Play stupid cyclist games...
About a month ago, my Twitter/X feed was suddenly flooded with discussions about why Cyclists are better than everybody else and why they were above the mere driving mortal laws. I wisely stayed away from that manure vaudeville, but it solidified my long-time impression of the moronic mind of the Spandex Brigade.
And then this:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Update: Metro Nashville police have released the identity of the bicyclist hit and killed in West Meade on Tuesday night.
Police said 64-year-old Ronald Laird was killed at the intersection of Jocelyn Hollow Road and Robin Hill Road at 7:15 p.m.
Preliminary investigation shows Laird was traveling on Robin Hill Road when he allegedly cycled through a stop sign and collided with the passenger door of a Kia Optima that was on Jocelyn Hollow Road.
“There is no stop sign for Jocelyn Hollow Road, only for Robin Hill Road,” MNPD said.
…
“There were three other riders with Laird who all said they ran the stop sign prior to the collision. Laird was the last cyclist attempting to cross through the intersection,” MNPD explained.
Bicyclist killed in crash after allegedly going through stop sign in West Meade (wsmv.com)
You may flaunt your disregard for the Laws of Man, but The Laws of Physics have a way to inject lethal doses of Karma into your life if they are ignored.
Part of the problem is that traffic laws are not enforced against bicycles, and in some places bicycles are actively encouraged to violate traffic laws.
Consider: how often are they told (young ones in particular) to cycle on the sidewalk, or on the left side of the road? Are cyclist ever ticketed for failure to obey stop signs and stop lights, or for failure to signal turns?
As a kid growing up in Holland I learned the traffic laws, was expected to obey them, and expected to catch grief from cops if I did not. When I came here I was astounded to see a culture of officially approved scofflawism for bicycles.
Cyclists who blatantly defy the traffic laws for automobiles will eventually become the victim of their own defiance.
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Btw, I'm going to steal this line, "I wisely stayed away from that manure vaudeville, but it solidified my long-time impression of the moronic mind of the Spandex Brigade."