Biking Etiquette

There's running debate in the biking community about whether and/or to what extent bikers should obey traffic laws, i.e. stop signs, red lights, etc. I used to disregard red lights and stop signs until 2 years ago when a fellow cyclist was stopped at a light and yelled at me, "The traffic laws apply to you, too!" as I blew through the red light. That got me thinking.......in discussing the topic with my friends who still drive boxes (I mean, cars), they told me there's nothing that pisses them off more than being stopped at a light and seeing a cyclist pass them and blow through the light. When I put myself in their "shoes" (or in their box), I could understand their position.......if cyclists want the privileges of the road, they should be prepared to obey the rules of the road.

On another level, I think it's plain disrespectful of our fellow citizens to suggest that these rules don't apply to us. There's no question that legally they apply, so on what basis can cyclists claim exemption from the traffic laws? From a practical, self-preservation standpoint, I would suggest that we don't need to do anything else to incur the wrath of motorists..........although misguided, many motorists don't think cyclists should have the right to use the roads (we don't pay gas taxes to build and maintain them, so why should we get to use them?)........and since we can't ride the speed limit, we only get in the way and slow them down. Although I certainly don't agree with this attitude, I can understand it. That's why I now try to be respectful and law-abiding 99.9% of the time. And I would like to convince my fellow twowheelers to do likewise.

I experienced this phenomenon first-hand from the motorist's perspective this past Monday night. Beth and I had a magnificent dinner at Rosendale's in the Short North to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary.........we had driven Beth's Volvo station wagon to dinner and I was driving us home about 10 pm. I was making my way westward through Victorian Village to 315 when we stopped at a red light at Neil Avenue. I was delighted to see a stream of bicycles head through the intersection travelling south on Neil. The reflectors on the bikes and bikers created a surreal light show as they streamed by (the show was admittedly enhanced by several glasses of wine)......there must have been 50+ bikes. As the light changed to yellow for the bikers, a single bike veered off the course and stopped 2 feet in front of our car, intentionally blocking our path into the intersection.......the cyclist made some sort of arrogant, almost menacing motion at me as our light turned green and he stayed there for another 15-20 seconds until all the bikes made it through the intersection. I was furious! Although he probably didn't intend to send it, the message I received by this action was, "Screw you, Mr. Car Driver......me and my friends are way more important than you, so don't even think about moving (even though you have the right of way) until me and my friends get through this intersection......we don't want our self-indulgent group to be separated." This is what gives cyclists a bad name and makes the streets more dangerous for twowheelers.

I suspect this entry will not make some of my twowheeling friends happy, but I think we need to understand that bikes and cars will be co-exisiting on the roads for the foreseeable future and I would much prefer this to be a peaceful coexistence.........'cause when car meets bike, we all know who's going to lose. 

Comments

[Cycho Librarian]

Here's a great article from Bicycling magazine about this:
http://tinyurl.com/5556zf

[Bob]

Can't agree more, though sometimes running through red lights is hard to avoid when my bicycle, alone, won't trip the detector at an intersection. I've lately seen a very disturbing trend--people riding bicycles on the wrong side of the road (as if they were joggers) or the wrong way down one way streets. Very dangerous, and likely annoying to the average motorist.

[Paul Amling]

As a fellow bicyclist, I want to say that I fully agree with your position on obeying traffic laws. Some drivers wont ever want to share the road, but others wont mind if they know that you respect the same rules as they go by in their "boxes". This will help to create a less hostile environment on the roads, and make it more enjoyable for all.

I once saw a large group of motorcyclists pull the same stunt as the incident you mentioned and it really got people upset...hit home for me too.

Thanks for bringing the topic out into the open for discussion. Like your experience, some bicyclists maybe just haven't seen it from the other perspective yet.

[chip]

perhaps they had noticed that your driving was impaired (as was your vision) by several glasses of wine.

[Anon]

Your comments about following the traffic laws - OK

Your anger about the group of bikers who stopped your car so that they could continue as a group I don't understand. This happened to you once. It delayed you 15-20 seconds. This makes you furious?

[JoeTortuga]

As an epileptic, I spent a lot of time with a bike as my only source of transportation. For fifteen months in my early 20s, I was out of school and commuting by bike 4-5 miles (one way) per day. I wrote on highways (but not interstates), county roads and downtown areas. It's just easier if you obey the laws, use hand signals and remember that you are a vehicle.

People who ride bikes on the wrong side of the road, on sidewalks and who ignore traffic signals are annoying, and a danger to themselves and others. There's already rules for how to deal with slower traffic on a road, so I don't see the problem with that.

So, I agree 100%. At least with more bicyclists out there, there is a good chance more people will learn how to do this correctly (and more motorists will remember what the hand signals mean.)

[Mike Busch]

I do agree with the concept of following all traffic laws when I'm riding alone or in a small group.

But can you imagine what would happen if that size group (closer to 100, I was there) would get split up, and worse if cars turned into the group. Its dangerous for the cyclists (cars can't stop and won't see a downed cyclist until too late) and also dangerous for the motorist (imagine what would happen if they hit a cyclist with 100+ other sympathetic cyclists there).

I've corked plenty of intersections (this monday included), and in most cases I make a point to thank the drivers for the patience and understanding.

The format and time of the monday night ride are chosen to try to reduce the number of motorists who are inconvenienced by the ride passing though. If there were legal alternatives, like a police escort or a parade permit, we would probably use them. But that's even more hassle for everyone, drivers included.

So while I agree with the point of following laws, I also believe that getting out and riding with big groups is beneficial to our cause.

I'd love to entertain ideas for doing the ride by the law, but I bet those solutions would be more inconvenient for a lot more people than those (you included) who were held up on Monday night.

On a side note: Have you ever sped in a car? If so, is speeding in a car any less convenient than rolling through a stop sign on a bike (when no one is there)?

[jquaglia]

Here's an interesting proposed law on this topic if you haven't seen it yet.

http://cbs5.com/local/bike.lights.stop.2.751714.html

[Artie Isaac]

Wait a minute, Mr. Every-Broken-Law-Is-The-Beginning-Of-The-End-Of-Democracy:

Your view from the driver's seat was "admittedly enhanced by several glasses of wine"?

I think I'm more justified in riding my bike on the sidewalks. Here's my take on the topic...
http://tinyurl.com/dougmorgan

[Crusher]

Interesting concept, I wonder what 100 bikes would do if 50 or 60 cars "corked" an intersection on them? I can imagine the un-pleasantries uttered in the group of delayed cyclists. How (expletive deleted) dare they delay us!
I don't think it's too wise to intentionally stand in front of a man with a loaded gun and taunt him, why do some people seem to think a car or truck is anything less than a 4,000lb gun? Evidence the number of incidents of road rage http://roadragers.com/road-rage-advice.htm and now bike/car road rage http://www.newsweek.com/id/149224
Why push the issue with that box gun by blocking their right to use the road? It will only take one driver on the wrong day, at the wrong time, and there will be a tragedy. Try to explain “corking” to the family of a cyclist that they will never see again after that. What once seemed so important and powerful will suddenly be foolish and juvenile.
Is this a reflection of what our country is degrading to these days? I continually see an increasing attitude of “it's all about me” and everyone else just has to understand or too bad. People in boxes, on bikes, walking, the attitude seems to be “all me and to heck with you”. What a shame.
I was raised differently, taught to always try to be courteous and respect others. Nope I 'm far from perfect and would be a fool to try to imply I could be; but the attitude is there and I try to use that to guide my actions. So what if I have to slide in behind a fellow rider to accommodate traffic. I would have to stop talking for a minute and ride, but I would still be riding.
Please help me understand what part of sharing the road allows me (or my group), to take up the whole road and obstruct others right to use the road? My “rights” only extend so far, when I infringe on another's rights then I have overstepped my bounds. So if you want a parade (which is what 100 bikes is), organize it legally, get a permit, and legal traffic control. Races, walks and other organized events do this all the time. Sorry to be blunt, but I really do enjoy seeing all of you on the road and trails and I fear if common courtesy, respect for others and the law, are not primary in your mind, you may be in the obits (and recently there has been far too much of that for me).
I also see your point, it's fun to get a bunch of people together and ride, but it has to be safe and within the law.
You can meet some of the folks who understand the mantra of courtesy and respect, they are the ones who slow down and say hi on the commute trail, pass with plenty of room, and say a pleasant “good morning, on your left”. (hey Doug)
We all need to be a part of advocating safe and good biking etiquette, use the streets but understand that you are a part of a greater community of people who all use the same road, (and don't ever forget the boxes are much bigger than you) Hope to see you on the trail or, road but not in the paper.

[Mike Busch]

@Crusher I completely agree with following all the rules, but with a parade permit out of the question (the ride is weekly and the route is free form), what legal option do we have.

Do we get a squadron of police cars to lead the ride? Do we stop having the ride, and thus stop being seen on bikes?

The transportation paradigm in our country is beginning to shift. Our laws are nowhere near accommodating cycling traffic, they are there to keep cars safe. Bikes introduce a whole new set of challenges few of which are addressed in current legislation/public works.

Also, before you group all the riders of the Monday Night Ride into the "you're too good to say hello" group, you should come out and experience it. The whole ride is focused around meeting other people, and getting people off their butts and on a bike. Of course there are some lemons, but for the most part its a really laid back, friendly group of riders.

In fact, how about everyone here come out on Monday Night and see what its all about. Judge for yourself after you've participated.

[Crusher]

The ride sounds like a great time, and I am sure that the best people are involved. I can also agree that for an every Monday ride, it may be inconvenient (and costly)to get permits.
But what about the people who are not included in your rides? Do they see your ride in the light you intend? What about police and emergency personnel who may one day have to respond to an incident involving your ride? Should they have the right to know in advance when and where your large group will be?
Yep sometimes the laws we have are a pain but we need to work with them or get them changed. For your ride there may not be an easy answer, but if you have not asked and found out what the requirements are then, do not assume they would not be possible.
What research have you done? If you are the organizer (or seen as such), are there any legal risks for you if someone is injured on a ride (with or without a permit)? Have you inquired with the City about the ride? What are the costs, what are the risks, what are the needs?
If you haven't done any research a quick search pulls up...

Parade Permit
This permit is required for the formation of any parade, procession or other moving
assemblage on a public street (Appendix D). To secure a Parade Permit, applicants...

Some other thoughts; do you have any off duty police officers riding with you? Would the city agree to have some bike mounted officers ride along for traffic (and rider) control? How can you work with the City and the laws to accommodate your activity?
I don't want to “rain on your parade” it a good thing to promote biking but do want to make you stop and think of options, risks and presenting riders in the best possible light.

[gabe]

@crusher: Am I to understand this correctly...? 50 of my friends meet at my house one evening. We all drive our cars individually. Upon the arrival of everyone, we decide to change locations, we are going to head across town to a venue/bar/whatever. We each get into our respective vehicles and form an impromptu caravan to the new location. We need a Parade Permit?

Bikes are vehicles like any other road user, no matter how many of them are on the road at the same time and to say that MNR is a parade is as ridiculous as requesting a Parade Permit for every weekday at 4pm on I-71 while you and your suburbanite friends leave work to go home. ("You[r]" in the collective sense, I have no idea where "crusher" lives and am no longer speaking @crusher.)

Now a little devils advocate...
It seems that it is pretty well understood that MNR represents a small percentage of the cycling population. Could it be that they also fulfill a vital function in Bicycle Advocacy? They and their actions are what create conversation in places like C/U and CB where things come to light about the real issues facing equality on the streets. If most of the Cycling for Transportation group are the MLK Jrs of the movement, is it possible that MNR is the Malcolm X? Does this mean that I condone their actions, no. I would say I am a bit more MLK Jr that Malcolm X, but they are what start the conversations and get the attention of motorists. No one writes on the internet about how "nice it was to sit behind a cyclist waiting patiently at the red light then taking more time than I would have really preferred to get up to speed." Maybe the MLKs of the group just need to ignore the Xs and let their actions be your conversation starters. Just my opinion.

[Scott in Columbus]

Quote:50 of my friends meet at my house one evening. We all drive our cars individually. Upon the arrival of everyone, we decide to change locations, we are going to head across town to a venue/bar/whatever. We each get into our respective vehicles and form an impromptu caravan to the new location. We need a Parade Permit? end quote.
I'm sure if that were the scenario, then everyone would be taking there time, obeying the traffic laws, and being interupted by an occasional Red light. Not having a fit if everyone doesn't arrive together and on time.
What point are you trying to prove by hogging the road and thinking you have your own special set of rules just because you're riding a bike. I commute by bike everyday also. I see other cyclist out there running lights/stop signs, thinking that those things don't apply to them. And when I can I let them know it. Hell, I even see it on TOSRV when they're going thru Columbus on their way out of town. So, what kind of message are you MNR's trying to convey to everyone by flaunting the law like that. Maybe it's "Monkey see,Monkey do". And I won't get started on how some of this eliticism is fueled by alcohol.