Breaking the law

Another great day, another great commute to and from work.  I can't help but wonder how many of the people who pass me up (or who I pass up, depending on traffic) remember me from day-to-day.  Happy to say that the one cent that the price of gas went up today didn't affect me! Saved another $3.63 and twenty pounds of carbon while exchanging three smiles with others. I especially enjoyed the smiles I got from the two police officers who caught me going 23 in a 30 and couldn't help but smile and wave!

More breaking the law after the break...

It's been my intention from the beginning of this project to NEVER break the law. The reasoning here is three-fold:

1) Nobody likes a jerk. Cyclists already have a pretty rough (unfounded) reputation here, as alot of folks think us a lawless bunch, running stop signs, stop lights, riding down the middle of the road, hopping medians, cutting across lanes of stopped (or moving!) traffic. One of my side interests in this project has been to raise awareness and respect for cyclists in my own community, and breaking the law would serve to bolster already negative opinions of two-wheeled roadsters.

2) I want to be a good example. I assume anyone reading this blog has at least a modicum of interest in cycling. As such, I want to be sure that anyone who takes up their handlebars and follows me will have an example to be proud of.

3) IT'S FREAKING DANGEROUS! Most motorists who follow the law do so out of fear of punishment. No one stays below the speed limit simply because it's the right thing to do - we do it because we're afraid of getting a ticket. The same applies to ANY number of traffic infractions ANY one of us may commit in ANY given commute. Perhaps I'm speaking in generalities, but as you approach that yellow light at speed, is your first thought of oncoming traffic or whether this intersection has a traffic camera? It's far different for a cyclist! There is a VERY low chance that I'd be ticketed for a traffic violation.  But the same fender bender that would be a minor inconvenience for a small truck and mid-sized sedan could be deadly for a cyclist!

SO, I've made every effort in every situation to follow the same laws as every other motorist.  The one I'm still struggling with, however, is the school zone.  I break this one almost every day. On a typical commute, my average speed ends up being just under 19mph, which includes slowing down and stopping for traffic obligations.  My cruising speed, however, slides between 21 and 25 mph.  On Monday morning, I actually passed up a car in the school zone (see #1 above).  I suppose I try to justify myself by imagining that I am more alert, my machine is more responsive and my mass can slow down more quickly than a car.  The fact remains, however, that there is a HUGE difference between 25 mph and, say, 18 mph. In other words - if my goals are safety, to be a good example and improving the reputation of cyclists in the community, I better slow down in those school zones.

And though I place my chances of getting a ticket at almost 0%, this guy in Australia was fined $150 for going 56 kph (35mph) in a 40 kph (25 mph).