I don't think a general "cyclists" category is a helpful way to classify people--it's not like the people who ride bikes have a particular character that can be

I don't think a general "cyclists" category is a helpful way to classify people--it's not like the people who ride bikes have a particular character that can be distinguished from that of people using other vehicles; rather, they behave in the way that the infrastructure, culture, and laws around them influence them to act. There is an intersection directly in front of my house (also in NYC) that features a flexible barrier and signs telling people "No left turn". All day long, hundreds of times per hour, drivers roll right over the barrier (or swerve around it into the bike lane), turning left illegally, rather than going around the block as they are supposed to do. Should we cast moral blame on these drivers? Or are they simply average human beings? They are taking a dangerous shortcut because the intersection is poorly designed, because our culture encourages them to prioritize their own momentary convenience over pedestrian safety, and the enforcement is non-existent. If everyone is doing the same wrong thing, then something structural needs to change.