You’ve seen cyclists run red lights and stop signs. Oh my God! Stop the presses! Your perception means cyclists have a long way to go, blah, blah, blah. Tell me, how many cars have you seen obeying the speed limit? How many deaths and injuries are caused by those crazy bike riders running lights?

Maybe the next time Damien posts something like this he should include an automatically generated blurb about how terrible a few cyclists are about stop signs (and so by implication all cyclists deserve to be killed, maimed, harassed, ticketed, etc.).

Sorry for the hate, but I just got done watching Michelle Mowery’s comments regarding the H3 vs. Cyclists incident from a few weeks ago and they were identical to yours.

I agree completely; however, on a several-times-weekly basis I see cyclists not stopping for stop signs, and recently I’ve seen several cyclists not even stopping for red lights [notably once on Robertson Blvd.], just speeding through without even seeming to slow down or check for cross traffic. So there’s much education still needed on all sides — starting with making the laws clearer, more consistent and much better publicized.

Rather than look at it from the bicycle perspective, look at it from a vehicle perspective (bicyclists have rights and responsibilities to driver of a vehicle).

Is it legal for a driver to drive his vehicle through the length of a crosswalk when the pedestrian light is green or white. If the answer to that question is no, and I suspect that is the case, than a bicyclist can not either.

“21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division, including, but not limited to, provisions concerning driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, and by Division 10 (commencing with Section 20000), Section 27400, Division 16.7 (commencing with Section 39000), Division 17 (commencing with Section 40000.1), and Division 18 (commencing with Section 42000), except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(b) (1) Any peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, operating a bicycle during the course of his or her duties is exempt from the requirements of subdivision (a), except as those requirements relate to driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, if the bicycle is being operated under any of the following circumstances:

(A) In response to an emergency call.

(B) While engaged in rescue operations.

(C) In the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.

(2) This subdivision does not relieve a peace officer from the duty to operate a bicycle with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway. “

I don’t see how that applies to a bicycle crossing a crosswalk at all (someone could look at the other sections quoted in here, they don’t mention it either). I hope that person fights their ticket.