Bike Traffic Laws

[Muddy]

And NO it is not yet another post about the knob treating the road like he 'owns' it....

 

Very interesting article about a small experiment on what happens when all cyclist obey traffic laws. Before going 'i told you so' keep in mind that this was done in town i.e. commuter style. But still the Idaho law is very interesting and I think it provides a sensible way of satisfying both sides. It would still be disobeys by Froome wannabee in fear of dropping they average speed during a training ride but in general it would be good if we could have something like this

 

http://www.bicycling.com/rides/traffic-laws/what-happens-when-bicyclists-obey-law

[Falco]

I'd like to see the results if this test/protest was tried here.

 

SA drivers already treat every stop sign as a second gear roll through, and a red light is just a suggestion to stop. It would make no difference to them if the cyclists stop, they will just keep rolling through.

 

Having said that, I personally still think that cyclists should obey stops and red lights.

[Capricorn]

the operative thing to note is this applies for areas with a large cycling user group. But I'll bet the red robot heroes will rejoice at this 'vindication'.

[arabsandals]

And NO it is not yet another post about the knob treating the road like he 'owns' it....

Very interesting article about a small experiment on what happens when all cyclist obey traffic laws. Before going 'i told you so' keep in mind that this was done in town i.e. commuter style. But still the Idaho law is very interesting and I think it provides a sensible way of satisfying both sides. It would still be disobeys by Froome wannabee in fear of dropping they average speed during a training ride but in general it would be good if we could have something like this

http://www.bicycling.com/rides/traffic-laws/what-happens-when-bicyclists-obey-law

That is stupid. It's just going to alienate cyclists and strengthen the anti-cycling lobby. It's like working to rule. We need to be constructive in the way we approach traffic laws and other road users, not a bunch of wankers.

[Muddy]

I think the key to something like this is proper implementation. In the case of Idaho it is a gazetted law and therefore road users know and understand that the cyclist is within his rights to treat a red light as a stop.

 

But I also agree that trying to do this under the blue skies of RSA does not seem feasible. We have too many people with a sense of entitlement, starting with some cyclists.

[Velouria]

Anyone watching commuters ride home (and I'm not talk about us lycra clad commuters on fancy racing machines - I'm talking about the guys on Pick n Pay specials riding back to the townships) will notice that they pretty much do this already. And it works. They tend to ride in groups - rock up at traffic lights, and if there is no traffic, they roll through.

 

The strange thing is I have yet to see a motorist get irate with these commuters, but heaven help me if I don't ride 2cms from the edge of the road or swerve to avoid some glass/pothole/dead animal...

[JJDT]

Difference between them and us. Going to slightly move away from cycling. In the USA pedestrians do have a right of way at a traffic light e.g. if a car wants to turn and there is a pedestrian the driver waits for the pedestrian to cross, here in SA in most cases the pedestrians have to wait for the cars because the risk of being run over is high.

 

With most of SA drivers being impatient as said before rolling stops etc. cyclists will be on the receiving end of something bad. If attitudes to one another(Pedestrians, Cyclists and Motorists) will not stop no new law will solve the problem.

[Patchelicious]

http://www.workingclassathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/cycling-meme-traffic-laws.jpg

[anthemic]

Ireland have just brought in on the spot fines for cyclists, average €40 per infringement ranging from the very vague "riding without due regard" and " failing to stop at a red light".....going to be interesting to see if it works