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Supposedly scofflaw cyclists get lots of flack for not coming to a complete stops at stop signs. Earlier this year, for example, police ticketed numerous cyclists during a Virginia charity ride for rolling through stop signs, something that many motorists despise cyclists for doing.
There's little doubt that many cyclists do zip through stop signs regularly, but how well are motorists doing on the same issue? Not very well, a quick look at the news suggests.
In the Jamaica Plain Gazette, there's a story about a motorist who failed to stop and left a 46-year-old with a compound arm fracture. In Buffalo, a truck barreled through a stop sign and struck a tree. And in Tampa Bay, nine-year-old kid waits in critical condition with a fractured skull after a vehicle that failed to stop at an intersection smashed into the side of his home.
Might it be a bit hypocritical, then, for motorists to get on the collective case of cyclists over stop signs? Having seen what's happening in the video from Philadelphia below repeated countless times over, I'd have a hard time saying anything but yes.
More on collisions from the Bicycle Transportation Examiner
Comments
Granted, both user groups break the law and therefore have little basis for criticizing the other. However, since autos can kill in intersections, or parking lots for that matter, autos should stop for safety reasons. Bikes do not necessarily need to stop for others' safety, therefore the laws should reflect that by making Stop signs be interpreted as Caution signs for cyclists.
If I hear one more thing about safety, Im going to puke. Just because you all are scared little girls, you think the rest of the world should just revolve around you and your ideas on life? I understand people getting hurt, its going to happen anyways, but to give police more power to steal money for minor infractions is out of control already. You people are going to kill us all with all these regulations and rules...guess what...the world is a dangerous place, if you want to really feel safe...dont leave your house! Never trade freedom for security, it never works...all these laws strangling us all is what is wrong with this country and to think you need to think for everyone else, makes people unable to think for them,selves, thats why so many are stupid, they are too lazy to think and act alone because you want to control everyone and it gives em carte blanc to be reliant on you for their thoughts. Safety has been the excuse of the day for draconian unamerican laws and thefts.
In fact, the police, even while off duty get a free pass to break the laws they expect us to follow. This hypocracy is disgusting...either EVERYONE follows them, or NONE.
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