Are bikes allowed to go through red lights on major roads?

[Anonymous]

Don’t know about MacArthur blvd, but on virgina avenue, and g street, signs indicate that bikes follow pedestrian signal, which usually turns green before the light for cars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did enjoy the first two people immediately responding no just because they reactively dislike all things bikes do

Are you a member of the groups who ride their bikes 3 abreast while traveling 20 mph on a two lane road? Such thoughtful riders!

I commute solo, mostly taking bike lanes. Sometimes I have to ride with cars and there also allowed

PP here. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine what it would be like if cycling was actually popular in DC?

PARIS — On a recent afternoon, the Rue de Rivoli looked like this: Cyclists blowing through red lights in two directions. Delivery bike riders fixating on their cellphones. Electric scooters careening across lanes. Jaywalkers and nervous pedestrians scrambling as if in a video game.

Sarah Famery, a 20-year resident of the Marais neighborhood, braced for the tumult. She looked left, then right, then left and right again before venturing into a crosswalk, only to break into a rant-laden sprint as two cyclists came within inches of grazing her.

“It’s chaos!” exclaimed Ms. Famery, shaking a fist at the swarm of bikes that have displaced cars on the Rue de Rivoli ever since it was remade into a multilane highway for cyclists last year. “Politicians want to make Paris a cycling city, but no one is following any rules,” she said. “It’s becoming risky just to cross the street!”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/02/world/europe/paris-bicyles-france.html#:~:text=In%20Paris%2C%20parts%20of%20the,bike%20lanes%20weave%20through%20traffic.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.

The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.

Morons.

[Anonymous]

It is pointless for a bike to be stopped at a red light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biker here. My rule of thumb is to roll through red lights and stop signs PROVIDED that it has no effect on any traffic that would normally have the right-of-way. If a car has to slow down (or jam on its brakes) because I'm crossing against the light then that's a big mistake on my part. However, sometimes the most efficient path is to roll through a stop sign if the driver to my left or right is starting to slow for a stop - by the time they are actually stopped, I'm long through the intersection and they can actually get going more quickly than if I come to a complete stop.

There's some simple physics also. It's a PIA to get a bike going again after coming to a complete stop. If you have to do that every block, it gets really bad. Better for everyone if I slow down, verify that there is no oncoming traffic, and then keep the momentum going.

The real answer right here.

Bicyclists don't ignore stop signs because of cockamamie arguments about how it's somehow safer to ignore traffic safety laws.

They ignore stop signs because physically it's too tiring for them to have to constantly stop and start their bikes.

Those are all weak arguments for them. Some of them are arrogant and entitled too. I've had cyclists yell at me as a pedestrian with right of way at a crosswalk when they were supposed to yield. Given I also ride (but do follow laws) it's embarrassing to have fellow cyclists who do stupid things.

Some of the most self-entitled a-holes I’ve ever met in this town are bicyclists. In other cities I’ve lived bicyclists were a pretty chill group. Not here in DC. Arrogant and entitled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biker here. My rule of thumb is to roll through red lights and stop signs PROVIDED that it has no effect on any traffic that would normally have the right-of-way. If a car has to slow down (or jam on its brakes) because I'm crossing against the light then that's a big mistake on my part. However, sometimes the most efficient path is to roll through a stop sign if the driver to my left or right is starting to slow for a stop - by the time they are actually stopped, I'm long through the intersection and they can actually get going more quickly than if I come to a complete stop.

There's some simple physics also. It's a PIA to get a bike going again after coming to a complete stop. If you have to do that every block, it gets really bad. Better for everyone if I slow down, verify that there is no oncoming traffic, and then keep the momentum going.

The real answer right here.

Bicyclists don't ignore stop signs because of cockamamie arguments about how it's somehow safer to ignore traffic safety laws.

They ignore stop signs because physically it's too tiring for them to have to constantly stop and start their bikes.

Those are all weak arguments for them. Some of them are arrogant and entitled too. I've had cyclists yell at me as a pedestrian with right of way at a crosswalk when they were supposed to yield. Given I also ride (but do follow laws) it's embarrassing to have fellow cyclists who do stupid things.

Some of the most self-entitled a-holes I’ve ever met in this town are bicyclists. In other cities I’ve lived bicyclists were a pretty chill group. Not here in DC. Arrogant and entitled.

Don’t like it? Move.

[Anonymous]

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biker here. My rule of thumb is to roll through red lights and stop signs PROVIDED that it has no effect on any traffic that would normally have the right-of-way. If a car has to slow down (or jam on its brakes) because I'm crossing against the light then that's a big mistake on my part. However, sometimes the most efficient path is to roll through a stop sign if the driver to my left or right is starting to slow for a stop - by the time they are actually stopped, I'm long through the intersection and they can actually get going more quickly than if I come to a complete stop.

There's some simple physics also. It's a PIA to get a bike going again after coming to a complete stop. If you have to do that every block, it gets really bad. Better for everyone if I slow down, verify that there is no oncoming traffic, and then keep the momentum going.

The real answer right here.

Bicyclists don't ignore stop signs because of cockamamie arguments about how it's somehow safer to ignore traffic safety laws.

They ignore stop signs because physically it's too tiring for them to have to constantly stop and start their bikes.

Those are all weak arguments for them. Some of them are arrogant and entitled too. I've had cyclists yell at me as a pedestrian with right of way at a crosswalk when they were supposed to yield. Given I also ride (but do follow laws) it's embarrassing to have fellow cyclists who do stupid things.

Some of the most self-entitled a-holes I’ve ever met in this town are bicyclists. In other cities I’ve lived bicyclists were a pretty chill group. Not here in DC. Arrogant and entitled.

Don’t like it? Move.

Don't mess with the Lycra Lobby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

Do you have any examples of actual harm to children or are you just making up hypotheticals? With such rampant recklessness taking place there must be many examples to draw upon. However, it would be simple to post countless examples of children who died in local traffic collisions recently. Would driving your kids to school also be considered reckless endangerment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

Do you have any examples of actual harm to children or are you just making up hypotheticals? With such rampant recklessness taking place there must be many examples to draw upon. However, it would be simple to post countless examples of children who died in local traffic collisions recently. Would driving your kids to school also be considered reckless endangerment?

ITT let's blame a few cyclists commit the heinous offense of riding bikes with kids for all of the ills of the world while ignoring the fact that automobile accidents were long the #1 cause of death for kids between 1 and 18, only very recently overtaken by gun violence. Cool beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

Do you have any examples of actual harm to children or are you just making up hypotheticals? With such rampant recklessness taking place there must be many examples to draw upon. However, it would be simple to post countless examples of children who died in local traffic collisions recently. Would driving your kids to school also be considered reckless endangerment?

Children in cars who are in accidents are protected by government approved car seats, thousands of pounds of steel and multiple air bags.

Children on bicycles who are in accidents are protected by...their parents' good intentions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

Do you have any examples of actual harm to children or are you just making up hypotheticals? With such rampant recklessness taking place there must be many examples to draw upon. However, it would be simple to post countless examples of children who died in local traffic collisions recently. Would driving your kids to school also be considered reckless endangerment?

What do you think is going to happen to children on bikes if they're hit by a car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And yes, I wish police would stop drivers who run red lights as well, but I was shocked at these biking parents putting their children at risk like that.


The city is turning a blind eye to the danger cyclists put children in. It is appalling.

Maybe it's arrogance and entitlement by bike "advocates" who are trying to prove a point. But sometimes it crosses the line into reckless endangerment of a child or even several children.

Do you have any examples of actual harm to children or are you just making up hypotheticals? With such rampant recklessness taking place there must be many examples to draw upon. However, it would be simple to post countless examples of children who died in local traffic collisions recently. Would driving your kids to school also be considered reckless endangerment?

Children in cars who are in accidents are protected by government approved car seats, thousands of pounds of steel and multiple air bags.

Children on bicycles who are in accidents are protected by...their parents' good intentions?

Do you really think that a typical car accident is equivalent to a typical bike accident? Oh, unless you mean a car hitting a bike which is probably due to the reckless driving of the person in the vehicle (they know they’re “protected” by their thousands of pounds of steel and multiple airbags, after all)