krapes

I'm sure I'm at least in the minority.

Honestly I get a very huge rush from maneuvering traffic and taking risks when I ride. I'm that guy that rides between cars waiting at lights and then waits for a break in traffic rather than a light change. I've always been more concerned with making sure that I don't disrupt the flow of traffic rather than abiding by the traffic laws. I'm the most at risk on the road anyway. This is how I've always done it.

Ironically, the only time I've been in an accident was when I wasn't breaking traffic laws and riding on a bike path running parallel to a road and a driver didn't yield and pulled out into me. We had made eye contact when I was approaching his driveway but his excuse was that he wasn't expecting me to be going so fast.

10 Wheels

No

bikebuddha 

I think everyone occasionally violates traffic rules, it's a question of how often and how flagrantly. For example if traffic is backed up for miles and miles, I'll filter past them. If I'm at a red light with an open road ahead I'll never filter because the traffic I just passed will have to pass me again. Four way stop and no one around, I'll probably ride through. Four way stop with other vehicles you can bet I'm stopping.

squegeeboo

I try my best to follow the rules, but serious traffic back ups I'll thread through. I'd say on average I'm at about 95% compliance with stopsigns/redlights/staying in lane. If you want cars to treat you right, you have to treat them right, especially if it's your regular commute route, you're seeing the same cars every day even if you don't realize it.

telkanuru

+1

jrickards

Apparently, they've installed a new set of lights on my route. Hmmmm, I'll have to pay more attention.

Yes, in the morning (6:00-6:45 is my commute) I'll slow down as I approach the new set of lights but often, I am the only vehicle within sight or at least within 300m so I'll just run the red. The following stop sign I'll slow down for the left turn but, again, being on the same street, there is rarely any traffic in sight so I'll just turn. Same with the next series of stop signs on low-traffic residential streets. There are really only 2 intersections I consistently follow the lights because they are 4 lane streets (60kph, 40mph) and there is at least some traffic.

I am always on the lookout, listening and watching for traffic and I look around at intersections but if there is no one around, why do I need to stop?

Commuting home at 4pm, I am a much different person.

lostarchitect 

No, but a lot of people around here lie about breaking rules, for some reason.

krapes

I find it interesting that many answers seem to be "mostly." I mean if you break the rules occasionally anyway, then why do you ever follow the rules just for rules' sake? If you run a red light occasionally, then why would you ever wait at a light if the coast is clear?

Forrest74

From my experience being predictable is far more valuable than following the letter of the law.

Hibonite

To be honest. I don't know if filtering in stopped traffic is illegal in Ohio or not; but, I do that at one particular intersection to get through the light. I see that as a benefit of riding a bike. The only law I routinely disobey is stopping at stop signs. I pretend I'm in Idaho. That law rocks.

rumrunn6

eye contact is actually misleading. when 2 car drivers make eye contact there is a better recognition of what it means, but not with cycling. often with 2 cars the default is right-of-way but with cycling the driver might assume he has right of way while the cyclist does to and kaboom ...

I try not to break rules, but sometimes do, and then I reconsider as an after thought

tds101 

I have my moments, but I try to abide. And I ALWAYS yield to pedestrians,...even when they intentionally walk in front of me. NY'ers seem to often be like that. They EXPECT you to be able to stop on a dime.

That's one reason I quit being a bike messenger in the late 80's,...the woman I hit tried to have me arrested - but the witnesses vouched for me and SHE was almost arrested (she caused me to total my bike). She saw me & stepped directly in front of me, and a cab almost killed me.

Next, a few days later, I saw another messenger blow a stoplight in in the upper 60's in Manhattan. He flew 10 feet in the air, and died before he hit the ground. And the cab driver was hysterical, trying to help the guy. I quit my job that day.

I'm glad I can ride comfortably nowadays,...and breaking traffic laws can really be deadly. I would know.

treadtread

The only traffic law I break is riding on pavements - and that too, only when I am out with my two year old son. I don't feel safe riding on crowded streets then - my reaction time is slower because of the added weight, and the stakes are much, much higher. I still yield to pedestrians (though usually, around here, there are none) and ride on the roads in less crowded areas.

tds101 

IMO you are justified to ride the sidewalk. With a child in tow I feel their safety comes first!!!

IthaDan 

I tend to treat red lights like red lights, but stop signs I'll treat like a yield. I'll also filter up a line of cars at a light to be near the front, and to make myself seen to the cars I've passed so they don't run me over. Most times I make it to the front of the line. This is especially good if I'm planning on turning left.

caloso

Mine too.

ThermionicScott 

You're creating a false dichotomy -- there are good reasons to follow rules in addition to their existence. Even if the coast is clear, I might wait at a red light to catch my breath.

cooker

You need to think this through. There's a lot at stake here. If you have a crippling injury, the entire rest of your life may be marred by pain and frustration. If you get killed, your loved ones will suffer a lot, not to mention the car drivers who hit you or witness it. Riding safely is not the same as riding legally. Having the the right of way can give you a false sense of safety.

cooker

If you have a two year old son, the stakes are high whether you're riding with him, or on your own.

look566 rider

I ride as defensively as I can. This usually means running red lights, weaving between cars when they crowd the berm when stopped at traffic lights, running stop signs etc.

Of course this is only done when it is completely safe (in my opinion) for me to do so. I feel safer when I am in control of traffic situations rather than being a part of controlled traffic.

Of course if Johnny Law is visible, I am the most law abiding rider you can find

ratdog

Because sometimes to be safe you have to get a head start on traffic before the light changes. For instance on my morning commutes to the office, there are always double parked cars or trucks on the street which has parking on the left and right and one lane going through. In NYC these offenders tend to hug one side of the road and leave just enough for one car to get by with 2-3 feet on either side. When I see these double parked cars/trucks are right past an intersection and feel that I will get there at the same time as one of the cars behind me if I wait for the light to change, I don't want to have to guess if they'll try to squeeze in with me. On these situations, I will get a head start to get into the lane and get through the pinch point so that I don't have to worry about overzealous drivers.

cooker

I mostly obey the laws, and I do it because it fits my self image as a law-abiding citizen, and allows me to feel smugly superior to other people . However we always have to balance safety, standards of behaviour, practicality, and comfort in everything we do, so, like everybody, I veer a bit away from absolute adherence to the law in a few areas where it is safe to do so and it would be impractical or very uncomfortable (or even dangerous) to adhere strictly.

The best example of this is stop signs. There is no good reason for a cyclist to stop at a deserted, uncontested stop sign, except the fear of a cop seeing you, or a rigid adherence to the rules, and it is a huge cumulative waste of time and effort to do it all the time. Cops generally tolerate rolling stops by cars and bikes, so I have developed the habit of making the same rolling stop on a bike that I would in a car. Convenience trumps the law here.

If I'm approaching a red light after midnight and there is no traffic in sight, and it's a sketchy part of town, I might actually consider it safer to keep going than to obey the law and stop, and give a mugger a chance to jump me. So safety trumps the law here.

If I'm approaching a stop sign and a car is beside me, I notice they often make a complete stop, because they figure the cyclist won't, and they want to show him up. So I always fully stop too, and point at their car and say "Very good job! Usually drivers don't stop completely". Or sometimes I say "thanks for the demo!"

I-Like-To-Bike

Beats me. Thatz why I don't wait to be blessed by a traffic light.

Mr. Hairy Legs

I only break the rules that don't suit me.

nelson249

Anyone who says (on 2 or 4 wheels) that they follow the letter of the law it is virtually guaranteed they're lying. For me it entirely depends on the circumstances. If traffic is backed up three ways from Sunday I will filter cautiously. I figure it is the motorists' decision to operate their car in such circumstances that got them stuck in a jam. Sucks to be them. I will use the superior mobility of the bike to my advantage. Otherwise I wait my turn.

I generally follow traffic conventions. For instance I always stop at traffic lights and while I won't necessarily come to a complete halt at a stop sign I will always yield to a fellow cyclist, motorist or pedestrian who has the right of way.