Early on in the initial outbreak, I also noticed what sometimes felt like lawless driving in comparison to before. For example, people treating a red light as

Early on in the initial outbreak, I also noticed what sometimes felt like lawless driving in comparison to before. For example, people treating a red light as a four way stop, or just slowing down and running through it. It didn't last very long as far as I observed, but it definitely was a thing in Portland. At the time I thought it was because there were so few cars on the road. Your point, 2. seems like a solid explanation to me. In some cases it wasn't just that drivers were "not as conscientious," but more actively taking advantage of a lower amount of vehicles and LE patrol. There is some evidence of this from the multiple record-breaking Cannonball Run challenges performed in May and June 2020 with no new records recorded since. [1] Another explanation is that well-meaning drivers were treating urban driving the way folks do out in rural areas, where stop signs are sort of followed "as appropriate" by locals. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Run_challenge#During_the_COVID-19_Pandemic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Run_challenge#Durin...