Strictly law-abiding cyclists? Not a majority!
As a generally law-abiding cyclist, I am reluctant to criticize a study that gives cyclists high marks for law-abidingness, but responsibility requires that I call out distortions, such as. . .
As reported in Outside magazine, a study by the Florida Department of Transportation tried to assess whether cyclists are more law-abiding than drivers, and concluded in the affirmative.
Just hold on a minute! The cyclists in the study had their bikes outfitted with sensors and cameras. Do you think they are going to flout traffic laws, knowing they are being monitored?
That is such a whopper of a confounding factor that I wouldn’t be surprised if some Florida motorists concluded the study wasn’t worth a Trumpian expletive, and dismissed the study as pro-cycling propaganda.
Florida DOT slips up – good for them!
The fact that they were found to be only slightly more compliant than motorists, even when monitored, tells you all you need to know about cyclists obeying the letter of the law.
Behavior matters more than laws
The letter of the law is not what counts. It’s behavior, and even minimally bad driver behavior, combined with the intrinsic danger of motor vehicles due to weight and speed, dispropotionately endangers other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Cyclists are a tiny threat to the public compared with motorists.
Moreover, the hostile attitude of a vocal minority of drivers toward cyclists is appalling. There’s little that cyclists do that rises to that level of either malice or irresponsibility.
Speaking as a cyclist who logs over 4,500 miles most years, I can tell you I seldom come to a full stop (perform track stand or put foot down) at a stop sign. I do slow down to a walk, but if it’s an all-way stop I often take an undeserved right of way (get there after the stopped motorist but roll on through when I see they have hesitated). Of course I live in the boonies where there’s little cross traffic at most times of day. In a city I’m more compliant. But, I will cross a street against a red light when pedestrians are allowed to cross (if there’s a cop nearby, in which case I walk the bike along with the pedestrians).
For cyclists equipped with the cleats and clip-in pedals that are the norm today, one major reason for not stopping—unappreciated by much of the public—is the occasional difficulty of getting unclipped (if you fail at a stop, you take a tumble), and the more frequent difficulty of getting clipped back in again (if you’ve ever seen a cyclist pedaling with one leg while looking down at their pedals, that’s why).
The worst offense both to the letter and the spirit of the law is the frequency with which drivers pass a cyclist around a blind curve, crossing over the center line. That endangers themselves, the cyclist, and occupants of a potential oncoming car. It is astonishing how many drivers can’t wait 10-15 seconds to follow a cyclist around a blind curve before passing—what’s the hurry?
Cyclist fatalities are more frequent in Florida than in any other state? Another reason besides sea level rise not to move to Florida. Maybe the fact that you can cycle year-round with little in the way of clothing has something to do with it. The study should have taken into account the cumulative time cyclists spend on the road compared with other states, such as Maine.