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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Was I only one who thought their anecdote actually demonstrated that biking is often just as good if not superior to driving in a relatively small, congested area? By their own admission the cyclist was making just as much, if not more, progress than they were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Was I only one who thought their anecdote actually demonstrated that biking is often just as good if not superior to driving in a relatively small, congested area? By their own admission the cyclist was making just as much, if not more, progress than they were.

Yeah, I think that's the true reason for the annoyance. How dare this person on a bike be going as fast or faster than me in my car?! “Why don't you buy a car, loser!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwAJGxkdfxk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Was I only one who thought their anecdote actually demonstrated that biking is often just as good if not superior to driving in a relatively small, congested area? By their own admission the cyclist was making just as much, if not more, progress than they were.

Yeah, I think that's the true reason for the annoyance. How dare this person on a bike be going as fast or faster than me in my car?! “Why don't you buy a car, loser!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwAJGxkdfxk

I'm almost always a bike rider, but I had to drive and pick up a friend the other day and was getting so annoyed by how slow everything was. Thankful that this city is no longer building car - first infrastructure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Was I only one who thought their anecdote actually demonstrated that biking is often just as good if not superior to driving in a relatively small, congested area? By their own admission the cyclist was making just as much, if not more, progress than they were.

Yeah, I think that's the true reason for the annoyance. How dare this person on a bike be going as fast or faster than me in my car?! “Why don't you buy a car, loser!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwAJGxkdfxk

I'm almost always a bike rider, but I had to drive and pick up a friend the other day and was getting so annoyed by how slow everything was. Thankful that this city is no longer building car - first infrastructure!

Even out in suburbia, as a lady person of a certain age on a bike from a yard sale, there are lots of places where I've gone as fast or faster on my bike than people in their cars and trucks. We're together at the red light or stop sign, they gun it and speed ahead, I pedal along, I catch up to them at the next red light or stop sign, repeat repeat repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Was I only one who thought their anecdote actually demonstrated that biking is often just as good if not superior to driving in a relatively small, congested area? By their own admission the cyclist was making just as much, if not more, progress than they were.

Yeah, I think that's the true reason for the annoyance. How dare this person on a bike be going as fast or faster than me in my car?! “Why don't you buy a car, loser!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwAJGxkdfxk

I'm almost always a bike rider, but I had to drive and pick up a friend the other day and was getting so annoyed by how slow everything was. Thankful that this city is no longer building car - first infrastructure!

This is the real problem here, the expectation of speed vs the reality. Modern cars can easily hit 100+ MPH on the highway, and many people spend extra for vehicles that are even faster. But because of traffic, they can get passed by people on bikes, and sometimes scooters. Its a violation of expectations.

You also can't really build your way out of congestion. Cars are big and getting bigger, don't move many people (~1.5 people per vehicle) and require massive amounts of infrastructure space (roads and parking).

Its really insane when you think about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Ignoring stop signs and all other traffic laws is a real time saver!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are bikes allowed to ignore every single traffic law?

Legally, no.
But the law is rarely applied, and sometimes it's safer for cyclists to cross an intersection when cars have stopped.
Perhaps you're not mature enough to understand this, or the fact that there are a ton of laws in every state that for various reasons are not enforced.

It's not that it's safer for cyclists to go through stop signs and traffic lights -- that's obviously crazy. It's that it would suck if they had to stop and start at every single intersection. That would be really tiring and be so slow.

The worst is when it's rush hour, and you have a slow biker blocking traffic, but due to oncoming traffic it takes you forever to pass them. You finally get past, then hit a red light, and the biker blows by you again as they completely disregard the light, and then you are stuck driving 10 mph yet again as you struggle to get around them once again in traffic.

Yes--this is absolutely the worst. Happens all the time- not just during rush hour. Some cyclists behave as if the rules don't apply to them.

If you're in traffic, how much of an advantage are you really thinking you will gain by swerving around a biker between traffic lights?

By definition, when you're in traffic, you're being held up by other people in cars. "The traffic was terrible" means lots of cars in your way, slowing you down. But somehow it's that person on a bike who's the real problem...

Ignoring stop signs and all other traffic laws is a real time saver!

I mean, no, it's not. That's why you're stuck in traffic, and why it isn't any faster to drive than to go by bike.

[Anonymous]

The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

No, that's just not true.

When I'm driving, and I'm stuck behind four (or eight, or whatever) other cars at a stop sign or red light, I have to wait for each of those four (or eight, or whatever) cars to go through the intersection before I can go.

When I'm bicycling, and there are four (or eight, or whatever) other cars waiting at the stop sign or red light, I can ride next to the cars to get to the front of the line. I don't have to wait for those four (or eight, or whatever) other cars to go before I can go. I can go as soon as I've stopped at the stop sign or as soon as the light turns green.

[Anonymous]

^^^and this annoys drivers who think it's somehow not fair that bicyclists can "jump the line." It may or may not be fair, I'm not interested in discussing that question, but the important point is: it's legal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

No, that's just not true.

When I'm driving, and I'm stuck behind four (or eight, or whatever) other cars at a stop sign or red light, I have to wait for each of those four (or eight, or whatever) cars to go through the intersection before I can go.

When I'm bicycling, and there are four (or eight, or whatever) other cars waiting at the stop sign or red light, I can ride next to the cars to get to the front of the line. I don't have to wait for those four (or eight, or whatever) other cars to go before I can go. I can go as soon as I've stopped at the stop sign or as soon as the light turns green.

Yes exactly. Cars are faster in an absolute sense but they are not more efficient in traffic so they lose some of the gains when there are other cars around. It take longer and uses more space to start and stop four cars than it does to to start and stop four bikes. Also there is nothing wrong with bikes filtering forward when they have the space- if you are driving and pass a cyclist then you are taking advantage of your speed in a car. When a cyclist then passes you they are taking advantage of their size to move forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

Cyclists don’t want to obey stop signs because it’s too physically taxing to constantly stop and start like a car and it will slow them way down.

But if they’re going to be killed in a place like Washington DC, it’s probably going to be at an intersection by a driver who never saw them coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

Cyclists don’t want to obey stop signs because it’s too physically taxing to constantly stop and start like a car and it will slow them way down.

But if they’re going to be killed in a place like Washington DC, it’s probably going to be at an intersection by a driver who never saw them coming.

Nobody wants to obey stop signs.

However, people on bicycles obey stop signs at least as much as people who are driving.

And of the bicyclists killed in DC in the last few years, as far as I know, precisely 0 were killed while failing to stop at a stop sign by a driver who was somehow unable to see them. The bicyclist most recently killed in DC was killed by an oncoming speeding hit-and-run driver who crossed the center line mid-block.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

Cyclists don’t want to obey stop signs because it’s too physically taxing to constantly stop and start like a car and it will slow them way down.

But if they’re going to be killed in a place like Washington DC, it’s probably going to be at an intersection by a driver who never saw them coming.

Its also the reality that signals and signs are to control cars. If there were no cars on the road, bikes and pedestrians would not have to stop. They move at a human scale, and existed just fine without controls prior to cars being everywhere.

Without controls, cars crash into each other, busses, trains, cyclists, pedestrians and even buildings. We "punish" other forms of transportation because of how out of control cars get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason cyclists can go faster than drivers is because drivers are stopping at stop signs and cyclists are not. How is that a good thing? It’s against the law (look at the specifics of how Idaho stops are supposed to work) and it’s really dangerous. I drive and can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to slam on the breaks to avoid some idiot on a bike flying through an intersection where they absolutely did not have the right of way.

Why do you need to slam on the breaks if you are coming from a complete stop? How fast are you accelerating?