stop signs and traffic lights
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It's people who run red lights & disobey traffic laws who give the rest of us cyclists a bad name - and gives the anti-cycling lobby a stick to beat us with!
This!!!!
In addtion to the obvious laws that cyclists should be obeying on each and every ride we do for your own safetly, and the safety of motorists - think about what you are doing out there on the bike! If you wouldn't do it in a car, don't do it on a bike.
Additional benefits of obeying hte law by stopping: Every stop I do provides a chance to practice clipping in and accelerating once the light is green (race start practice), and every stop sign gives me the chance to accelerate after stopping with a track stand (good practice for singletrack riding/racing).0 -
The lights are there for a reason - damn right they should get pulled over if they disobey traffic laws!
It's people who run red lights & disobey traffic laws who give the rest of us cyclists a bad name - and gives the anti-cycling lobby a stick to beat us with!
I disagree. If it is safer for the cyclist to cross a intersection during red then he or she should do so. I'm not advocating blind disregard to the light and laws; however, there are sometimes when waiting for a green light is more hazardous to cross a intersection with traffic then when it is totally clear and other traffic are behind red.
I had this conversation with my cousin who is a detective (on police force for 20+ years) he agreed most officers would be on the side of the safest time to cross a intersection. Especially in the case where I live where there are no pedestrian signals, bike lanes, etc.
If a cyclist or pedestrian slows to yield to traffic and crosses when clear & safe there should be no repercussion to this IMO. I have several cycling buddies who are lawyers (and represent bike law type cases) I will bounce this theory off them as well.0 -
The lights are there for a reason - damn right they should get pulled over if they disobey traffic laws!
It's people who run red lights & disobey traffic laws who give the rest of us cyclists a bad name - and gives the anti-cycling lobby a stick to beat us with!
I disagree. If it is safer for the cyclist to cross a intersection during red then he or she should do so. I'm not advocating blind disregard to the light and laws; however, there are sometimes when waiting for a green light is more hazardous to cross a intersection with traffic then when it is totally clear and other traffic are behind red.
I had this conversation with my cousin who is a detective (on police force for 20+ years) he agreed most officers would be on the side of the safest time to cross a intersection. Especially in the case where I live where there are no pedestrian signals, bike lanes, etc.
If a cyclist or pedestrian slows to yield to traffic and crosses when clear & safe there should be no repercussion to this IMO. I have several cycling buddies who are lawyers (and represent bike law type cases) I will bounce this theory off them as well.
Good luck with that theory. A law is a law. Red light means you must stop - no matter what your "theory" is....
http://bikeleague.org/content/state-bike-laws-0
Here's the Louisiana specific law on the books for stopping at lights and stop signs on a bike...
"Louisiana does not provide any modifications to the requirement to come to a complete stop when directed to stop by traffic control devices and does not authorize bicyclists to disobey traffic lights that fail to detect bicyclists.
In Louisiana bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in Title 32 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application."
Source: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§32:1(92); 32 §1940 -
Another reason that I wouldn't want to live in Louisiana. In Pennsylvania you are allowed to proceed through a red light after a complete stop if your vehicle will not trip the light sensor. This provision relates specifically to motorcycles and bicycles.0
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Good luck with that theory. A law is a law. Red light means you must stop - no matter what your "theory" is....
A law is not a law in New Orleans (especially when most police don't even know we have 3-foot law for passing). No such thing as jaywalking around here. I've been hit by a car once in my 20+ years of cycling, and the dude that hit me paid my medical fees in full (and paid for a new bike). Least he could do since he ran a red light and was drunk.0 -
Speaking of NOLA law--a buddy of mine was a messenger after Katrina and was stuck in the city when things got bad afterwards. Some crooks were trying to get into his place and he was able to fight them off. Ended up finding up a cop on the street and upon telling him about it, the cop suggested stealing a car to get out of the city!!!0
