Silly Little Country

Bicycling and Road Rules

I wish the Toronto police would get so serious.

Last week, according to news reports, the cops handed our more than 300 tickets to cyclists and drivers as part of a weeklong campaign.
Not surprisingly, many of the cyclists were unhappy. Too bad. It’s time they realized the rules of the road apply to them, too.

I have been on my bike over the last weeks a LOT more than in previous years.

I got a few complaints from the cycling fraternity. They insisted that rule-breaking cyclists are the minority, that they themselves obey the rules of the road, that it’s drivers who are more dangerous.
I’m skeptical, in the same way I doubt anyone who says they’ve never jaywalked or crossed against a red light. To put it bluntly: I do not see cyclists obeying the rules of the road to the same extent that car drivers do.

Well I am not skeptical. I live in a 4-way-stop neighborhood and have yet to see a cyclist stop at the neighboring intersections. Bicyclists appear to have nothing but contempt for the rules that somewhat sensibly apply to others on the road.
When I drive, there is nothing that is more of a concern to me than the unpredictable and idiotic behavior of people on bicycles. I assume it because they think of themselves as purer than the rest of us and above the rules but maybe they are just stupid, though it is hard to distinguish those cases.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 11:15 AM