Traffic Light Poll

HellonWheels said:

>>>

What I hate is when they make us stop...its so much easier to stop and start in a car!

I'm beginning to believe that the lights can spot a cyclist. This is especially true for lights at the bottom of a valley. They hit you with a yellow to bring you to full stop then let you start the climb from a dead stop. If you're running a stopwatch, plan on seeing a lot of red.

jmcmillanut said:

I think cyclists should be held to the same traffic laws as motorists. Hand signals, stopping at traffic lights, stop signs, etc. When a few cyclists disregard traffic laws, it makes us all look bad. Sure, cyclists have the right-of-way, but they shouldn't flaunt it. The only justifiable reason to go through a red light is when the traffic lights are not setup to detect cyclists.

When you obey the traffic laws you will always be in the right. If some dumbass hits you, you will have legal recourse. If you are blasting through stop signs and traffic lights, good luck to you if you end up injured.

I completely agree with you. Cyclists should obey traffic laws. I always stop at traffic lights, stop signs, etc. Motorists hate to see cyclists break laws because our "vehicles" are small enough to go around them.

skillerv said:

cars are powered and can stop easily therefore it should be them that stop for us. its alot easier for them to get up to to speed then us.

that is the truth

This is a fairly small town with very straight roads and very little traffic during the time I'm usually riding. Also, the traffic signals are not designed to pick up bikes. If I can see that there's nobody on the road in either direction then I'll usually go on through.

Looks like traffic lights don't mean much to most cyclists on here. I got stopped by the rozzers last night for blowing through a light right in front of them. They didn't give me a ticket probably because I didn't give any attitude although they were clearly expecting one from me.

I don't think that cyclists can have a go at motorists for their bad driving habits if we do not stick to the road laws ourselves.

I don't personally jump any lights but I kind of agree that if no-one is around then it doesn't do any harm, but only if you can clearly see that traffic is coming. I don't think you would get much sympathy in the eyes of the law if you were hit by a car while jumping a light.
🙂

Here in the great state of California, whatever rule applies to cars also applies to two-wheel objects including bicycles. "Same road, same rules."

Here in Amsterdam its crazy!!!

Its basically a free for all. With cyclists going through red lights at will.

Even though London (where I used to live) has a lot more traffic, I felt more safe as people generally stuck to the highway code a lot more.

bikinchris said:

You might find it interesting that most traffic laws were originally designed by and for bicyclists. Now the bike riders think they are a nuisance.

It's just that now we have cars and bikes are now slow compared to them. A non-road, speed less than 35 km/h biker is now considered just as a fast-walking pedestrian. And that's it.

Traffic laws, stop signs, street lights are all irelivant I will stop if theres potential danger I will keep going if there is not. The only thing I'm concerned with is my personal saftey. I am allways cautious no matter where I'm riding, you just got to remember that you could die fast but dont let it put fear in you just have respect for the road.

I just got back from spending several weeks in Europe and I saw more people going through lights in France than in Holland, but since I don't live there I probably did not see the worst intersections. I really loved Holland though. I would like to get a picture of the bicycle taxi's they have there. Do any of them have the ability to carry four passengers?

dmskin said:

Here in Amsterdam its crazy!!!

Its basically a free for all. With cyclists going through red lights at will.

Even though London (where I used to live) has a lot more traffic, I felt more safe as people generally stuck to the highway code a lot more.

bikinchris said:

I just got back from spending several weeks in Europe and I saw more people going through lights in France than in Holland, but since I don't live there I probably did not see the worst intersections. I really loved Holland though. I would like to get a picture of the bicycle taxi's they have there. Do any of them have the ability to carry four passengers?

To be honest I really haven't seen them in Amsterdam (perhaps only one or two). However in London's West End (SOHO) you have lots of them.

They usually carry up to 2 people. They are becoming very popular especially during the summer months.

I should be over in London within the next couple of weeks. I'll see if I can take a pic for you.

dmskin said:

To be honest I really haven't seen them in Amsterdam (perhaps only one or two). However in London's West End (SOHO) you have lots of them.

They usually carry up to 2 people. They are becoming very popular especially during the summer months.

I should be over in London within the next couple of weeks. I'll see if I can take a pic for you.

They have those things here in Tokyo too - they're called velo-taxis. Not sure about the ones everyone else has seen, but they are from a company of the same name in Germany.

Here is a pic of one from their site:

[img]velotaxi.defahrer 4.jpgOpen ↗[/img]

As a beginner I have learned so far to follow the rules of the road. Ride like I drive when it comes to lights.

I very rarely run red lights. It make cyclists look bad in my book. If you want to be treated like you belong on the road by cars, and the like, then you should abide by the traffic laws. The one place that I will run them is in a left turn lane when I am the only one there. Had a lady run in to me sitting there once. Not hard, just enough to ruin a perfectly good rear wheel. She said that she never saw me.

I practice trackstanding when I'm at a red light. If running reds makes us look bad, then trackstands must make us look good.

GenitalAparatus said:

I practice trackstanding when I'm at a red light. If running reds makes us look bad, then trackstands must make us look good.

Until the light turns green, our pedal unlocks unexpectedly and we fall at the front of a lane full of cars.

...not that that has happened to me.

🙂

GenitalAparatus said:

I practice trackstanding when I'm at a red light. If running reds makes us look bad, then trackstands must make us look good.

POSER. . . 😄

just like me. . . 😄

I'll try to trickstand for a few secs, then have to unclip and put a foot down. Fortunately, I can take a bike path almost all the way to my workplace, so I only come across 2 stoplights - not much practice! 😉

I only run lights if I can't trip the sensor.

Riding a steel roadie, I can get most of them to turn; so it's rarely an issue.