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As someone who commutes by bike (short-distance, non-electric), I'm not sure what the perceived problem is when stopping at a traffic light. I understood it as

by ygra 10y ago

As someone who commutes by bike (short-distance, non-electric), I'm not sure what the perceived problem is when stopping at a traffic light. I understood it as “pedestrians never stop at red lights, so I'd like to not do it either on a bike” which doesn't really make sense to me. As a cyclist on the road I'm bound to the exact same rules as cars, even though motorists frequently seem to have a problem with me having the right of way in certain circumstances. The latter is something bike paths separate from roads fix, but that's already the case here outside cities for the most part, it's just not feasible within them. Ideally you'd want to completely separate all modes of transport from each other, but again, not feasible.

deathanatos 10y ago
> As a cyclist on the road I'm bound to the exact same rules as cars, even though motorists frequently seem to have a problem with me having the right of way in certain circumstances. I wish more cyclists and drivers actually believed that. As a driver, I'm willing to give a full lane to a biker if they ask for it. (If they're going "too slow", you can always pass in the adjoining lane.) As a biker, sometimes I need that lane; having a several ton car buzzing me on the side is not my idea of fun. The way I see it is that people are — in general — sloppy, both in their driving and their biking. They think that "cutting corners" is okay. > which pedestrians never do, they just go for it (note: grandparent's comment) the problem with this is on a bike is that you're apt to hit a pedestrian. I've seen plenty of bikers on the Embarcadero in SF nearly collide with pedestrians, because the road is a T, and they're on the through road, and mistakenly believe they have no conflicts (they have both the aforementioned pedestrians, as well as any left-turning bikers). Being on a bike doesn't have the same risk "feeling" AFAICT as a car. A quick glance around to determine "will a car probably hit me if I do this technically illegal thing?" seems to be all it takes. (Car drivers are just as sloppy, too, just in different ways. I spend about equal time biking and driving, and the number of illegal maneuvers I see in a car on a daily basis is appalling too.) Most people seem to exemplify Louis C.K.'s "My Favorite Way" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAsiC5a02U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAsiC5a02U)

by ygra 10y ago

deathanatos 10y ago

> As a cyclist on the road I'm bound to the exact same rules as cars, even though motorists frequently seem to have a problem with me having the right of way in certain circumstances. I wish more cyclists and drivers actually believed that. As a driver, I'm willing to give a full lane to a biker if they ask for it. (If they're going "too slow", you can always pass in the adjoining lane.) As a biker, sometimes I need that lane; having a several ton car buzzing me on the side is not my idea of fun. The way I see it is that people are — in general — sloppy, both in their driving and their biking. They think that "cutting corners" is okay. > which pedestrians never do, they just go for it (note: grandparent's comment) the problem with this is on a bike is that you're apt to hit a pedestrian. I've seen plenty of bikers on the Embarcadero in SF nearly collide with pedestrians, because the road is a T, and they're on the through road, and mistakenly believe they have no conflicts (they have both the aforementioned pedestrians, as well as any left-turning bikers). Being on a bike doesn't have the same risk "feeling" AFAICT as a car. A quick glance around to determine "will a car probably hit me if I do this technically illegal thing?" seems to be all it takes. (Car drivers are just as sloppy, too, just in different ways. I spend about equal time biking and driving, and the number of illegal maneuvers I see in a car on a daily basis is appalling too.) Most people seem to exemplify Louis C.K.'s "My Favorite Way" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAsiC5a02U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAsiC5a02U)