Rules of the road
An email:
"This morning at 10:15 am I saw six well equipped bike riders run the red light at Central and Hanna. They were adults, dressed in racing bike fashion, and I believe are the same people that I usually see on Saturdays riding through the neighborhood. Are they the same people that drive their cars through the red lights on Central and Hillsborough? I think that they need to be reminded that a “red light runner” is a “red light runner” whether they are in a car or on a racing bike."
Bike are vehicles too and the rules of the road apply to them.
14 comments:
wow, that's asanine....if there is no traffic (and there usually isn't at central and hanna), who cares if a BICYCYLE "runs" the frickin light...come the f* on!
Legal status of bicycles
(Sections 316.003(2), (10) and 316.2065(1), F.S.)
A bicycle is classified as a vehicle. A person in control of a vehicle on a street or highway is a driver. As a driver, a cyclist must follow the traffic rules common to all drivers. As the driver of a bicycle, he must also obey regulations adopted specially for bicycles. A person riding a bicycle has all the rights applicable to any driver, except as to special regulations for bicycles.
Tampa is a scary place to bike. Being lazy in following the rules only makes the situation worse. It also promotes disrespect by drivers for all cyclists.
Hmmm...'Assanine' has promoted an interesting concept. He seems to believe that the requirement to obey traffic laws is inversely proportional to vehicle weight. Should he ever be involved in a car/cycle crash, he will immediately learn something about the laws of physics. Oh well, it was only a BICYCLE.... Hmmmm
I'm riding west on Columbus, a woman at the stop sign on a side street looks through me and pulls out right in front of me.
A cop is across the street as this happens and witnesses it. I ride over after pulling myself off the hood of her car and ask what he's going to do to her. His reply was I wasn't hurt so what's the big deal.
At that point I decided that if cars don't consider my bike a vehicle to give the right of way to I have no reason to obey the laws made for cars.
And yea, weight rules. When I ride I assume all cars are trying to kill me.
A good way to tell if a biker (motorized or pedal) has true miles under there belt is to ask a simple question. "If you get into an accident w/a car, who's fault is it"? The only correct answer is "The bikers"
When those 6 bikers run another red light and get run over by one of those Japanese Rice burners, then we'll start to see more bikers obeying the law. Have you seen how fast some of these cars travel through the neighborhood from 15th to Nebraska via various side streets? It's insane. Until then, I'll be on the lookout for bikers.
Anytime you take a motorcycle course, the first thing they teach you is that you have to pretend that no one sees you. It sounds stupid, but it makes you more cautious of just pulling out even if you have right of way. Bicycles are the same way. Hell, I drive a Silverado and I just assume that no one on the street is paying enough attention to the road to know where I am. LOL. One of the best things I learned when driving a semi cross country.
Thanks Addison.
I think you helped convey the point I was trying to get across.
Also one has to remember that stopping on a bicycle is more than a matter of putting on the brake and hitting the gas when the light changes. Stopping is easy enough but regaining the lost momentum when you take off again is a lot harder.
In the case of an intersection like Hanna and Central in the early hours on a weekend you stop pedaling, cover the brakes and if it's clear go.
On busy intersections like Hillsborough and Nebraska full stop and wait for light like everyone else.
Busy intersections have their own threats. The greatest and closest I've came to death is being the last to get through the intersection on my bike when the last car that's been hiding me from view passes me. At that point the car waiting to make a left guns it only to see me appear seemingly out of nowhere. Also you have to keep a close watch on ppl making a right when you leave the curb.
Tampa is very bike unfriendly, I wish it were better equipped for bike traffic, both in appropriate lanes and paths and better awareness by drivers, as I would love to bike to work when weather and temperature permitted. The statement above regarding the attitude of the Officer regarding a violation of Right-of-way is just more evidence of how bad it is here. Disregarding the laws however are no solution. We can all coast and cover all we want, through red lights or stop signs, but when car meets bike no matter who's right, the cyclist loses. Right or wrong, seeing cyclists disregard the rules of the road will only go to further the lack of respect of bikes as vehicles. You also never know if the guy that sees you blow a red light might be another Jarrish Outlaw
Your worried about bicycles running a red light on a Saturday morning? What about the speeding cars that blow through the intersections in our neighborhoods? Now THAT'S something to be worried about. Last time I checked, bicycles haven't killed any drivers in cars. If they get hit by a car, that's their deal. But c'mon, there are much bigger issues than this to waste space in a BLOG. Jeez.
David,
Perhaps you need to get a life instead of pissing and moaning about six cyclists who ran a light early in the morning. Instead of driving your car to IHOP and contemplating how you'll fill your gut, get off your lard ass and do something positive for yourself.
If those guys are hit by a car running the said light, it's their own stupid fault. Don't be hating them because you have a sad and sedentary life stuck behind the wheel of your silly little car.
That applies to the rest of the fat fcuks who bother to read this pile of offal known as the Seminole Heights blog.
STFU.
Evidently your life isn't much better as you have taken the time to read some of the very blog you profess to hate. If you had looked at the post long enough to truly read it you would have seen that this post was from an e-mail that David received.
Go back to watching Judge Judy - you may learn how to turn your pathatic life around.
STFU:
You know, you're right. I'm gonna do something positive for myself.
KMFA!
Oh my God, I feel better already!
kelly? is that you?
I think its Kenny
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