ultra-g

On my way to work, I ride down Queens Blvd. into Manhattan and at one intersection a cop in a patrol car motions me to go over to him, he chewed me out for the entire red light (about 2 minutes).

"You're an accident waiting to happen... I been watching you for 4 blocks, running red lights and weaving around the cars... I don't know where you're going but you don't have to be in such a hurry... One of these cars is gonna run over you and I'm gonna have to do the paperwork..."

I just nodded and said "Ok.. OK" luckily he was probably too lazy to actually write me a ticket. After the light turned green he just said, "Stop for the red lights OK? Have a good morning" and drove off.

boyze

I think you got double lucky - some good advice and no ticket.

Mr. Shadow

It only takes one bad crash to change your mind (and split your head.)
Ride safely...if not for you, do it for the rest of us please.

roadfix

It is illegal to run red lights.

bostontrevor

That's a nice cop.

I'm no alter boy about reds. If they're clear in all directions from which traffic may approach, I'll blow it. But most cops won't do anything for cyclists. Not only did this guy tell you that he didn't want to see you smeared, but he didn't even write you up once he went to all the effort of making the stop.

In my experience, most have a live and let die attitude.

fixedfiend

You should have told him, "Officer, how can I possibly stop for all the red lights if I don't have brakes?"
heh.

ssmaniac

My mom used to ride like that. Then she broke her face. Now she rides intelligently.

Poguemahone

Pick up a book called Effective Cycling, by John Forrester, and give it a read.

Fixies are superb in traffic; one reason is the ability to trackstand at a stop. Look at reds as an excuse to practice this technique, amazing all the poor fools in cages about you. Watch as they back off in fear of your manly prowress. Laugh at their insignifigant weakness.

Like Boston T, I'm not perfect about reds; I'll go thru one, but only after I've stopped to ascertain everything is clear and only if the light is on one of the @#$%ing magnetic triggers that a bike won't set off-- not even the steel frame behemoths I ride. Otherwise, I'll practice a stand.

lucklust

Cops hate me. I've gotten two bike speeding tickets, one on a fixed.

kurremkarm

Call and find out how much running a red counts in your town, then think about how much you saved.

I run reds too, mostly at 2 am heading home from work. Other times i try and obey the law.

I own effective cycling and it has some good ideas in it. I agree about acting like a car and about using the street rather than a bike lane. Wichita is so confused:

1. It is against the law to ride downtown.
2. The spend federal money by declaring our sidewalks as bike lanes (rumor, prolly true.)
3. Drivers here hate cyclists.
4. Legally we have the same rights as cars.
5. Bike cops ride on the sidewalk-- which the law says they and nobody else can do.
6. Everyone here rides on the sidewalk, even though it's illegal downtown-- not me though.

I think instead of a budget for bike lanes they need a share the road budget.

Oh well, how is this single speed specific again?

arcellus

maybe i have a death-wish, but i think half the fun of city riding is weaving in and out of cars and blowing lights when everybody else has to wait.

*waits for safety/advocacy lecture*

NYCBM

Peds "run" red lights all the time. If theres no cars crossing i dont see why a biker cant cross.

bostontrevor

It's not legal for peds to cross against the light either. They get away with it. It's not as much of a hazard because a) drivers are looking to the sidewalks with a certain degree of expectation for that sort of violation and b) they're generally going slow enough that they have plenty of opportunity see what's coming up on them.

Bikes are vehicles, not pedestrians. Further, both assumptions are severely eroded. I'm not saying I don't run reds (in fact, I said the opposite), but your logic doesn't hold up. By that logic anyone should be able to run a light, ped, cyclist, or motor vehicle.

miles305

i have to agree that the pig was actually being cool and looking out for your well being. you shouldn't whine about it. i have had way too many civil rights violated for simply walking down the street with a shirt off exposing too much ink and melenin in my skin. when the the cop detains you for several hours, kicks your head in, with no reason because, and i quote "i have a badge and theres nothing you can do about it" and say's he doesn't like your kind, then you can complain. until then thank the cop next time you see him.

shokhead

Running Red Lights. Dumb.

manboy

Well, I generally see red lights more as places where I should pause. However, as previously noted, a bike won't set off the sensor that a lot of lights have. I also don't think that lights are designed with a vehicle the size of a bike in mind. If you can keep to the right against a curb, for instance, as people are turning left, I have no problem with it. Of course, I'm not advocating it, I'm just saying it's not as terrible as it might seem.

Still, it seems like in metropolitan areas, bikes can get around faster than cars anyway.

slvoid

Nice Greg, Nice.
I would've done the same, just nodded and OK'ed him to death.
OTOH, my experiences usually involve the fuzz waving me THROUGH reds. More than once I get to a stop where it's absolutely dead and a police car pulls up and crawls through the red as if to say "follow me." The other time, I was at a light and a cop car approaching the intersection from a side street (he had the light) stopped and motioned me through. Maybe cause I look like a ****** on the bike and they felt sorry for me hehe.
I've been down queens blvd before, the riding gets hairy but lots of cars to draft behind and they're all moving at a pretty good clip.

glomarduck

I stop at all reds unless its absolutely bullet proof that i can go without a. hitting people or cars, or b.getting hit and the only thing about stopping at reds is I some times space out then get honked at.

bostontrevor

I've been honked at before FOR stopping at a red. Not missing the green or running a red or even stopping on a yellow. No, for coming to a complete stop at a red light. It's happened more than once. Apparently people are proactively annoyed at how slow I'm (not) off the line.

IronHorse

I've been shouted at by another cyclist for not running a red light.
How f***ed up is that?

operator

Really depends on the situation.

bostontrevor

Not really. Other cyclists can take an interest in you if you break the law. But if you decide to obey, well that's none of their business. (except in the unusual circumstance that it puts in you danger)

I'm out. Too much computer, not enough riding. Later.

Jumbo

It's simple - Allways look back when running a red light.

bostontrevor

I got stopped just now on my way home.

Mr. Motorcycle Cop was parked on the left, dude in big green SUV was to his right waiting to turn left at a red. I crept between mr. suv and mr. popo (wits about me at all times, thanks). Paused to consider serene stillness of the red traffic light and went through. The intersection was clear, so whatever.

Midblock past the intersection and I hear the cop on my right. Not sure what he said but I think it was something about "you on the bicycle". See, I was also illegaly wearing my earphones, so I couldn't really hear him. Anyhow, I pulled 'em out and made to pull over thinking how I would be like one of three cyclists to ever actually get cited for running a light. After he paces me for a while, he keeps going. Well I catch up to him at the next stop and he turns to me again and says, "What I said is, 'What's that tattoo on your leg?'"

I told him it was my dog and we chatted about it for a bit. He complimented me on it and left. It was so strange that I hung out there for about 15 more seconds before I realized that it was a stop sign and there were people stopped behind me.

skitbraviking

Yea, dude. You got lucky and he was a nice cop. He even showed he cared in that funny way that tough guys show they care.