Comments on: The Myth Of The Law Breaking Cyclist http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/ A community for cyclists in Boston Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:01:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Geneva Boyer http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1823 Geneva Boyer Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:07:04 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1823 wow Dan Pugatch. You're quite the male chauvinist, aren't you? wow Dan Pugatch.
You’re quite the male chauvinist, aren’t you?

]]> By: Kerry http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1230 Kerry Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:14:03 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1230 I too would love to see you submit a version of this as an op-ed to the Globe. It's about time they balanced their coverage of the issue. I too would love to see you submit a version of this as an op-ed to the Globe. It’s about time they balanced their coverage of the issue.

]]> By: chiccyclist » Blog Archive » My Impressions of the Velibs in Paris http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1226 chiccyclist » Blog Archive » My Impressions of the Velibs in Paris Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:08:21 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1226 [...] and often take liberties; for their own safety and because they feel they’re outlaws anyway. Drivers don’t feel this way, to them it’s perfectly natural to be in the road and they mostly buy in to the [...] [...] and often take liberties; for their own safety and because they feel they’re outlaws anyway. Drivers don’t feel this way, to them it’s perfectly natural to be in the road and they mostly buy in to the [...]

]]> By: Paul Schimek http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1223 Paul Schimek Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:25 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1223 One other technicality: a red light does not mean 'stop', it means Do Not Enter the Intersection. The intersection begins at the stop line. This means it's perfectly okay to slow if you see a light far ahead, timing your speed so that you arrive at the light when it turns green. What's not okay is stopping on top of the crosswalk, or halfway into the intersection -- even though motorists and bicyclists do this all the time. One other technicality: a red light does not mean ’stop’, it means Do Not Enter the Intersection. The intersection begins at the stop line. This means it’s perfectly okay to slow if you see a light far ahead, timing your speed so that you arrive at the light when it turns green.

What’s not okay is stopping on top of the crosswalk, or halfway into the intersection — even though motorists and bicyclists do this all the time.

]]> By: Paul Schimek http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1222 Paul Schimek Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:56:58 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1222 It is true that you can do nothing directly to stop others who violate the traffic rules (although I have been known to make comments to wrong-way riders coming directly at me, and at least a small percentage of these incidents have ended with the rider switching to the opposite side of the road). However the Police can, and in fact are required to, enforce the traffic laws. Therefore, what you can do is advocate for even-handed, effective, well-informed enforcement (as opposed to the current non-enforcement supplemented by occasional police harassment for bicycling lawfully). Giving tickets to bicyclists for wrong-way riding, not using lights at night, failing to yield when required, etc., will not only change bicyclist behavior but will help to reduce incidents such as the one you describe. Motorists would be less likely to be vigilantes if they knew the police were enforcing the law. He probably was one of those who thinks it is illegal for bicyclists to be in the left lane (or not in the bike lane). If we had better-informed police, maybe one would have even asked this guy to explain himself. Not likely, you might say, but right now I would say there is no chance of an officer doing. Anyway, the new law adopted this year requires all police in Mass. to get training in the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists. It is true that you can do nothing directly to stop others who violate the traffic rules (although I have been known to make comments to wrong-way riders coming directly at me, and at least a small percentage of these incidents have ended with the rider switching to the opposite side of the road). However the Police can, and in fact are required to, enforce the traffic laws. Therefore, what you can do is advocate for even-handed, effective, well-informed enforcement (as opposed to the current non-enforcement supplemented by occasional police harassment for bicycling lawfully).

Giving tickets to bicyclists for wrong-way riding, not using lights at night, failing to yield when required, etc., will not only change bicyclist behavior but will help to reduce incidents such as the one you describe. Motorists would be less likely to be vigilantes if they knew the police were enforcing the law. He probably was one of those who thinks it is illegal for bicyclists to be in the left lane (or not in the bike lane). If we had better-informed police, maybe one would have even asked this guy to explain himself. Not likely, you might say, but right now I would say there is no chance of an officer doing. Anyway, the new law adopted this year requires all police in Mass. to get training in the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists.

]]> By: Also a Biker http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1221 Also a Biker Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:09:11 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1221 Okay, thanks. I don't always do this because of the danger involved (being doored by a parked car, being doored by somebody getting out of a stopped cab, etc.), but I wanted to make sure that I could on those occasions when it's safe. Okay, thanks. I don’t always do this because of the danger involved (being doored by a parked car, being doored by somebody getting out of a stopped cab, etc.), but I wanted to make sure that I could on those occasions when it’s safe.

]]> By: BostonBiker http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1219 BostonBiker Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:58:56 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1219 Bicycles are legally allowed to filter forward on the right hand side at a row of stopped cars. This is legal, but can be dangerous, so you will want to be extra careful when doing so. And you rightly point out you still have to stop at the red light. Bicycles are legally allowed to filter forward on the right hand side at a row of stopped cars. This is legal, but can be dangerous, so you will want to be extra careful when doing so. And you rightly point out you still have to stop at the red light.

]]> By: Also a Biker http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1218 Also a Biker Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:26:26 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1218 <i>Technically, cyclists are supposed to stop behind cars at red lights, but I very rarely see this, and for a good reason.</I> Could somebody clarify this for me? I thought that under Mass. laws bikers had the right to pass a car on the right. Doesn't this mean that it's legal to pass cars stopped at a stoplight on the right, ride up to the stoplight and wait for a green without stopping behind any cars? Technically, cyclists are supposed to stop behind cars at red lights, but I very rarely see this, and for a good reason.

Could somebody clarify this for me? I thought that under Mass. laws bikers had the right to pass a car on the right. Doesn’t this mean that it’s legal to pass cars stopped at a stoplight on the right, ride up to the stoplight and wait for a green without stopping behind any cars?

]]> By: Adam Pieniazek http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 Adam Pieniazek Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:34:49 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1210 On a side note, I think we should implement laws here that bicyclists can treat red lights as stop signs. Meaning, if there's a red light, the cyclist would stop, look both ways, and if the coast is clear can go. Technically, cyclists are supposed to stop behind cars at red lights, but I very rarely see this, and for a good reason. Imagine the chaos if every cyclist queued up and sat behind a car at a red light. Letting cyclists treat red lights like stop signs lets them get out of the way of drivers (though I personally think cyclists aren't really in the way of drivers, if you can't safely maneuver around a skinny piece of steel you probably shouldn't be driving). On a side note, I think we should implement laws here that bicyclists can treat red lights as stop signs. Meaning, if there’s a red light, the cyclist would stop, look both ways, and if the coast is clear can go.

Technically, cyclists are supposed to stop behind cars at red lights, but I very rarely see this, and for a good reason. Imagine the chaos if every cyclist queued up and sat behind a car at a red light.

Letting cyclists treat red lights like stop signs lets them get out of the way of drivers (though I personally think cyclists aren’t really in the way of drivers, if you can’t safely maneuver around a skinny piece of steel you probably shouldn’t be driving).

]]> By: Aaron Pikcilingis http://bostonbiker.org/2009/08/14/the-myth-of-the-law-breaking-cyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1205 Aaron Pikcilingis Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:55:19 +0000 http://bostonbiker.org/?p=1231#comment-1205 That does make sense. I'm all for trying to reach everyone to make this a better city for everyone to get around in, regardless of mode. We are cyclists, so I have this feeling that the group we're mostly likely going to be able to touch are other cyclists. Certainly in this venue. But I think the reality, at least right now, is that globe reporters and lawmakers and most drivers are going to see us as a group and attribute the behavior their perceive "most" cyclists engage in as the behavior of any individual cyclists they encounter. That's why a discussion with a driver usually involves a complaint about how I run red lights, even when the discussion is about why I'm in the middle of the lane instead of on the sidewalk. It's just like how I assume every driver at the BU bridge is an idiot at merging, even if it's only 9 out of 10. That does make sense. I’m all for trying to reach everyone to make this a better city for everyone to get around in, regardless of mode. We are cyclists, so I have this feeling that the group we’re mostly likely going to be able to touch are other cyclists. Certainly in this venue.

But I think the reality, at least right now, is that globe reporters and lawmakers and most drivers are going to see us as a group and attribute the behavior their perceive “most” cyclists engage in as the behavior of any individual cyclists they encounter. That’s why a discussion with a driver usually involves a complaint about how I run red lights, even when the discussion is about why I’m in the middle of the lane instead of on the sidewalk. It’s just like how I assume every driver at the BU bridge is an idiot at merging, even if it’s only 9 out of 10.

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