Why do cyclists cut to the front of the line at stop signs and red lights?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Portland OR and many many of our intersections have green bike boxes painted at the front of the line of cars at the intersection. It forces drivers to notice you and gives you a chance to get out of the intersection before someone needs to make a right turn and right hooks you and squishes you flat. People die here 2-3 times a year due to right hooks and the bike boxes are helping.

Hmmm. I just noticed in the past few days that a string of green boxes have appeared at the intersection of Connecticut and R (I think) just north of Dupont Circle. Could those be bike boxes like PP describes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Freeman wrote:Wait, you've seen a cyclist stop at a stop sign or red light? I didn't think any of them ever did that unless absolutely forced to.

Yeah, I never see them stop. I've started honking to scare the crap out of them when the blow a light or stop sign.

As a cyclist, the rudest thing you can do is honk at someone who is riding. But, maybe you are trying to be rude. The law states that bikes have the right of way, and that they should take the lane, so they are seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do it because I feel more visible there. Cars pass me regardless. I worry about cars turning right at the intersection not seeing me otherwise.

It causes you to zip into and past people's blindspots. Very dangerous, especially if cars are taking a right turn. Or if you were to pass them on the right and then cut in front of them and they didn't see you while hitting the gas and heading straight.

I pass cars as they're stopped at the intersection. I never pass cars as they enter an intersection because so few drivers signal right turns. I either choose roads with a bike lane, one way with enough room to share a lane, or I take the full lane travelling through the intersection.

[Anonymous]

Why do cyclists cut to the front of the line at stop signs and red lights?

Why do dogs lick their balls?

[Anonymous]

I don't cut to the front, but I know what they are thinking. They think the bikes should hang to the shoulder and let everyone by, and in return they should be able to scoot up along the shoulder when they have the chance. You are passing them and they should pass you, fair is fair.

When there is no bike lane, I take the lane. I sit at a stop and wait my turn behind whichever car is ahead of me.

But then the light turns green, and I get honked at and people gun it to pass me, half the time in a no passing zone.

You can't get mad at these guys hugging the shoulder and riding up to the light, and still get mad at the cyclists who ride in the middle of the lane who don't go as fast as you want. It's either-or.

[Anonymous]

Because they want to run over by drivers who don't see them?

[Anonymous]

I usually stop behind the car in front of me, wait for the light and then continue in the lane, just like a car. That's when the driver behind me honks for me to get out of the way. This happened yesterday. Sometimes, I will stop on the right side of the lane so I can put my foot down on the curb instead of the street. When the light changes, I try to continue in the lane just like a car. Usually, though, the driver behind me pulls up next to me instead of waiting behind me and then goes past when the light changes and honks at me to get out of the way. Happened today. Sure is tempting to just cut to the front of the line at the light and then pull in front of all the cars when the light changes. Drivers will honk either way and at least you have a clear filed of vision at the light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably for a similar reason that drivers check their e-mail at stop lights:

It's stupid and illegal, but they do it anyway because they can and no one has caught them yet.

It's actually not illegal in DC.

[Anonymous]

I love it when car drivers educate cyclists on the rules of the road.

Cyclists are not blocking traffic. We are traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably for a similar reason that drivers check their e-mail at stop lights:

It's stupid and illegal, but they do it anyway because they can and no one has caught them yet.

It's actually not illegal in DC.

What? You cannot use a handheld cell phone or text while driving. Are you trying to make the argument that you are not legally a driver at a stop light?

[Anonymous]

Cyclists are really getting me worked up. I walk to work and have nearly been hit a half dozen times in recent months. Cyclists are allowed to ride on sidewalks outside the CBD. I didn't know this until a cyclist yelled at me to get out of the way. Understand why they want to be on the sidewalk when riding along major arteries such as Connecticut, Mass, New York, etc. Yet these same folks seem wholly indifferent to how they are now imperiling the lives of pedestrians when they ride at 25-35 MPH on the sidewalk. And don't brake when passing old folks or young children. I won't allow my children on these sidewalks without an adult.

[Anonymous]

I am a cyclist and I agree with 23:27. Cyclists are allowed on the sidewalk outside the CBD but they need to yield to pedestrians when using a sidewalk.

[Anonymous]

I commute into DC by bicycle and I am amazed at how many more cyclists there are now than just a few years ago. The problem of sharing the road is only going getting worse. Most of my commute is on dedicated bike paths, but I don't "act like a car"on the road. I am not fast enough to take up a whole lane so I keep to the right. I never blow through the lights in DC - that's just dangerous and stupid. I usually pull up on the right at intersections to go first at the green so I don't get hit by somebody turning right. The streets where DC has desiginated bike lanes really helps with this. Thank you Mayor Fenty! We need more though. And I can't stand how the FBI blocks the bike lanes with their orange cones every day in front of Justice. Oh and all the double parking during the morning rush is a huge problem for us cyclists. That's probably the most dangerous thing I gace every day. Be patient with us, drivers. We are not all lycra- wearing, redlight-blowing tools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably for a similar reason that drivers check their e-mail at stop lights:

It's stupid and illegal, but they do it anyway because they can and no one has caught them yet.

It's actually not illegal in DC.

What? You cannot use a handheld cell phone or text while driving. Are you trying to make the argument that you are not legally a driver at a stop light?

I should have been more clear.

OP asked, "Why do cyclists cut to the front of the line at stop signs and red lights?" You responded that, like driving and texting, it is illegal. But it is not illegal for a cyclist to cut to the head of the line at stop signs and red lights in DC - it is called spawning, and it is legal. Your comparison is flawed.

But I do appreciate the example (one of many, I might add) of things that drivers do that are illegal. And many of them, like texting while driving, endanger others. But the outrage seems to be reserved for cyclists - misplaced outrage in this case, because again, it is legal to spawn up to the fromt of the line.

[Anonymous]

I do it because I can get through faster than most cars, and there's no reason to wait through multiple cycles of lights while waiting for a car to turn when the direction they are turning is blocked by pedestrians crossing the road.

I wait in line when I feel it's safer. But if there's room, and I know I'm going a different way than the car(s) at the front of the line (thank you to those who use turn signals), I'll scoot up front. That way, I'm out of the way, and we are using the roads efficiently since I take up much less space than you do.

I make an effort not to block a car turning right on red. I agree that there has been a tremendous growth in cycling commuters, and we would all benefit from a public safety campaign explaining the rules of and rights to the roads.