...

Back in the late 70's I made most of my spending money in the winter coon hunting (late teens) I was common for coon hunters to turn their headlights off for a second to see if if a truck was coming on the cross road , then blow on through if they didn't see lights. Two trucks turned their lights off and on at the exact same time. 2 died the other two will never be the same I knew all 4 It only takes once to ruin you life.
Also you may have looked and have a plan, but I see people blow through crossings on hard curves that there is no way you can see far enough to be safe .
As I said in one of these threads about the only way I will say something is if you buzz a grandmother or a youngin' to close and or fast or put me into evasive action.
Roy

Unbelievably rare in my city and I'll frame the citation if I ever get one.

I almost got into a collision when i was stopped (in my bike) at the light. A pack of cyclists planning to run the light turned up 1 second before it was green. I was startung to pedal and came within inches of getting hiton both sides by several cyclists. I had to stand still until the back passed. None of them had bells or other warning devices. It was really scary, they were going 20+mph. The road was straight so it wasn't like I was invisible.

Tgis was in a bike lane surrounding a lake front MUP. Near misses are quite often as most cyclists do not stop at stop signs in the area. The side streets have little traffice, but the bike lane is in the door zone and there are lots of pedestrians on a sunny afternoon. There is usually a good amount of car traffic, so you can't suddenly take the lane. It is my least favorite bike route although the scenery is nice. Too many hazards from both cars and bikes. Its too bad, as there is a lovely farmers market every weekend.

Red light, cars in close proximity = stop
Red light, no cars (or the law) close by = double check for cars again, after slowing, and roll through
Intersections with sensors are tough. If it's busy, shouldn't have to wait too long before a car comes along to trip the sensor.

Should this be a rule for everybody or should everybody have their own interpretation?

Almost $300...

I'd appear and see if I could negotiate a lower fine. Most judges do not fine bicyclists as stiffly as motorists for similar offenses, though you never know.

I would, too. This was before my wife and I met so she did not have the benefit of your and my tenacity...