3d ago

Cyclists don’t break traffic laws any more than drivers, says new study

cycling.today Cyclists don’t break traffic laws any more than drivers, says new study | Cycling Today

A new research found that motorists and dangerous street design — not cyclist behavior — are the primary factors that put cyclists at risk. According to the study done by University of South Florida, cyclists were in compliance with traffic laws 88 percent of the time during the day and 87 percent o...

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Cyclists don’t break traffic laws any more than drivers, says new stuy

cycling.today /cyclists-dont-break-traffic-laws-any-more-than-drivers-says-new-study/

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Not surprising that the rate of driver non-compliance was found to be 15% -- because that is the number traffic engineers shoot for. For example, when a traffic survey finds more than 15% drivers are exceeding the speed limit then the speed limit gets raised. Similarly, if enough drivers are observed running a red light, then the yellow time gets extended. Or if drivers aren't yielding at a crosswalk, then the crosswalk is removed.
By contrast, if a large number of cyclists are observed running a stop sign on a quiet street then the local police conducts a sting operation...
- Well if you almost clip me on your bike as a pedestrian because you refuse to stop at any stop signs, I'm gonna kick your rear tire. ¯(ツ)/¯
  
  Fair. If someone almost clips you in their car because they ran a stop sign, you're lucky to be alive lmao
  
  They would've gotten a knock on the trunk too in the old days, but now I'm older and I guess wiser/don't really care anymore.
- I find that 15% number interesting... For example, there's a highway near where I am with a 55 mph speed limit. But you'll rarely find people doing less than 60. Usually 65, with the occasional crazy person doing 80.
  But I feel like raising the speed limit would defeat the purpose. Drivers would be happy, but then they'd just go 75. If traffic engineering amounts to "More than 15% are breaking the rules and driving in an unsafe manner, let's change the rules so that's legal," it seems pretty dumb. Like, that extra speed isn't suddenly safer because the sign says something else.

68 comments