Cyclists need to obey traffic laws

Few things make me as angry as when a bicycle runs a stop sign.

If they have on the right kit during the crime — helmet, reflectors, bright clothes — then that is the lowest level of anger. If they are someone who is not aware how dangerous riding a bike is, then that elevates the anger. You may be thinking I am in need of counseling, but no. I ride my bike all over Lodi.

Someone has been smart enough to make excellent bike lanes all over. But that person left out the education side of it. The rules for a bike are the same as for a car regarding intersections, stop signs and stop signals. Hear that, Blondie? How about you, old man with way-too-tight shorts and shirt? How about you parents sending your kids out to risk getting run over?

I always stop, even on Mills. People are looking at me like I am crazy! The cars are expecting me to run the stop sign as I flail my arms trying to signal them to go! Hey drivers: Armwaving is not in the drivers handbook! The bikers act like they have a protective force field around them. Or, in case there is nobody at the intersection, they don't think they have to stop. Wrong!

And, the city of Lodi should make the sensors work for bikes at lights; even the bike lane sensors don't work anymore. Come on, Lodi! And you police, give some tickets. It's free money for my city!

Jerry Bransom
Lodi

Reader Feedback

carlos wrote on Nov 2, 2009 5:32 AM:

" I ride my bike all over Lodi. Yes lots of intersections don't pick up bikes, so I just push the Walk button and walk my bike across. I'm never tempted to run a red light. "

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Rhodie v2.0 wrote on Nov 1, 2009 11:54 AM:

" As a cyclist I just have this to add: We should all stop at stop signs. I see as many cars run through them as I do cyclists. And when it comes to red lights, Lodi has nice bike lanes, but there are times when I am sitting, waiting and waiting for the light to change, but since there are few intersections designed to pick up cyclists we get to sit there until a car comes along OR run a light when it is clear. It gets very tempting to go through but know it's the one time I go through on the red that I don't see the cop watching the intersection. "

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Trackback wrote on Oct 31, 2009 11:16 PM:

" So true... in general bicyclists seem to have the idea that the rules don't apply to them. "

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misbud02 wrote on Oct 31, 2009 1:01 PM:

" I would like bicyclists to stay off of the sidewalks and those that ride on sidewalks should be ticketed. Every night when walking my dogs I either have to move out of the way of a bicyclist(s) or risk my getting hit, my dogs getting hit, or cussed at. Also, I wonder how many of the bicycles are licensed like they're supposed to be? "

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Jerome R. Kinderman wrote on Oct 31, 2009 6:27 AM:

" Mr. Bransom: all evidence to the contrary, I do think your anger issues need a little more attention than you care to admit. What does someone's hair color or clothing choice have to do with their obeying (or disobeying) the law?

On the other hand, I am relieved that you do obey the rules of the road. I only wish others would do the same, especially drivers of motor vehicles that continuously roll through stop signs. Even though they're going slow (most of the time), it’s this type of behavior that causes many accidents. "

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Comments on this story are now closed.

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