Comment 77200

By kevlahan (registered) | Posted May 23, 2012 at 03:53:34 in reply to Comment 77197

I agree that cyclists appear lawless to motorists because there are certain rules they break consistently (i.e. not stopping at stop signs). I myself am very careful to obey the rules when I ride, and have also been shouted at by cyclists following behind when I stop completely at a stop sign.

So I agree that it is bad for the image of cyclists that they flout certain rules more often than motorists.

I have also tried driving at 95km/h in the slow lane of the QEW, and it is just not possible. So I end up just following the traffic flow. I suppose, as when I cycle, I could strictly obey the law by driving 100km/h in the middle lane and object when anyone honks that they should not be breaking the law!

As with cyclists rolling through stops, social convention has dictated the true speed limit is about 120km/h (or more). The conflict comes because the social conventions are different for bicycles and motorists at stop signs.

The point is that going 20% over the speed limit doesn't seem lawless because everyone does it. But it doesn't actually make it any safer or law abiding!

If we were actually concerned about safety and obeying the law, we would focus our disapproval and enforcement on speeding, which is dangerous.

If we want to improve the image of cyclists in the eyes of motorists we would make sure that we are completely law abiding, but also would make sure not to get in the way of cars (which also annoys motorists, even though it is legal).

There is a difference between concerns over safety and concerns over annoying drivers and the public image of cyclists.

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2012-05-23 04:00:28

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