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by monksy 4016 days ago
It takes a little to get used to the sidewalks/bikers in Germany. It also takes a bit to get used to trusting them.

Unfortunately in the US: Bikers don't have a lot of regulations, requirements, and their behavior is poorly enforced. (No bell, they have the legal ability to go through red lights under safe conditions [but it's taken as we can skip red lights because of lazyness])

In the state of Illinois it is illegal for a person over 13 to ride their bike on the sidewalk. There aren't even the markings for bike lanes on the sidewalk. However people still do, the ones who do still believe that they're in the right. (Although.. doing that in downtown Chicago during tourist season makes me feel that tasing them for doing should be legal)

An example of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEPx0N_jAa8
2 comments
JoeAltmaier 4016 days ago
Its absolutely illegal in my state (Iowa) for a bicycle to run a red light. They are required to observe all traffic laws that any other vehicle has.
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Mithaldu 4016 days ago
> No bell

Hey i ride without bell too. On the other hand, i don't mind staying at walking speed and taking it slowly if there's some congestion up ahead. I find bell users to be insufferable dicks at most times.

> they have the legal ability to go through red lights under safe conditions

Everytime bicycles come up on HN i learn some new insanity about the USA. Do you have a link to the legistlation for that?

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEPx0N_jAa8

From my point of view, NEITHER of these three people are fit to participate in civilized society. Especially not the cop who tells the lady to shut up because she might get shot by someone.

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cmartel 4016 days ago
There's something called the Idaho stop which is, very simply, allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and red lights as stop signs. Since traffic lights are not meant for cycling at all and often don't make it safer, this alternative has turned out to be quite the safe compromise.

http://bikeleague.org/content/bike-law-university-idaho-stop

That page also mentions other states where a cyclist can go through a red light, usually if it is supposed to be triggered by vehicles and the smaller bicycle can't achieve that.

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JoeAltmaier 4016 days ago
The red-light item is fictitious. There aren't traffic laws written that waffle like that. Its a cyclist's lame rationalization.
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