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Old November 8th 17, 06:51 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
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Posts: 10,538
Default AG: running stop signs.

On 11/8/2017 2:05 AM, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:38:16 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:22:01 +0700, John B.
wrote:

Does a bicycle have the right to ignore traffic laws in the U.S.?


No, but bicycles are invisible.


Ah, so invisible things can ignore traffic signs :-)


Well, to discuss this more seriously:

It's nice to think that behavior should be precisely governed by laws,
but that's certainly not the case in the U.S.; and I wonder if it's the
case anywhere. Instead, what usually happens is some attempt at blending
the letter of the law with practicality.

Considering just traffic laws for the moment: Those require driving
absolutely no faster than the speed limit; stopping perfectly at every
stop sign; stopping and looking before pulling out of any driveway;
using one's turn indicator before turning or changing lanes; turning on
one's headlights any time the windshield wipers are necessary, and so on.

In practice, all those seem to be violated at least as often as they are
obeyed. If some police department were to attempt to ticket all
violators, they'd first have to deputize half the population to help.
And the public outcry would doom any re-election effort.

What happens instead is that most people don't exceed the speed limit by
very much. They actually stop at stop signs or before pulling out of a
driveway if there is someone coming. Occasionally, they remember what
that lever next to the steering wheel is for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTFHCyNVBTk And... well, the headlight
thing is pretty much ignored.

This stuff normally ends up mattering only if someone has a crash and
causes damage to property or people.

And the thing is, bike violations rarely hurt other people and almost
never damage property. So to cops, bikes are largely invisible.

--
- Frank Krygowski
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