Running Red: Do Cyclists Break The Law For A Good Reason?

As cyclists, we see ourselves as pretty okay. We’re being healthy, we’re saving the planet from poisonous carbon emissions, we aren’t adding to the voluminous traffic congestion that plagues many cities and, for the most part, we’re content to keep ourselves to ourselves. Despite all of that, we often get a bad reputation from drivers. Do we deserve it?

A recent study set out to examine the criticism riders get as inconsiderate, snobbish, rude, and inconvenient. Cyclists can exasperate other road users by riding on the shoulder of the road, rolling through stop signs or red lights, and otherwise inhibiting or distracting from the flow of traffic. That said, it’s also fair that these same behaviors are well documented in drivers, with speeding also added to the list. Additionally, walkers have a habit of ignoring crosswalk signals, walking with traffic instead of against it, and not always being aware of who may have the right of way at intersections. In short, all road users contribute risk to the roadways, but what causes these behaviors is more interesting than simply assigning blame.

The study made a couple of conclusions, though perhaps the most important takeaway rests on the reason behind these infractions, rather than the list of grievances themselves. Taken on the whole, most drivers break the law because of speed, trying to get from one place to another as fast as possible. Cyclists, on the other hand, tend to bend or break traffic laws in the interest of personal safety. 

There are some encouraging signs here. First, a perfect 100% of survey respondents, totaling nearly 18,000 people, admitted to breaking the law either on a bike or behind the wheel. That’s a positive indication that all road users tend to see many such laws as guidelines. The difference for cyclists, however, is that they are adapting to an environment not designed for safety. As a result, the study found that cyclists are more likely to break the law when road design and safety measures aren’t adequate. 

A good example of a cyclist knowingly breaking the law in the interest of their own safety is the old standard gripe of motorists. The rider may cruise through a stop sign to save energy, but more respondents indicated they may do so because they know the intersection is clear. If cars pose the greatest safety risk, why wait to be joined at the intersection by a motorist who may be distracted, may not see the rider, or who may not wait their turn at the stop sign. By breaking the law, the cyclists believes that are actually reducing the risk posed by the intersection.

So while all of us can admit freely to pushing the envelope on the roads, there’s good evidence that cyclists do so to protect themselves or to make up for the inferior design of the roads we all travel on. Perhaps the new investment in bike lanes, bike paths, shared streets, and other bike and pedestrian-friendly measures may help to make all of us, both cyclists and motorists, a bit more law-abiding. Of course, until that time comes, it’s imperative that all road users obey the rules of the road to keep each other safe.

You should really check out the study and some of the recommendations from the University of Colorado at Denver whenever you have time.