I ride my bike almost every day. When I bike, I break traffic laws.
I drive a vehicle several days a week. When I drive, I break traffic laws.
I walk every day. When I walk, I break traffic laws.
There is a lot of hubbub out there about people breaking traffic laws while biking. But the thing is everyone breaks traffic laws and anyone who says otherwise is either ignorant, lying to themselves, or lying to you. Probably a mix of all three. Speeding, rolling stops, jaywalking, not using turn signals, turning across double yellow lines, riding against traffic, trespassing…the list of laws people break while traveling are endless. While some laws are mode-specific (it is pretty hard to speed while walking) every traveler has laws they disregard. And we disregard them for a variety of reasons. A lot of behavioral research is studying how and why people break traffic laws in order to enlighten and perhaps even improve our current traffic laws.
Once such study from the University of Colorado, Denver, named “Bicycle Scofflaw Study” is looking specifically at people breaking traffic laws while riding a bike. What laws do they break? Why do they break those laws? How often do they break the laws? Please take this survey and share your input! I wrote a small essay for each of the comments (take the survey on a desktop – mobile versions do not allow you to make as many comments) because I wanted to give ample evidence as to why behave the way I do while cycling.
Curious about my responses? Want to know my philosophy on traffic laws and biking? Driving? Walking? Shoot me a message or leave a comment – I am happy to share.
Scofflaw Biking Survey (Yeah, We Said It) | Washington Bikes
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