# What is up with cyclists?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [September 24, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442 "2015-09-24T23:56:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/1 "2015-09-24T23:56:07Z")
Today, over the course of my walk home (Cambridge and Somerville, MA), I saw twelve-- TWELVE-- cyclists run red lights. For comparison, I only saw four cyclists not run red lights. I also saw one cyclist ride the wrong way down a busy one-lane one-way street. While I’d like to believe that it’s only a small number of cyclists ruining things for everyone, it’s definitely not what I see on a day-to-day basis. Are Cambridge and Somerville especially bad? What happens in other cities that have a lot of cyclists?
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### Author:  [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/2 "2015-09-25T00:06:11Z")
In LA they get run over.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/3 "2015-09-25T00:14:51Z")
In Berkeley, they block off side streets so that cars can pretty much only drive on the main drag, and cyclists stick to the side streets. When they have to ride on the main drags with cars, they tend to get run over.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/4 "2015-09-25T00:33:04Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#):
>
> Today, over the course of my walk home (Cambridge and Somerville, MA), I saw twelve-- TWELVE-- cyclists run red lights. For comparison, I only saw four cyclists not run red lights. I also saw one cyclist ride the wrong way down a busy one-lane one-way street.
I live in the same area and used to ride to work here. In the popular biking streets (like Hampshire, Beacon, or Mass Ave) bikers seem to be much better at stopping at lights. But you’ll still see a bunch of folks easing through when there’s no traffic coming opposite. On the smaller side streets you see it much more often. Yeah, it happens a lot and I wish it wouldn’t. But I suspect you’ll see it in any major city that has a lot of cyclist commuters like Boston.
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/5 "2015-09-25T00:55:28Z")
Why should they have to stop at lights? They’re much more important then pfft… CAR people.
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### Author:  [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/6 "2015-09-25T01:05:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> At 5:30 p.m., hundreds of bike riders gathered at Waller and Steiner streets and and took to the the bike lane, coming to a full and complete stop — bike stopped, at least one foot on the pavement — at every stop sign and red light.
[http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-bike-riders-Wiggle-protest-could-stop-6413072.php](http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-bike-riders-Wiggle-protest-could-stop-6413072.php)
be careful what you ask for.
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### Author:  [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/7 "2015-09-25T06:21:33Z")
A bicycle is a device that is surrounded by an invisible shield of self-righteousness that protects its rider both from blame and from harm.
As for the protest in San Francisco: of course they blocked traffic. They set out with the purpose of blocking traffic. It was one of the clearest cases of malicious compliance I’ve ever heard of.
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### Author:  [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lo-Slung_Denim)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/8 "2015-09-25T07:23:40Z")
A lot of cyclists are dumb. A lot of cyclists don’t have driving licences, and therefore are unable to comprehend that they are in charge of a vehicle and shouldn’t do anything dumb like run a red light. They don’t understand the road.
I am a cyclist. I have a driving licence and I drove a lot more before I cycled. It made me a better more responsible cyclist.
I don’t have much time for the idiot Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, but I will concede he has made a lot of improvements for cyclists, and consequently motorists, by improving bicycle lanes and even separating out cyclists from motorists at the trickiest central London junctions and roundabouts. It prevents the cyclists from doing dumb stuff like running red lights (almost, you can’t ever fully eradicate complete arrogance and stupidity) and prevents motorists from “not seeing” cyclists. Example: junction near me, cyclists used to have to cross lanes to keep going straight on which was the most used approach in to the city; now we go in to a separate cycle lane which has its own set of lights. In the Whitechapel area, cycle lanes now run the length of a very busy road, behind the bus stops, so cyclists now can’t get cut off by buses pulling in, one of the biggest safety risks. I’d still like to punch Boris in the face over a million things, but fair play to him on this one.
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### Author:  [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/9 "2015-09-25T09:09:48Z")
> [@TBG](#):
>
> Why should they have to stop at lights? They’re much more important then pfft… CAR people.
I can’t read this without laughing 😃
> [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](#):
>
> A lot of cyclists are dumb. A lot of cyclists don’t have driving licences, and therefore are unable to comprehend that they are in charge of a vehicle and shouldn’t do anything dumb like run a red light. They don’t understand the road.
Agree, absolutely, **Lo-Slung Denham**. Like some pedestrians who’ve never been behind the wheel of a car who seem to think you can stop on a postage stamp and every car behind will follow suite.
I don’t know what it is with some cyclists. Is it the adrenalin? Does pedal-power sap brain power? Are they cyclists because they’re too stupid to pass a driving test?
Only the other _rainy night_, I narrowly missed a cyclist riding around a _blind_ corner on the wrong side of the road. No headlight, no reflective gear, no brain.
I mean…fuck…_really_?!? I’d have to live with that because your risk assessment ability score can’t gasp in above ‘fuckwit’??
So a big _THANKS_ **L-S D** for being a responsibile cyclist ! Now spread the word. Internationally.
I’ve never been particularly fond of cyclists, but when one ran into my stationary car, caused $600 damage and pedalled away, that was a declaration of war…!
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/10 "2015-09-25T12:14:41Z")
There is running a red light and running a red light.
Of this MB community over 25% (of those who participated) would [run a red light in a car](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=769143) in a clearly safe no traffic and low risk of getting a ticket circumstance. (I wouldn’t.)
I suspect more would walk across the red if it was clearly safe to do so. (I would.)
Easing through after stop or near stop when there is a very wide gap in traffic is a different thing than flying through without slowing down and with scarcely a glance.
Let’s be clear here. A lot of cyclists are dumb. A lot of drivers are dumb. Some drivers are malicious. The dumb cyclist risks getting themselves killed in a collision with a car and maybe causing a dent in the car. The dumb driver risks a dent in their car and killing the cyclist in a collision with a cyclist. The malicious driver risks committing manslaughter or second degree murder.
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### Author:  [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/11 "2015-09-25T12:38:53Z")
As soon as a person hops on a bike and attempts to use any of those handy paved surfaces that interweave through our cities and towns, they must be subjected to scorn, tossed garbage, screamed insults, and attempts on their life by idiots in cars. Does the car sap away empathy and human decency, replacing it with aggression and rage? Is it a carbon monoxide leak making the drivers angrily fighting sleep?
Sometimes cyclists ride against traffic on one-ways so they can take evasive measures instead of being squished by a car. Sometimes they go through red lights to get a moment of respite from car exhaust and flung drink bottles. When there is no one crossing the intersection, who is the victim of this crime? The road isn’t just for cars and it isn’t up to drivers to grudgingly share what is rightfully theirs.
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### Author:  [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/12 "2015-09-25T13:05:30Z")
On a bike once you’ve got your momentum going it is harder for them to stop especially if they have their feet in toe clips so they often ease thru lights.
What gets me more is in our area their are these nice bike and walking trails which everyone uses - bikes, parents pushing strollers, walkers, people with dogs, etc… and bicyclists just cant get it in their heads that its not some sort of bike speedway so they go thru at full speed and dont announce they are coming up behind people or use their horn or bell.
I’m very tempted to use them for paintball practice.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/13 "2015-09-25T13:34:45Z")
I don’t ride a bike but I don’t see the problem with them running red lights. If they can get away with it I’d just as soon they be gone and out of the way when the light turns green for me in my car.
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### Author:  [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/14 "2015-09-25T13:40:09Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#):
>
> I don’t ride a bike but I don’t see the problem with them running red lights. If they can get away with it I’d just as soon they be gone and out of the way when the light turns green for me in my car.
The area being discussed by the OP has extremely heavy traffic, and not just in rush hour. You can’t usually safely run a red light.
The cyclists also have been known to ride abreast and block vehicular traffic. Yeah, I’m looking at YOU, dickfaces in stupid spandex (note; you all have white guy asses and skinny legs) cycling down Winter Street in Waltham, by the reservoir, at 8-fucking-a-m!
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/15 "2015-09-25T13:45:01Z")
> [@AnaMen](#):
>
> When there is no one crossing the intersection, who is the victim of this crime?
The driver that they didn’t see in the “empty” intersection and who has to live with the memory of all of a sudden smashing into a human being?
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### Author:  [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/16 "2015-09-25T13:47:31Z")
Here in Montreal, it stands out to me when I actually see a cyclist stop at a red light or a stop sign, because it happens so rarely.
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### Author:  [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/17 "2015-09-25T13:58:18Z")
If only the rest of the states would get on board with the Idaho stop law for bicycles. Of course, then all posting in this thread would be gasping and saying “why do bicyclists get special laws”.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/18 "2015-09-25T15:23:30Z")
> [@wguy123](#):
>
> If only the rest of the states would get on board with the Idaho stop law for bicycles. Of course, then all posting in this thread would be gasping and saying “why do bicyclists get special laws”.
Which law does what exactly? Color me uninformed.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/19 "2015-09-25T15:38:03Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#):
>
> Yeah, I’m looking at YOU, dickfaces in stupid spandex (note; you all have white guy asses and skinny legs)
Yeah, seems like the worst offenders always dress and act like they’re training for the next Tour de France. But that might be confirmation bias.
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### Author:  [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-cyclists/732442/20 "2015-09-25T15:44:42Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Which law does what exactly? Color me uninformed.
> **[Idaho stop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop)**
>
> The Idaho stop is the common name for laws that allow bicyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, and a red light as a stop sign. It first became law in Idaho in 1982, but was not adopted elsewhere until Delaware adopted a limited stop-as-yield law, the "Delaware Yield", in 2017. Arkansas was the second US state to legalize both stop-as-yield and red-light-as-stop in April 2019. Studies in Delaware and Idaho have shown significant decreases in crashes at stop-controlled intersections. The...
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