I have a confession to make. I am a cyclist and I don’t always ‘follow the rules’. And I know there are other cyclists who’d say the same. But I’d love to share a few reasons why that may be the case. A thread.

The signal at the intersection close to my house does not recognize the presence of a cyclist. It will change when it senses vehicles, and pedestrians are able to press the ‘beg’ button to alert the signal that someone wants to cross the intersection.

As a cyclist though, those sensors will never sense that I’m waiting to pass through the intersection. I’m left with either waiting for vehicles to arrive and trigger the sensor (which can be a very long time) or I need to get over to push the beg button.

Those options are either inconvenient or unsafe. So, I have been known to cross against the light when traffic is clear.

I am committed to cycling on the road as a somewhat confident and experienced rider. That’s not the case for everyone, so sometimes people choose to cycle on the sidewalk.

I have also taken to the sidewalk when I feel unsafe. That may be a result of poor road conditions (what seem like small potholes, cracks, and bumps to a car can cause cyclists to lose balance – I’m looking at you West Ave!)

I have also ridden on the sidewalk for a short distance when design suggests that’s what I am to do. Stirling at Courtland is a prime example.

The Iron Horse Trail is here but, in both directions, there are no curb cuts right at the trailhead and there’s a short distance of sidewalk that leads you to the road to get to the next trail segment.

Street design that does not include cyclists is a challenge such as ‘Cyclists must dismount’ signs. These are usually at spots that may need some more creative (or costly) design changes to better accommodate cyclists. Asking cyclists to dismount is an impractical solution though

And, it’s true that sometimes cyclists break the rules because they made a mistake, are unfamiliar with the rules in this area, or because they simply don’t care. Just like drivers, walkers, and people just in general – we all have bad days, make poor choices, or act like a jerk.

However, I put that reason at the end, because I do believe that for the most part, the large majority of road users are doing their best. This is why I’m a supporter of @VisionZeroCA . Having a bad day or making a poor choice should not result in a road injury or fatality.

We must remember that some road users are more vulnerable than others. When I drive, I take it seriously that my vehicle can inflict great harm on others. When I am cycling and walking, I am very aware that I am in a more vulnerable position and try to act accordingly.

One other thing to note is that some of the cycling transgressions I have mentioned are far more visible than the transgressions that motorists may commit such as speeding and distracted driving.

So, although it seems to some that ‘cyclists never follow the rules’, that’s actually not the case. More on that in this article. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/#6f036e684bfa

So, the next time you see a cyclist breaking ‘the rules’, please take a moment to look around. Might something exist, such as poor design or infrastructure, that may encourage that cyclist to make that decision?

I suspect that may often be the case, and if it is, you too can help advocate for better street design for all road users. Check out the Complete Streets draft policy for more details on what’s possible. End of thread. https://www.engagewr.ca/7976/documents/18749