Traffic Light Poll

FreeHueco said:

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.

Tennessee recently passed a law that lets motorcyclists treat a stoplight like a stop sign due to the sensor problem. On the other hand i have never seen another bicycle on my short but very varied commute to work and i handle the whole thing like i am a pedestrian as i have only seen 4 people on the side walks in 3 years. acting like a bicycle is a vehicle around here would get you killed fairly quickly.

Most of my daily commute is through three towns with the last mile or so being on base. I stop at lights. I stop at stop signs. I stay off the sidewalk, but do use a bike path on a stretch through one town. I signal my turns if there are cars behind me, lets them know what I intend to do, courtesy thing. I wear a helmet with the chin strap fastened, mandatory on a bicycle on base, but I would wear one anyway.

A bicycle is legally considered a vehicle everywhere I've lived.

I have a talk with cyclists I catch not doing these things. If they give me any lip the talk turns into a butt chewing session. The next step I've never had to take, which is a side trip to the Provost Marshall's Office (MPs).🙂

i am not denying the bicycle is a vehicle,but the traffic i encounter sure does.

sleazyvagabond said:

i am not denying the bicycle is a vehicle,but the traffic i encounter sure does.

I know exactly what you mean.

I've seen a couple of threads over the years in the Off Topic area of one of the fishing forums I frequent that relate to why drivers don't like bicyclists on the road. These threads generate a lot of replies with motorists spouting off about this and that and the recurring themes are that bicycles are unpredictable and they don't obey applicable traffic regulations. Another thing that's frequently brought up is the shorts, but I think that's just people that want to get their 2-cents worth in but don't have anything intelligent to say.🙂

i handle the whole thing like i am a pedestrian as i have only seen 4 people on the side walks in 3 years. acting like a bicycle is a vehicle around here would get you killed fairly quickly.[/QUOTE]

I really think you should look up a LCI in your area to decide if sidewalk riding is the best decision.
This is about riding on sidewalks from a legal decision in 1887:

JUDGE THOMPSON'S DECISION.
Judge Thompson, of Louisville, in a case where a wheelman was tried for riding on a sidewalk where streets were bad, said

" In these cases the burden is on the defendants to prove that the road is actually in such condition as to render it unsafe for his bicycle to pass; this is not in justification but in mitigation of the offence, for, even where such condition exists, it gives him no legal right to ride on the sidewalk, except by rule of necessity, which must be justified in each case by the fact, and then it does not authorize him to ride at all if the sidewalk is occupied by pedestrians; he should dismount and pass the obstruction on foot wherever the sidewalk is frequented by pedestrians. In the business part of the city, -- crowded thoroughfares -- he has no right whatever to ride on the sidewalk at any time, nor for any purpose.

"Women and children, and old and infirm persons have a right to pass along the sidewalks not only free from danger of collision with bicycles, but free from apprehension from such danger.

"The proof, I think, shows conclusively in these cases that the roadway was in an unsafe condition for bicycles to pass by reason of its being out of repair and being deluged with water so as to render it dangerous, even impassable, to this vehicle, and that the neighboring streets were in no better condition, and it does not appear at what rate of speed the defendants were riding, nor whether the sidewalk was or was not at the time occupied by pedestrians; under these circumstances, I think, it would be unjust to assess a fine in this case, and they are dismissed.

"I think it the duty of the city to regulate the sprinkling of the streets so as to keep them reasonably safe for the passage of this vehicle, as well as others."

A few points.

First I completely agree with jmcmillanut in that cyclists should follow the same traffic rules as motorist. IMO, it's like following the rules for taking a mtb through a trail. Namely taking care of the envirnoment, or in the case of traffic laws, showing motorists (and other cyclists) that we too follow and appreciate the laws that keep people safe.

Granted there will always be a few who will fly in open defiance of this and it really can't be helped.

Meanwhile, I empathize with cyclists that good judgement should also be used as modern traffic systems don't necessary detect cyclists. Left turn lanes and also those pressure triggered lights sometimes won't be calibrated or simply won't detect a patient cyclists. Thus, good judgement should be used on those specific instances. Although, I would probably say that good judgement should be used before, during and aftering cycling anyway.

Lastly, I recently got back from China and they have a rather unique system. As some of you may know that bicycles actually outnumber cars in a nation like China. I'm sure some of you have seen those pictures where at lights you have a swarm of bicycles at the traffic lanes right ahead of cars, trucks, and even semi-trucks! In any case, most major roads have bridges built that are bicycle friendly. That is gradual slopes to walk up your bike with little effort (versus stairs) and also small bumpers installed as well to help slow down a bike on a decline. Also saves brakes in a way.

It's a pitty that we don't have a similar system in the U.S., but then again I haven't been to some of the larger cities (N.Y., L.A., etc).

-Chi

P.S.: The city I was in Kunming, was quite a stunning place to visit and would be a rather pleasant place to tour (just bring a winter tent and sleeping bag). It also had a population of about 5 million in the area of a small city (less than 40 minutes to cross from one end of the city to the other via highways with avg speed of 50 mph).

I think i ride my motorcycle like most people here ride a bicycle.I don't know about all this LCI business or the sidewalks of Louisville in 1887.Maybe you need to find something to do.Most motorists don't like bicycles because they are in the way. I ride the bicycle in such a manner that cars could'nt run me over if they wanted to.I see lots of joggers out there too that think they own the road.Even the best intenioned motorists have strokes and heart attacks.But do what you want to. All movements need martyrs.

If i dont see a cop ang no one is comming I just keep flying:p

Here, in Windsor, Canada I often see cars running through

the red lights.

less'go said:

Okay, I agree, but then again, I kind of think bicycles should be cut a little slack - after all, the rules of the road were designed for motorized vehicles. We're out there pumping along to get where we're going.

I recently read that in some European countries there are more and more "cyclable" one way streets - streets that are one-way only for cars, but cyclists are allowed to use them both ways. Could save much time and effort....

Anyone have an opinion on or experience with their local government adapting road rules especially for bicycles, in a positive way ?

we have a few of these in Brighton! quite good as long as the (normally) idiot motorists don't drive in them

we should, if possesing of adequate skill and confidence level, blow through with the greatest of disdain for these obstructions which are intended for the purpose of preventing inept motorists from crashing into one another.
it is an earned privelege, one to flaunt in the face of those who are stuck at yet another intersection due to their not availing themselves of pedal propelled transpo, this is the best way to be an ambassador for cycling, it requires an in- your-face demonstrative approach if it is worth stating at all, no?

less'go said:

Sorryn not sure how this thing works.... Answers, please...

this base, is it some kind of anti cyclist cultist colony? because there are those of us who ride in the real world...

SpearSlinger1 said:

everywhere on base I've lived.

I have a talk with cyclists I catch not doing these things. If they give me any lip the talk turns into a butt chewing session. The next step I've never had to take, which is a side trip to the Provost Marshall's Office (MPs).🙂

Here in Iowa, a lot of the lights are pressure sensitive and cyclists simply aren't heavy enough to trip them.

So you have no choice but to stop, look and go.

davek said:

I ran a red the other day - turning left while the lights were green for those turning right into the road I was coming out of (if that makes sense). The policeman in the car behind me didn't bat an eyelid...

I had the exact opposite experience about 3 weeks ago. There is a Sheriff around my University who feels it is his sworn duty to harrass college students, and I was his prime pick of the day. There is the only light in my college town on the route back to my apartment. I watched, as the 4 cars in front of me rolled through the red light and turned right, never coming anywhere close to a complete stop. I slowed to a crawl, as I usually do, looked both ways, and turned right to go back to my apartment. 2 seconds later, I hear the chirp of the siren, look behind me and see blue lights. I stopped and pulled off the road. The Sheriff walks up to me, and says hes going to write me a ticket for running a red light! He also feels the need to remind me that cycles are considered motor vehicles in NC, as they are most states. I replied that he watched the 4 cars in front of me roll through the light, going faster than I did, and also that he could give me a ticket, and see me in court (the judge will throw out just about any ticket written by this particular sheriff, especially if it is against a University student). He walked back to his car, got in, and drove away. This isnt the first time he has harrassed me (or some of my team mates) while cycling. Im actually thinking of filing a formal complaint against him this time, since this is the third time for me personally.