| As a Chicago-based cyclist who finds all of the behaviors you describe incredibly frustrating and often infuriating, two things to consider: 1) The cyclists that tend to get noticed are the cyclists who behave like assholes. 2) Cars often don’t see us, usually because the driver just isn’t paying attention, and this leads to aggressively defensive behavior in traffic. Basically, if you don’t notice me, there’s a much higher chance that I’ll die, so I’ll do things to get noticed. For me, that means wearing visible gear, positioning myself strategically at intersections, etc. For the cyclists you describe, it means doing stupidly dangerous stuff. The behavior should not be excused, but the solution isn’t as simple as more fines. The problem is a product of the poor bicycle infrastructure in most places and the ever-increasing hostility between drivers and “problem” cyclists. Obvious disclaimer that I realize the specific factors of NYC vs. Chicago make my cycling experience only partially relevant, but as someone who has spent quite a bit of time chatting with various cycling communities, the problems mostly transcend geography, with degrees of seriousness depending on how well a particular city handles bike traffic. |