The Chainlink

When Riding Today Who Followed The Traffic Rules Of The Road?

Most of us ride on the chainlink. All of us our in a hurry! So we know that bikes may get you from point A to point B quicker than a car. But how often do we actually follow the rules of the road? We want the same rights as a car does. So why don't we do these? Well today I did and you know that I found out a few things doing this. 1) I seen more respect from the cars today then any other day. 2) It really didn't take me that much longer to get from point (A) - (B) .  Maybe 5 minutes more in travel time. 3) It gave me a better workout when I really wasn't trying to achieve that. 4) Most of all it gave me a better safety feeling. I generally do follow the rules of the road, But I to do find my self coming to that stop sign & not making a complete stop. (Were one foot touches the ground) This is when a car knows what you are doing! Being predicable. 

My whole point is or was to see a difference in bike vs car as to respect.   

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Permalink Reply by Michelle S on March 21, 2012 at 7:06pm

To clarify, the red lights that I feel are OK to go through are at very small intersections, like on southbound Wells, crossing Huron where it's one lane, one way, you can clearly see that no one's coming for blocks and blocks. Are you all saying that you would wait there for the green? 

Permalink Reply by DanGer 8.2mi on March 21, 2012 at 7:08pm

I have to say that i follow the traffic rules that i make for myself. if there are cars turning left in front of me i let them go even though i technically have the right of way.  the only rules i absolutely follow are newton's. 'no two objects can occupy the same place at the same time'.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on March 21, 2012 at 9:04pm

I do stop there but most of the time I can time it (after having crossed Chicago when the light turned green) so I don't have to put a foot on the ground. And I stop because I am going to get caught in a red light on Ohio anyway. Why blow up to 3 red lights in a row and increase your risk of getting hit, only to get caught in the one that everyone stops for? So I just take my time from Chicago to Ohio and catch up with other riders.

It takes a little looking ahead to the next light (is it going to change color soon?) and a little experience (i.e. riding the same route every day), but it is not that hard to time your arrival on an intersection with a green light

Note: There are a few riders that will increase their speed, blow all 3 lights, just to make Ohio on a green. But I am not 21 anymore, and besides, I try not to sweat too much in the morning going into work.



Michelle Stenzel said:

To clarify, the red lights that I feel are OK to go through are at very small intersections, like on southbound Wells, crossing Huron where it's one lane, one way, you can clearly see that no one's coming for blocks and blocks. Are you all saying that you would wait there for the green? 

Permalink Reply by Eric R on March 21, 2012 at 9:07pm
I did not follow the rules of the road today and have a ticket to prove it! I detailed the incident on this thread - http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/offense-obey-traffic-contr...
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 21, 2012 at 9:27pm

I've found that getting familiar with the stoplight timing on a particular street can make it easier to hold the correct pace to avoid reaching the next intersection on the red light, so you can legally go straight through without stopping.  This doesn't work on every street, but looking ahead and adjusting your speed often makes it possible.  Sometimes coasting briefly is enough to do the trick.

Duppie said:

I do stop there but most of the time I can time it (after having crossed Chicago when the light turned green) so I don't have to put a foot on the ground. And I stop because I am going to get caught in a red light on Ohio anyway. Why blow up to 3 red lights in a row and increase your risk of getting hit, only to get caught in the one that everyone stops for? So I just take my time from Chicago to Ohio and catch up with other riders.

It takes a little looking ahead to the next light (is it going to change color soon?) and a little experience (i.e. riding the same route every day), but it is not that hard to time your arrival on an intersection with a green light

Note: There are a few riders that will increase their speed, blow all 3 lights, just to make Ohio on a green. But I am not 21 anymore, and besides, I try not to sweat too much in the morning going into work.



Michelle Stenzel said:

To clarify, the red lights that I feel are OK to go through are at very small intersections, like on southbound Wells, crossing Huron where it's one lane, one way, you can clearly see that no one's coming for blocks and blocks. Are you all saying that you would wait there for the green? 

Permalink Reply by buddaa38 on March 21, 2012 at 9:42pm

My organization does exist! I don't know what you are referring or why you make such a comment. If you only know what I've been doing you wouldn't be saying this!

Robert Beck said:

I guess its that time of year again, huh Tony?  Let me guess that next post is you will be seeking volunteers for that organization that does not even exist! 

Permalink Reply by Gerry G on March 22, 2012 at 1:24am

buddaa38 I defer to his holiness the 14th  Dalai Lama of Tibet.

“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.” -- Dalai Lama XIV


Those six ways on Lincoln (or any other 45 angle to grid street) get a stop on red from me.  

Yeah Huron gets a stop some days, others it's a slow down, look both ways.  Evan though it's a one way single lane West bound.  There are others like Huron, Berwyn  comes to mind.  So it occurs to me  now that if I'm traveling on a two way street, Lincoln or Wells, that intersects at 90 deg, and the cross street is one way I'm less inclined to even put a foot down at a red.  Slowing down and scanning both ways for traffic are sufficient.  Any traffic in sight, which could be a ped or a car I'll stop.  Since they have the right of way.  Intersections with two lanes of traffic on both streets will get a complete stop.  Oak and wells come to mind.  I don't have the right of way, nor am I of the mindset to automatically just blow through it on a red.  Who needs to be a bleeder?  If there is any construction in an intersection it spells stop for me, sign or signal.  Typically because the sight lines have changed for everyone.  It comes down to thresholds.  Head wind, rubber legs, usable light, road surface, contact patch, all are dynamic.  A cardinal operating rule for me, no one should have to yield or wait for me if it isn't my turn to proceed.    

Many insightful perceptions in these discussions, thanks.

  

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 22, 2012 at 5:49am

!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++!

Steel Driver said:

buddaa38 I defer to his holiness the 14th  Dalai Lama of Tibet.

“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.” -- Dalai Lama XIV

/snip/

A cardinal operating rule for me, no one should have to yield or wait for me if it isn't my turn to proceed.    

Many insightful perceptions in these discussions, thanks.

  

Permalink Reply by David Barish on March 22, 2012 at 10:43am

Thanks for bring up this topic.  I am the fool who is standing at an intersection  when the walk signal ends but the light is still green while fellow pedestrians bump into my back and look at me like I am crazy.  I am the guy standing over my bike at a red light when that attractive cyclist barrels through that light and other cyclist/lemmings follow while they are fixated on her physique rather than the traffic. 

 

No, I am not 100% following the rules on the bike. I don't do so in a car.  There is merit in what Jenn says as long as its not a rationalization.  I assume most of us roll through stop signs but ARE actually looking and assessing.  I assume most  of us are riding between the parked cars and backed up traffic on a road like Lincoln Ave. that gets tight for cars at irving Park. But are we looking ahead, checking the mirrors of the parked cars, being aware of pedestrians about to dart in and out. 

 

its a right/responsibility thing.  We are vehicles. We belong on the road. We belong in traffic.  We may not vocalize it, but we know where the neanderthal in the SUV who tells us to ride on the sidewalk can stick his opinion.  With those rights...well, you know.

 

I say this as a commuter, social and recreational rider. To those of you who are professional riders, hey just don't kill anybody. You have neither my blessing nor my condemnation. We all complain about cab drivers.  Professionals ride in that same grey area of the law and morality.  Its wrong. You shouldn't do it but they do.  They are fully aware of the risks they take. I would never take them. I ain't a pro. Frankly, the most dangerous people on the street are the wanna be pros who have the hubris to think they can ride a certain way and simply do not have the skill.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on March 22, 2012 at 11:06am

I have one final comment for this string and all the other Chainlink strings. I have met very young Chainlinkers and non-Chainlink-riders. To those young bicyclists we are setting the example. What you write here and how you ride in the streets sets a standard for our youthful riders who are impressionable, impulsive, bad decision makers and love not listening to advice from their moms and dads. My plea: write and do as if your 11 year old son or daughter was watching, because - more likely than not - someone else’s 11 year old son or daughter is watching. I would love to see all of them join us as adult cyclists.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 22, 2012 at 11:36am

I full agree that we as bicyclists should grow up and become adults who have learned to think for themselves.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on March 23, 2012 at 9:08am

Lets see the info on your 'organization's' incorporation, have an address for your physical location, proof of liability insurance and see some actual events beyond you trying to get volunteers for Bike The Drive so you can get something in return...

Tony, Language and your words do matter; people are not going to get behind a 'organization' when the director does not know the difference between 'our' and 'are' or is unwilling to take the time to proof read things to see they got it wrong.  You show up here every spring looking to exploit people for your own gain with no return for them and then disappear when it gets cold; do you even bike year round?  How much traction do you expect to get with your bike advocacy 'organization' (who's website has not been updated and still shows events from last summer) when you are never really out there riding around? 

buddaa38 said:

My organization does exist! I don't know what you are referring or why you make such a comment. If you only know what I've been doing you wouldn't be saying this!

Robert Beck said:

I guess its that time of year again, huh Tony?  Let me guess that next post is you will be seeking volunteers for that organization that does not even exist! 

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