Do you disregard traffic laws during your commute?
11-25-19, 02:17 PM
#76
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never had a need nor found a benefit to do so
11-25-19, 02:34 PM
#77
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Stop signs are not a very good system but at least they're not roundabouts
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11-25-19, 08:20 PM
#78
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It's about how you do it
Not what you do. I do it all: ride on sidewalks, run red lights, cut off cars, get too close to pedestrians. Have never once had any problems with cops, drivers, or other people who aren't on bikes. The only enemy of my forward progress are other cyclists, who all seem to think they're in a position of authority on how I ride. It's all about how you conduct yourself. If you're stable, respectful, and don't put anyone in danger, nobody will care what you do. Except other cyclists because they're the worst.
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11-25-19, 10:54 PM
#79
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I have been known to have a bit of a problem with two stage right turns which are are compulsory in Japan. They mean that you have to wait for the lights to change twice, or cross two lanes of traffic.
11-26-19, 04:50 AM
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Where I live, the law is that cars must stop at all crosswalks without traffic lights, if there is anyone in the crosswalk or waiting to cross.Recently, they have started putting in these crosswalks at bike lanes, and make it a combination pedestrian bicycle crosswalk, with the same rule, so cars must stop for pedestrians AND bikes in the crosswalk (crossride/walk?). Seems kind of weird to me, but that's what they're doing. They use these signs:
Last edited by TheLizard; 11-26-19 at 07:31 AM. Reason: added image of the sign
11-26-19, 07:13 AM
#81
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Do you disregard traffic laws during your commute? I previously posted to this thread, “Rolling stops through red lights in the city”
See if you can find out what the local culture is and what law enforcement is like. The police started to give tickets to cyclists for running red lights a couple of years ago. But it's a big city, and the police can't be everywhere, so most people don't stop at lights most of the time.
I'm a very cautious cyclist, so I go slowly at red lights, and I'm careful (1) not to inconvenience anyone with right of way and (2) not to scare anyone. But I do break the law. Enforcement is very spotty.
I have even broken the law in front of cops in hopes of getting stopped, but I haven't been stopped yet. I even once rode while drinking from a beer bottle. Nothing, but there were no cops around at the time.
I'm a very cautious cyclist, so I go slowly at red lights, and I'm careful (1) not to inconvenience anyone with right of way and (2) not to scare anyone. But I do break the law. Enforcement is very spotty.
I have even broken the law in front of cops in hopes of getting stopped, but I haven't been stopped yet. I even once rode while drinking from a beer bottle. Nothing, but there were no cops around at the time.
My cycling [but not drinking] habits are similar to yours (Boston vs NYC), and I have once been stopped for running a red light, though at 6 AM on a Saturday in a leafy suburb (going down the famous Heartbreak Hill on the Boston Marathon route).
The officer gave me a warning, and was actually gracious about it, doing it for my own safety.
Unlike you, and not intended as a criticism, though I could likely get away with running a stop, I won’t do so in the presence of a cop, just out of respect.
The officer gave me a warning, and was actually gracious about it, doing it for my own safety.
Unlike you, and not intended as a criticism, though I could likely get away with running a stop, I won’t do so in the presence of a cop, just out of respect.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 11-28-19 at 04:30 AM.
11-26-19, 10:01 AM
#83
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I do the Idaho thing. I roll through neighborhood stop signs when I can tell no cars are near. There are a couple that are at the bottom of a hill that I like to keep momentum going if I can. But yes, safety comes first. I rarely have any pedestrians to worry about, just cars. Which means I am going to be safe about it because if I choose wrong, I lose. Stop lights are not so much an issue as I either have none or maybe one that is busy enough I go with the green and traffic.
11-26-19, 10:35 AM
#84
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At stop signs I yield right of way but I don't stop at stop signs just to be a law abiding commuter. I don't generally run red lights though. Pretty much every one on my commute is a busy intersection headed into down town.
11-26-19, 10:45 AM
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Like most others, I only obey the traffic laws that make sense.
My commute looks like this:
- Riverside Drive is a narrow road by the river with as much pedestrian and bike traffic as cars, not stop signs or lights.
- The bridge I have to cross has a car-wide shoulder / non-travel lane. I use that lane to ride in (I guess that's disobeying the law if taken literally, but I'm sure everyone appreciates that I'm not in the travel lane, as it's a 45 mph bridge).
- I have to turn left at the next intersection, it's really busy. So, yea, I move to the middle of the lane and wait for the light.
- Since the Gambles Mill Corridor is not open yet, I have to go through the University campus. I'm on the sidewalk there some (perfectly legal).
- Quiet neighborhood where I'm climbing big hills. Almost no traffic. I slow and check at stop signs, but don't stop usually.
- Busy road next, I have to travel on for about 2 blocks. YES I obey the stop sign there.
- More quiet neighborhoods. Slow and check at stop signs, but don't stop, except for at 2 busy roads that I have to cross.
- The next big intersection, I obey the stop light there, waiting in the center of the lane.
- One more stop light. Not a busy road, but it's on a timer, so I wait until I have the left turn light green.
OH, on the way home, just before the bridge, I cut through the shopping center at the "V" intersection, ignoring the big "NO CUT THROUGH" signs. That intersection is busy and dangerous. best to avoid!!
My commute looks like this:
- Riverside Drive is a narrow road by the river with as much pedestrian and bike traffic as cars, not stop signs or lights.
- The bridge I have to cross has a car-wide shoulder / non-travel lane. I use that lane to ride in (I guess that's disobeying the law if taken literally, but I'm sure everyone appreciates that I'm not in the travel lane, as it's a 45 mph bridge).
- I have to turn left at the next intersection, it's really busy. So, yea, I move to the middle of the lane and wait for the light.
- Since the Gambles Mill Corridor is not open yet, I have to go through the University campus. I'm on the sidewalk there some (perfectly legal).
- Quiet neighborhood where I'm climbing big hills. Almost no traffic. I slow and check at stop signs, but don't stop usually.
- Busy road next, I have to travel on for about 2 blocks. YES I obey the stop sign there.
- More quiet neighborhoods. Slow and check at stop signs, but don't stop, except for at 2 busy roads that I have to cross.
- The next big intersection, I obey the stop light there, waiting in the center of the lane.
- One more stop light. Not a busy road, but it's on a timer, so I wait until I have the left turn light green.
OH, on the way home, just before the bridge, I cut through the shopping center at the "V" intersection, ignoring the big "NO CUT THROUGH" signs. That intersection is busy and dangerous. best to avoid!!
11-28-19, 07:25 AM
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Yes and No...
My three rules (if I'm going to fudge on a traffic law
1)The infraction creates no safety issues for myself, fellow riders or anyone else on the road.
2) My infraction does not cause any motorists to yield to me or change course for me.
3) There are no cops in the vicinity
1)The infraction creates no safety issues for myself, fellow riders or anyone else on the road.
2) My infraction does not cause any motorists to yield to me or change course for me.
3) There are no cops in the vicinity
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11-28-19, 11:25 AM
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Have you told your city's public works department about the issues? Stoplight sensors are actually inducers(?) geared towards detecting metal; try leaning your bike over a bit when you stop. If that doesn't work, contact the city to report it and they can adjust the sensitivity. Also tell them about the places where drivers blow through intersections. These guys rarely get feedback, and they can't be everywhere, and likely not on bikes.
11-28-19, 02:55 PM
#88
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bpcyclist, I'm all too familiar. There's an intersection near work that doesn't register bikes at all, not even steel. I contacted public works a couple of years ago, but they never adjusted it.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
11-28-19, 03:25 PM
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bpcyclist, I'm all too familiar. There's an intersection near work that doesn't register bikes at all, not even steel. I contacted public works a couple of years ago, but they never adjusted it.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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11-28-19, 03:54 PM
#90
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bpcyclist, I'm all too familiar. There's an intersection near work that doesn't register bikes at all, not even steel. I contacted public works a couple of years ago, but they never adjusted it.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
I'd start with the Traffic Signal department and go from there. Some signals here have little cyclists painted on the pavement to show where we should stand to trip the signal.
11-29-19, 09:21 AM
#91
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Every situation is different. I might go through an intersection 3 times in a day and do it differently all 3 times depending on the actual conditions at the time.
11-29-19, 06:50 PM
#92
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Hard no! I ride like I drive.....within the law. but I am an LEO so any violation in writing will get me in deep d0o do0 or I probably would
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11-30-19, 01:27 PM
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My frame is steel, my rims are aluminum. They just never set the sensitivity properly. I should contact public works again.
11-30-19, 02:02 PM
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It's hard enough to keep up with things broken, much less things that aren't really broken, just inconvenient. That's the reality of do more with less, keep taxes down.
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11-30-19, 02:43 PM
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Well, I had a chance to try the put-your bike-down thing on my stubborn intersection. I found two cut circles, one right behind the other, and I just dismounted and put the bike on the pavement--both places. That got some interesting looks from motorists. Anyhow, it didn't seem to do anything. I imagine I just wasn't in the right place. There was a bit of traffic on the very crowded (usually) crossing street and so I just waited the five minutes 'til it finally decided to change. I will try it again, though.
Anyhow, it didn't seem to do anything. I imagine I just wasn't in the right place. There was a bit of traffic on the very crowded (usually) crossing street and so I just waited the five minutes 'til it finally decided to change. I will try it again, though.
12-01-19, 08:38 AM
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I don't know why or if laying a bike down would help, but as long as I park one aluminum wheel (on carbon fiber bike) along one of the wire cuts they typically trigger.
12-01-19, 06:48 PM
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Yeah, I know. I guess I was just trying to get as much of the aluminum on my bike closer to the sensor, since it does not work when I am on the bike. I obviously have no clue how these things work.
12-02-19, 09:08 AM
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For an inductive coil... You can think of the electrical field made by the wire like a Slinky curled up into a donut shape. Your goal is to intersect as much of the Slinky's coils as possible. The best spot is along the edge of the cut, not right in the center of it. The triggering material needs to be conductive, not magnetic. There are other kinds of sensors, this is for the kind that you can see the saw cuts where they installed the coil. There are types that do detect magnetic, we don't use them here in CA for the very reason they don't detect bikes.
Here's a good writeup from NC advocating that they do it like CA, and it has a good list of references at the end: https://www.bikewalknc.org/bicycle-d...affic-signals/
Here's a good writeup from NC advocating that they do it like CA, and it has a good list of references at the end: https://www.bikewalknc.org/bicycle-d...affic-signals/
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12-02-19, 10:31 AM
#99
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For an inductive coil... You can think of the electrical field made by the wire like a Slinky curled up into a donut shape. Your goal is to intersect as much of the Slinky's "wires" as possible. The best spot is along the edge of the cut, not right in the center of it. The triggering material needs to be conductive, not magnetic. There are other kinds of sensors, this is for the kind that you can see the saw cuts where they installed the coil. There are types that do detect magnetic, we don't use them here in CA for the very reason they don't detect bikes.
Here's a good writeup from NY advocating that they do it like CA, and it has a good list of references at the end: https://www.bikewalknc.org/bicycle-d...affic-signals/
Here's a good writeup from NY advocating that they do it like CA, and it has a good list of references at the end: https://www.bikewalknc.org/bicycle-d...affic-signals/
12-03-19, 12:42 PM
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I roll through stop signs on my way to work (very early in the morning) but the Idaho stop is about to become legal where I am in less than a month anyway. On the way home I obey the laws because there are people out to witness my behavior plus a lot more car traffic so I’m just more careful in general.
