Bicyclists Running Red Lights

[George Costanza]

Don't bicycle riders have to stop for red lights? Around my neck of the woods, I rarely see a bicyclist stop for a red light. They simply make sure they aren't going to get hit and then ride right on through.

Does anyone know of a bicyclist ever getting a ticket for running a red light?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Yes, I have seen it. I have even seen the police take them to the station for identification when they did not have ID.

 

[uscitizen]

A paintball gun works well on the rude bikers.

 

[syrenn]

Don't bicycle riders have to stop for red lights? Around my neck of the woods, I rarely see a bicyclist stop for a red light. They simply make sure they aren't going to get hit and then ride right on through.

Does anyone know of a bicyclist ever getting a ticket for running a red light?

OMG it was GREAT. Sitting at the light and this bike just rolls thought the red light. Here come the reds lights and siren and they pulled him over and gave him a ticket!!! wooohoo!

And they all wonder why they get run over. I am rather sick of them.

 

[Ringel05]

I always hear the bicycle advocates yelling to "share the road". I always yell back, (usually at my radio or TV) "obey the traffic laws"!

 

[Zander]

Personally, when I ride my bike, I never stop for red lights unless the traffic is super heavy. Traffic laws do not apply to me when I am riding my bike. Good luck catching me Mr Policeman. I ride a mountain bike bitches- I'll go off road!!

Yeah, I know. I am a law breaker!!

 

[uscitizen]

So if Zander suddenly vanishes from here one day we will know what happened. He became a hood ornament on an SUV.

The ones who think it can never happne to me are just amazing.

 

[Zander]

So if Zander suddenly vanishes from here one day we will know what happened. He became a hood ornament on an SUV.

The ones who think it can never happne to me are just amazing.

I'll take my chances....I'm cool like that.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I am pretty bad about stop signs, but I respect red lights.

And rude bikers are a huge problem. They cause huge problems for the rest of the biking community.

There was a very bad problem here because of some bikers being bad citizens in one of the local cemeteries. They were using it as an alternative route because there are no bike paths from Terwilliger to Macadam. They are now banned from there because some jerkass rode through a funeral and sent the widow to the hospital.

So Zander, you will get no sympathy when the cop pulls you over.

 

[Zander]

I am pretty bad about stop signs, but I respect red lights.

And rude bikers are a huge problem. They cause huge problems for the rest of the biking community.

There was a very bad problem here because of some bikers being bad citizens in one of the local cemeteries. They were using it as an alternative route because there are no bike paths from Terwilliger to Macadam. They are now banned from there because some jerkass rode through a funeral and sent the widow to the hospital.

So Zander, you will get no sympathy when the cop pulls you over.

I've never seen a rude bicyclist. It sounds like an oxymoron.

As far as I am concerned, Automobile drivers are the real danger. Between texting, reading, putting on makeup, and shaving their bikini area, it is almost impossible to get their attention. Leave the bike riders alone.

 

[midcan5]

As a bicycle commuter and long distance cyclist I laugh at the hypocrisy of the drivers who break laws all day and yet take so big a notice of the cyclist who rides through lights - often for safety. The hundreds, maybe thousands, of experiences I have had with a-holes in cars could fill many books. I ride to be safe and I can only say, you can kiss my dust.....see comment here: http://www.usmessageboard.com/law-and-justice-system/156165-bicyclists-in-the-usa.html#post3349491

 

[Ringel05]

As a bicycle commuter and long distance cyclist I laugh at the hypocrisy of the drivers who break laws all day and yet take so big a notice of the cyclist who rides through lights - often for safety. The hundreds, maybe thousands, of experiences I have had with a-holes in cars could fill many books. I ride to be safe and I can only say, you can kiss my dust.....

http://www.usmessageboard.com/law-and-justice-system/156165-bicyclists-in-the-usa.html#post3349491

I've had more than my share of experiences with a-holes on bicycles. I pay attention when I'm driving, far to many people don't, I stop at stop signs and red lights, signal my turns and lane changes, the only law I ever knowingly break is the speed limit but in my area that's just keeping up, not hindering, the flow of traffic.
When I was much younger I road bicycles and motorcycles all the time and I know what it's like from that perspective, far too many close calls because of idiots not paying attention though even then I obeyed the traffic laws.

 

[xsited1]

Don't bicycle riders have to stop for red lights? Around my neck of the woods, I rarely see a bicyclist stop for a red light. They simply make sure they aren't going to get hit and then ride right on through.

Does anyone know of a bicyclist ever getting a ticket for running a red light?

I'm a mountain biker. I won't stop for a red light if a bear is chasing me.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Don't bicycle riders have to stop for red lights? Around my neck of the woods, I rarely see a bicyclist stop for a red light. They simply make sure they aren't going to get hit and then ride right on through.

Does anyone know of a bicyclist ever getting a ticket for running a red light?

Depends on where you live and if the cop is feeling particularly grumpy that day if you get a ticket.

Me? I've never been pulled over for running a red light, although I have been pulled over for doing 35 in a 25 mile zone on base. I quietly slipped my computer off of my handlebars and when asked if I knew how fast I was going, I said not really (even though my Vetta was accurate to around 1/10th of a mile in speed).

I've also ridden a bicycle from Memphis TN to Jacksonville FL (5 days), rode one from Jacksonville FL to Newport RI (12 days), and from Newport RI to Norfolk VA (5 days). Why? Everytime I PCS'd while active duty and was into bicycling, I rode the distance to each duty station, just because I could, so yeah......I've got some experience.

However..........many motorcyclists have the same problem that bicycles do, which is that they aren't heavy enough or large enough to get picked up by the stop light and change. But, if you're on a busy road, it's not much of a problem, because someone will be along shortly to trip the light, but, if you're on a road that doesn't see much traffic (like the one where I go left onto 45th here in Amarillo), it's a residential street, and my bike won't trip the light. But, because it's not that busy, I just wait until it's safe to go and then start pedaling.

As far as being rude? Nope, I ride safe, the only time I yell is when some fat jackass on a cell phone isn't paying attention and almost runs me over. Generally I yell "shut up and drive", and because I have a large set of lungs (helped by cycling), I'm generally heard.

 

[Tank]

It sucks when you have to keep stopping when on a bicycle, good riders want keep the flow on the go, bro.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Red lights int the condition Biker Sailor explains (where there is a monitor on the side street).... I stop for those, and wait for traffic to thin and then cruise on through. Going over to the sidewalk and tripping the pedestrian signal would be just rude, as it take a long time for the electronics to cycle. A pedestrian signal would take 40 seconds for the whole cycle, and I can be through the intersection in maybe three.

 

[ABikerSailor]

It sucks when you have to keep stopping when on a bicycle, good riders want keep the flow on the go, bro.

You know......I dig that, but because of the way the lights here in Amarillo work, if you keep a speed of 20 mph or better, you can generally time the lights pretty good.

But, I have been known to run yellow lights when I was cruising at 30 plus.

 

[Tank]

Even If I get caught by a red light, I keep riding around till it turns green

 

[Montrovant]

When I used to ride a bicycle to and from work, I would occasionally ignore red lights. It depended on the situation; was it late night or middle of the day (I worked a lot of overnight), how much traffic was there, which roads were intersecting. The majority of the time I would wait for the lights.

However, I did not ride in the road unless absolutely necessary; I stayed on the sidewalk. So I was really more a pedestrian.

 

[rightwinger]

Bicyclists are supposed to follow the same rules as cars and get the same courtesies. They rarely do.