I had a total brainfart this morning on my way to work- I turned right at the end of the Boulevard and was proceeding to tun into Point State Park. When I turned, I think the light was yellow, but was thinking about having to replace my whole drivetrain as I have stretched my chain to within an inch of it's life. By the time I was crossing in front of the bus and car coming off the Fort Pitt Bridge, they had a green, but fortunatley waited until I was through the intersection.
I am totally embarrased to admit I ran that red light- I am not one of those scofflaw street users (cyclist, motorist, or pedestrian) who regularly blow through traffic signals. I am truly sorry for my action.
I hope I don't have to read about it in a letter to the editor in the near future.
helen-s
2013-08-15 11:45:34
Maybe they should have a regular section on the PG website -- bike confessions and rants. People who want to rant about cyclists breaking the law could be matched up with cyclists who feel guilty. Everyone would benefit.
Edit: oh yeah, and there could be another area where motorists who have nearly killed one of us (as opposed to annoying and / or slightly delaying someone) could confess. Then we'd be able to track them down by IP and get them arrested.
jonawebb
2013-08-15 12:12:12
jonawebb wrote:Then we’d be able to track them down by IP and get them arrested.
Drone strike.
oops, UAV strike.
vannever
2013-08-15 13:06:32
I thought cyclist treat red lights as stop signs and stop signs as yields? Am I doing something wrong?
gg
2013-08-15 16:51:29
You are. Traffic controls do not apply to cyclists.
Ride on, my fellow entitled cyclist.
renny
2013-08-15 17:08:23
gg, you are correct in Idaho. Problem is, this isn't Idaho. Idaho has it right; changing the law would make sense, just like changing the law to allow right-on-red-after-full-stop and returning the national speed limit to state control. They're laws. They can and should be changed, if the need is there. And the need is there. Put this whole blessed argument about stop signs and red lights to rest.
Yes, this:
* At a stop sign, a cyclist yields right of way to anyone legally in the intersection, then proceeds when it is safe to do so.
* At a red light, a cyclist comes to a full stop. When traffic has cleared and it is safe to proceed across the intersection, the cyclist may do so.
Just making sure you all caught that "when it is safe to do so" part.
stuinmccandless
2013-08-18 19:54:45
I frequently blow off (four way)stop signs... unless a) there is another vehicle present b) pedestrians are present or c) I can't see if another vehicle or pedestrian is present.
Breaking the law, or not... I'm don't contribute to giving bicyclists a bad name (except, maybe in forums where I admit these things publicly).
The only time I've blown a light, unintentionally, was when a driver waved me through (neither of us realizing the light just changed). Halfway through the intersection... DOH! I learned a valuable lesson from that, which is, don't wave people through because even if *you* are going to stop and give a cyclist right of way, you could be giving a cyclist (or another motorist) a false sense of security since you can't control what others on the road are doing.
headloss
2013-08-18 23:45:14
