BIKE: Car-Free Word newsletter | April 20, 2004

[Mike Dahmus]

Patrick Goetz wrote:

> Chuck_Thomas wrote:
>
>> It seems to me that hurling 4000lbs of glass, steel and rubber thru an
>> intersection at a high speed on a light that just turned red is a bigger
>> hazard to society than me pedaling thru it after quadruple checking that
>> the coast is clear.  Granted both may be bad but why would you consider
>> my offence more grievous?
>>
>
> I think Dahmus was suggesting that when motorists run red lights, it's 
> typically because they're trying to beat a yellow light, while 
> bicyclists will run a red light smack in the middle of the red light.


To you and Stuart: I don't enjoy being called by my last name in a 
conversation. Please cut it out.

> Unfortunately, this isn't always true.  If I had a dollar for every 
> time I saw a car blast through an intersection right in the middle of 
> the red part of the cycle (whether intentional or not -- does it 
> really matter?) then I wouldn't be wasting my time on this forum, I'd 
> be too busy enjoying my new private tropical island. 

If you gave me a dime for every time I saw a bike blast a stop sign 
without even slowing down, and a penny for every time I saw a bike go 
through a completely red light, and I gave you a hundred dollars for 
every time I saw a car run a red light in any situation other than 
"running the orange", I'd have more money than you would.

I've seen cars blast through the middle of a red light cycle less than 
five times in my life. I see bikes doing this (or the same to stop 
signs) five times a day, even when I'm just driving to work, and my only 
exposure is a short stretch of Speedway.

- MD