WHY BICYCLE LAWBREAKING IS ILLEGAL

wreck Some people claim that enforcing traffic laws on bicycle riders is somehow wrong. They claim that the law is too much of a "burden" on the bicycle rider. But if bicycle riders are allowed to commit the dangerous acts they commit when the law is not enforced:

  1. They will cause many accidents.
  2. These accidents are often fatal to the bicycle riders.
  3. Often bicycle riders cause accidents without getting into them, by causing other drivers to take avoiding action.

To prevent these accidents, the law must be left as it is. The law must be enforced. The burden of these fatalities is a lot larger than the burden the law imposes.

There are several laws that bicycle riders contest. Each entry below examines the reason one law is in place, and the terrible results of disobeying it. And because the bicycle rider usually doesn't see the real danger, each entry explores the reason the bicycle rider doesn't see the danger.

Many violations SEEM safer to bike riders, but they
become emergency-avoidance hazards to motorists.

RIDING ON SIDEWALKS

What's dangerous:

  • The bicycle rider rides on the sidewalk because he is afraid that traffic approaching behind him on the street will hit him.
  • The act of riding on the sidewalk by itself is not that dangerous. As long as the bicycle rider yields to pedestrians on the sidewalk, the danger is small while the bike stays on the sidewalk.
  • The danger happens where the sidewalk reaches an intersection:
    1. The bicycle approaches on the sidewalk at a normal bike speed of 15 to 25 mph.
    2. Some drivers traveling on the same street as the bicycle plan to turn left and right.
    3. The bicycle is hidden from other traffic by the blind zones all vehicles have, or by street trees.
    4. The drivers of these cars can't see the bicycle until the last second. It then suddenly appears in traffic.
    5. There isn't time for avoiding action, so an accident occurs.
  • The bicycle might also hit a car door that was opened in front of it to let passengers get in or out.
  • The bicycle comes from an unexpected direction.
  • This is the danger. And, this is why riding on a sidewalk is illegal.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. The best way to avoid the danger is to obey the law: Bicycles are vehicles. Ride in the street.
  2. This would not be a problem if either of these is true:
    • The bicycle moves slower than 4 mph at the crosswalk.
    • The bicycle stops before entering the crosswalk.
    If either of these occurs, there is no safety problem. The bicycle stays visible to other traffic for period long enough to be seen. But bicycle riders rarely do either.
  3. The law requires a bicycle (or any other vehicle) to make a full stop before entering the street from any location off the street. This includes entering from a sidewalk.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because:
    1. He doesn't know the driver of the car can't see him.
    2. Also, he has just passed the turning driver, and can't see him.
  • The cyclist is afraid of being hit from behind.
  • The bicycle rider doesn't want to lose his momentum by slowing down (a very poor excuse).
  • Parents teach children the wrong way to ride a bicycle.

RIDING WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT AT NIGHT

What's dangerous:

  • Many cyclists think they are safe with only a reflector on the front.
  • But in one traffic situation, the bicycle totally disappears from the driver's eyes, because no light is shining on the reflector:
    1. A car passes a bicycle going the same way at night.
    2. After the car has passed the bicycle, its headlights no longer shine on the bike's reflectors.
    3. The driver of the car looks in his mirrors, and suddenly discovers that he can't find the bike.
    4. The driver has to guess when it is safe to return to the right lane after passing. Sometimes he guesses wrong.
  • A reflector is not visible unless light coming from the direction of the viewer strikes it.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. Reflectors aren't magic. They need light coming from the observer's direction to work.
  2. The only way to avoid the danger is to have an actual headlight.
  3. With the new LED technology, a headlight is not expensive to maintain.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because he doesn't know the driver of the car can't see him.
  • The cost and bother of maintaining a light on the bicycle seems to be too much.

DISOBEYING A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT

What's dangerous:

  • Each driver expects that his path will not be crossed by lawbreaking vehicles when:
    • the traffic light is green
    • his turn to go comes up at a 4-WAY STOP
    • the other street has STOP signs, but the driver's street does not have to stop
  • The danger occurs when:
    1. The bicycle rider disregards a STOP sign or traffic light.
    2. The driver with the right-of-way has already started moving through the intersection.
    3. This driver now can't stop in time to avoid the lawbreaking cyclist.
  • The bicycle rider does something unexpected, causing the hazard.
  • This lawbreaker puts his own life at extreme risk.
  • This violator often causes accidents without getting into them, as drivers avoiding him hit other objects.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. The only way to avoid the danger is to obey all of the traffic laws.
  2. The law requires bicycles to stop and STAY at red traffic lights (except turns allowed on red).
  3. This wanton disregard of the law is dangerous to all. To protect other drivers, the traffic laws must be vigorously enforced.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because:
    1. He doesn't take into account the up to one-second reaction time of a driver.
    2. He doesn't know the stopping distance of a car is much longer than that of a bicycle.
  • The bicycle rider doesn't want to lose his momentum by slowing down (a very poor excuse).

RIDING THE WRONG WAY IN TRAFFIC LANES
OR ON ONE-WAY STREETS

What's dangerous:

  • Nothing could be more dangerous. This has caused more serious bicycle accidents in Bloomington than any other cause.
  • The bicycle is visible to traffic approaching it on the same street.
  • The problem is usually that cross-street traffic does not see traffic coming from an illegal direction. The most common crash involves:
    1. A bicycle going the wrong direction in a traffic lane.
    2. A driver on the other street does not expect a bicycle coming from an illegal direction.
    3. The driver turns or crosses immediately in front of the bicycle.
    4. Often the bicycle can't stop before hitting the turning vehicle.
  • The wrong-way cyclist could suddenly be confronted with traffic headed toward him, with no possible escape route.
  • The driver of the other vehicle can't be faulted, because the bicycle came from an illegal direction.
  • The wrong-way bicycle rider can't see any traffic signals and signs on ONE-WAY streets.
  • The problem is that the bicycle is approaching from an unexpected direction.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. The cause of the accident is solely the lawbreaking by the bicycle rider.
  2. This bicycle rider often compounds the wrong-way error by riding on a sidewalk:
    • On the left side of a two-way street.
    • Going the wrong direction on a ONE-WAY street.
    This multiplies the danger, because the bicycle becomes even harder for drivers to see when it is on a sidewalk.
  3. Obeying the law is the ONLY way to prevent these accidents.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because:
    1. He doesn't know that drivers aren't looking for traffic coming from his direction.
    2. All of the traffic signs face the other way.
  • The rider is more interested in saving a block's worth of travel than he is in being safe (another very poor excuse).

PASSING STOPPED CARS BETWEEN LANES
OR ON THE RIGHT

What's dangerous:

  • This is extremely dangerous, because a car might turn from the line of stopped cars.
  • The danger happens where the street reaches an intersection or driveway:
    1. The bicycle approaches on the shoulder or between lanes at a normal bike speed of 15 to 25 mph.
    2. Some drivers waiting in line on that street plan to turn left and right.
    3. The bicycle is hidden from other traffic by the blind zones all vehicles have.
    4. The drivers of these cars can't see the bicycle until the moment of impact.
    5. There isn't time for avoiding action, so an accident occurs.
  • The bicycle on the shoulder might also hit a car door opened to let passengers get in or out.
  • The bicycle comes from an unexpected direction.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. The best way to avoid the danger is to obey the law:
    • Bicycles are vehicles, and must obey vehicle laws.
    • Ride in the traffic lanes, not between them.
  2. The law requires bicycles to join the line of stopped vehicles, unless a bike lane is provided.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because:
    1. He doesn't know the driver of the car can't see him.
    2. He doesn't take into account the up to one-second reaction time of a driver.
    3. He doesn't know the stopping distance of a car is much longer than that of a bicycle.
  • The bicycle rider doesn't want to lose his momentum by slowing down (a very poor excuse).
  • The bicycle rider doesn't want to lose time by stopping.

ENTERING FROM AN ALLEY, DRIVEWAY,
OR SIDEWALK WITHOUT STOPPING

What's dangerous:

  • Each driver expects that his path will not be crossed by lawbreaking vehicles when:
    • Crossing a driveway entrance.
    • Crossing an alley entrance.
  • The danger occurs when:
    1. The bicycle rider disregards the required stop when entering traffic from driveways and alleys.
    2. The driver with the right-of-way is already moving through the intersection.
    3. This driver now can't stop in time to avoid the lawbreaking cyclist.
  • The bicycle rider does something unexpected, causing the hazard.
  • Often the bicycle rider doesn't know he is breaking the law, because:
    1. He doesn't know that certain entrances must always stop for through streets.
    2. Because of this law, STOP signs are usually not posted at such locations.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. The law requires vehicles to stop when entering roads and streets from driveways, alleys, and sidewalks.
  2. The only way to avoid the danger is to obey all of the traffic laws.
  3. This violator often causes accidents without getting into them, as drivers avoiding him hit other cars.
  4. This law is most often violated through ignorance, because no STOP sign is visible. Education is needed here.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • This bicycle rider can't see the danger because:
    1. He doesn't know the law.
    2. He doesn't take into account the up to one-second reaction time of a driver.
    3. He doesn't know the stopping distance of a car is much longer than that of a bicycle.
  • The bicycle rider doesn't want to lose his momentum by slowing down (a very poor excuse).

PRETENDING TO BE A PEDESTRIAN

What's dangerous:

  • Many bicycle riders have the mistaken idea that, because their vehicles are human powered, that bicycles are treated as pedestrians by the law.
  • The danger is that the motion characteristics of bicycles are very different from the motion characteristics of pedestrians.
    1. Bicycles usually travel at 15 to 25 mph. Pedestrians rarely go faster than 4 mph.
    2. Pedestrians can make tighter turns than bicycles can make.
    3. Pedestrians can make certain maneuvers bicycles can't make.
    4. Due to the need to operate controls, bicycle riders have longer reaction times than pedestrians.
    5. Bicycles have longer stopping distances than pedestrians have.
    6. Because bicycles travel faster, they can suddenly appear in traffic while trying to follow pedestrian rules.
  • Bicycle riders attempting to follow pedestrian laws cause many accidents. Almost all bicycle fatalities are caused by bicycle riders expecting drivers to treat them as pedestrians.
    1. Drivers obeying the law treat the bicycles as vehicles.
    2. Cyclists with wrong expectations commit acts that pedestrians may do, but bikes may not do.
    3. The drivers don't expect these law violations, and are surprised by them.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. Since bicycles are very different from pedestrians, bicycles can't follow pedestrian rules.
  2. Bicycles could follow pedestrian rules if we could limit the top bicycle speed to 4 mph.
  3. Bicycles have absolutely no right to use crosswalks.
  4. Most other human-powered vehicles (such as skates) are considered to be toys under the law. Toys are usually not allowed to use the traffic system as either vehicles or pedestrians.
  5. A sidewalk bike (wheels smaller than 15-inch diameter) is a toy, not a vehicle. It has different rules under the law.
  6. Because of their top speed, Segways should be considered to be vehicles, not pedestrians.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • Too often, parents teach their children the wrong rules, because they do not understand the hidden dangers in disobeying the law.
  • Bicycle riders feel "safer" using pedestrian rules, even though it really causes a higher risk.
  • Environmentalists often teach the wrong rules to get more people to ride bicycles.
  • One idiotic state legislature, and several large cities, enacted laws where bicycles are pedestrians. Such laws violate the federal Uniform Vehicle Code. They also cause accidents.

IGNORANT PARENTS WRONGLY TEACH
CHILDREN THE WRONG RULES

What's dangerous:

  • Parents, mistakenly thinking they are teaching their children "safety," teach children to follow pedestrian rules when riding bicycles.
  • Most parents are laymen. Laymen tend to choose the least safe traffic control methods.
  • The law prescribes the safest possible set of rules. Traffic rules are well tested by time. Parental fears of the correct rules are unfounded.
  • Teaching children to ride bicycles wrong is lawbreaking in most states, with various penalties:
    • Fines.
    • Jail sentences for repeat offenses.
    • Child Protection Service investigations.
    • Child-endangerment charges.
  • The law has it right. Human child-rearing instincts are wrong in the case of traffic safety.
  • Those saying parental instincts are right should remember that animal instincts cause roadkill. In this case, instinct distinctly stinks.
  • Most bicycle accidents are caused by bicycles illegally following pedestrian rules.
  • Following pedestrian rules often hides bicycles from being seen by other traffic, causing accidents.

Avoiding the danger:

  1. Instincts should be ignored in this case. Evolution needs several million years to catch up.
  2. Parental instincts protect offspring from predators, not cars.
  3. Your emotional feelings on this are based on the faulty instincts.
  4. Obey the law. The law has done it right for many years. They would change it if it were wrong.
  5. To save your children's lives, teach them to ride bicycles as vehicles.
  6. Ignore the fear of traffic approaching from behind.
    • Rear-end bicycle accidents are extremely rare.
    • Bikes usually have turning, right-angle, or sideswipe accidents.
  7. To allay (unfounded) fears of vehicles from behind, put convex rear view mirrors on the bike.

Why the danger isn't heeded:

  • Parents obey their million-year-old instincts instead of the law.
  • Parental instincts are obsolete. They evolved in the absence of traffic.
  • Untrained laymen usually prefer the more dangerous choices in traffic control.
  • The fear of traffic approaching from behind.

OTHER FACTORS CAUSING THIS RECKLESS BEHAVIOR

What's dangerous:

  • The desire to reduce pedaling work by keeping momentum.
    • This causes bicycle riders to not stop at STOP signs and traffic lights.
    • There is no such thing as a right to stored momentum. Safety comes first.
  • There is a mistaken belief that, because the bicycle has no motor, it is a pedestrian.
    • The definition must be made according to the transportation method's top speed, not its power source.
    • A Segway must also be a vehicle, as must anything that can exceed 5 mph.
  • Misguided parents teach wrong behavior because they can't see or understand all of the hazards.
  • Some children who learn to ride a sidewalk bicycle (a toy, not a vehicle) are never taught the correct way to ride larger bicycles.
  • Environmentalists want bicycles to have special privileges.
    • Such privileges can't possibly be granted without causing numerous accidents.

Avoiding the danger:

  • Ride properly. OBEY THE LAW
  • Signal stops and turns with STANDARD hand signals. Bikes don't have brake lights.
  • Stay off sidewalks. Bikes go too fast for pedestrian laws.
  • Turning motorists can't see bikes approaching on sidewalks in time.
  • Use real headlights. Motorists can't see unilluminated reflectors after passing bikes at night.
  • Obey all VEHICLE signals and signs. There is no special exception for bikes.
  • There is no such thing as a right to keep momentum.
  • No unexpected moves. ANYTHING ILLEGAL IS UNEXPECTED.
  • Use the correct lane for your maneuver.
  • Don't ride the wrong direction in a lane or on a ONE-WAY street.
  • Don't pass between traffic lanes.
  • Stop before entering traffic from off the street.
  • Pull off and let traffic pass, instead of holding up traffic and making people mad.

Many violations SEEM safer to bike riders, but
they become emergency-avoidance hazards to motorists.

Bike violation

Why do bicycle riders continue to do the dangerous things that are prohibited by law?

One answer seems to be that the bicycle rider is not in a position to see the dangers he causes.

Other possibilities include:

  1. Ignorance
  2. Selfishness
  3. Stupidity
  4. A disease imparted by sitting on bicycle seats (?)

Notice the cyclist in red in this picture. He is riding to the left of the double yellow line.

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