Why cyclists roll through stop signs: It's really bad design

[nathrix]

From treehugger

 

http://www.treehugge...bad-design.html

Edited May 20, 2014 by nathrix ® ©™

[nathrix]

Unfortunately 99.9% of our roads were designed just for vehicles in mind and by couch potatoes

[ryanbritchford]

None are so blind , as those which are not willing to see. ... Run all the lights and stops streets you want. But when you get smashed by a car and your family is asked to pay for their damage or injuries, don't complain. I also find it a hassle to have to stop and roads are not well designed. But I enjoy being alive , so I stop and look and ride when it's safe. Not cos of some higher belief that I deserve to ride how I want when I want safely,but because I realize that it's up to me and only me, to remain safe.

[GaryvdM]

None are so blind , as those which are not willing to see. ... Run all the lights and stops streets you want. But when you get smashed by a car and your family is asked to pay for their damage or injuries, don't complain. I also find it a hassle to have to stop and roads are not well designed. But I enjoy being alive , so I stop and look and ride when it's safe. Not cos of some higher belief that I deserve to ride how I want when I want safely,but because I realize that it's up to me and only me, to remain safe.

 

You clearly did not read the article. The article is not trying to condone cyclist breaking laws, but rather trying to persuade law makers to review the law.

[ryanbritchford]

I read it fine mate. It states the issues with current road set up, and I both saw that and agreed with that. However, I don't agree that bad road set up is why cyclist do it. The point is that's how the roads are so we need to take that in to account and ride more safely. Not say that they aren't set up for us, so have them changed and until such changes we will continue to break road rules.

[eddy]

None are so blind , as those which are not willing to see. ... Run all the lights and stops streets you want. But when you get smashed by a car and your family is asked to pay for their damage or injuries, don't complain. I also find it a hassle to have to stop and roads are not well designed. But I enjoy being alive , so I stop and look and ride when it's safe. Not cos of some higher belief that I deserve to ride how I want when I want safely,but because I realize that it's up to me and only me, to remain safe.

 

There is an obvious contradiction in your argument which is perhaps not visible from your high horse.

 

Often it is SAFER to proceed through a red light, albeit it illegal. I will always put my safety first. But to paraphrase you opening salvo, none are so blind as those with a beam in their eye.

[ryanbritchford]

That seems to be the argument that's it's somehow safer, I don't care who rides through reds , it doesn't effect me at all. I clearly stated do what u want. Just don't complain when it frame is stuck in some guys radiator. I was clearly just stating that to blame roads and say that stop streets were never meant for cyclist only to calm traffic of cars is silly. This argument is age old and no side wants to give an inch, but guys who stop and go again when safe tend to stay alive longer from my experience, and those with stories about how one time they rolled through and were actually safer, tend to at some point end up as bonnet fodder and then like to blame the driver of the car who didn't expect a cyclist to come through a red robot. We can't always see everything around us, I know I have not seen cars before .

[DJR]

I understand the argument put forward and it certainly has merit.

 

However, we have to admit that roads are nowadays primarily designed for cars because they are the dominant traffic . Therefore, as cyclists, we cannot expect the roads to "work for us" and ignore the traffic laws. That does not solve the problem, and creates more.

[ryanbritchford]

100% correct DJR, that's the point. People are getting hurt and killed on the roads and it's not likely to change with motorists being in the millions. U can't choose to break the laws of the road, irrespective of how much u disagree with them, and then blame motorists.

[ryanbritchford]

Why do people want to ride on the road anyway, unless ur crossing one to get to more trail?

[GaryvdM]

I understand the argument put forward and it certainly has merit.

 

However, we have to admit that roads are nowadays primarily designed for cars because they are the dominant traffic . Therefore, as cyclists, we cannot expect the roads to "work for us" and ignore the traffic laws. That does not solve the problem, and creates more.

 

It's a chicken and egg problem. Is infrastructure is designed for cars because cars are the dominant traffic OR are cars the dominant traffic because the infrastructure is designed for cars?

 

I know that this is not the only factor (I think the social status of owning a car is a big factor in South Africa.) But I feel that infrastructure design/laws play a big role.

 

In the Netherlands, in the 50's and 60's, car ownership and usage began to rise due it increasing prosperity. In conjunction with this, the city planners started making the infrastructure more orientated to car use. As a result bicycle use dropped. Road deaths also increased. A political decision was then made to do a u-turn. They started to change the infrastructure to be more originated for pedestrians and cyclists. Had they not made this decision, they probably would have ended up like any other country: low levels of cycling, high levels of car use, but instead its the other way round because a decision taken by the public, and state.

 

 

 

The point I'm trying to make is, yes our infrastructure is primarily designed for cars, but is that what we really want?

[DJR]

No, we want cycle friendly infrastructure! We should kick and scream for safe cycle lanes, separated from cars, pedestrian and cycle friendly inner cities, safe bike parking, no tax on bicycles, tax breaks for employers to install showers at work......and a few more things I forget because it has been a long day.