Friggin' Cyclists - We need to punish these people

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Your numbers are made up and are anecdotal. They have no basis in fact. If they were factual, you'd have at least one shred of evidence, as opposed to the 'you are pretty sure' ratio.



If you read my post you'd see I never said cyclists don't break the law. I simply said drivers do as well. There are so many drivers that get annoyed by cyclists breaking the rules of the road, yet their holier than thou attitude doesn't apply to themselves, or other drivers.



I cycle and drive. I routinely see cyclists and drivers breaking the law. I think it's far more dangerous for a vehicle to run through a red light doing 80 km/h than it is for a cyclist to fail to signal while doing 10 km/h in a protected bike lane. Both are illegal.

It's also even more dangerous than a cyclist failing to signal when going 5km/h. But what is the point of comparing two extreme situations? Comparing the most hazardous of vehicles transgressions with the least hazarous of cyclist transgressions justifies what?

[puckedoff]

If it is indeed the vehicle drivers who are making dangerous traffic violations so often, it is just further reason for this struggler to get off the road and onto the sidewalk, for her own safety.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Wormius

It's also even more dangerous than a cyclist failing to signal when going 5km/h. But what is the point of comparing two extreme situations? Comparing the most hazardous of vehicles transgressions with the least hazarous of cyclist transgressions justifies what?

Cliff stated he saw less than 20% of cyclists signaled when passing another cyclist and then equated that to cyclists are exempt from all laws. Of all the petty things to complain about, that is the top of the mountain, that a cyclist won't signal while making a pass. He further said that 80% of cyclists break the law while commuting. If these are the laws they are breaking, what is the point of complaining about them?

My point of comparing the two are that a violation by a car affects much more in society than a violation on a bike. A bike's top speed is far less than a car's top speed. On flat ground it is easy for a car to accelerate to 100 km/h, while it's tough for an average cyclist to hit 30 km/h. If a car and a cyclist both run a red light at those speeds, both are in the wrong. If both of them strike a pedestrian, the consequences are much more severe when the car is involved.

I think everyone should follow the rules of the road, regardless of their transportation mode. Once again, I see cyclists and drivers violating laws every day. If people are wanting to condemn cyclists for not signalling while passing, yet are running red lights downtown near pedestrians, driving at 140 km/h on the Deerfoot, and/or driving under the influence, this is sheer hypocrisy. The worst that comes out of cycling violations is far less severe than what comes out of average driving violations.

Cliff stated 80% of cyclists break the law. This, in itself is an absurd claim without any factual representation. However, even if it was true, which it's not, if they are breaking failure to signal laws, is that comparable to drivers breaking other laws? In my opinion, it is not.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Your numbers are made up and are anecdotal. They have no basis in fact. If they were factual, you'd have at least one shred of evidence, as opposed to the 'you are pretty sure' ratio.



If you read my post you'd see I never said cyclists don't break the law. I simply said drivers do as well. There are so many drivers that get annoyed by cyclists breaking the rules of the road, yet their holier than thou attitude doesn't apply to themselves, or other drivers.



I cycle and drive. I routinely see cyclists and drivers breaking the law. I think it's far more dangerous for a vehicle to run through a red light doing 80 km/h than it is for a cyclist to fail to signal while doing 10 km/h in a protected bike lane. Both are illegal.

Actually it's not illegal. If a cyclist does not need to signal if they need both hands to remain in control of the bike.