'Scofflaw' Cyclists

A look at why cyclists just might 'break the rules'

Given that city planner and urbanist Brent Toderian recently shared this article on Twitter, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on cyclists breaking the rules.

The article (from 2019) states that “less than 5% of cyclists break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of motorists do so when driving.” But, you might say, I see cyclists breaking the rules all the time and I don’t see vehicles doing the same! The study suggests that this is due to the visibility of the offences. The article says that, “law breaking by cyclists is easy to notice for everyone, but transgressions by motorists, such as speeding, are harder to spot.”

The study found that, for cyclists, the most frequently recorded transgression was bicycling on the sidewalk. And it will likely come as no surprise that for drivers, breaking local speed limits was the most common offense.

I often hear from drivers who are angered by people riding on the sidewalk and not the road. Because of this, I sometimes was frustrated by sidewalk-riding cyclists, too, as I felt they gave us rule-abiding cyclists a bad name. But, I no longer believe that. Instead, I have empathy for people who want (or need) to get around town with a bike, and I’ll share a little about why I hope others will join me in that empathy (and maybe, even in advocacy too!).

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 cycle often and to many different places, and I still often feel intimidated by vehicles on the road. Imagine how newer cyclists or those cycling with their family, might feel.

And as much as I stick to the road (and trails), 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!).

One example (of many!) where a community trail meets the sidewalk, but there are no curb cuts to allow a cyclist to easily transition to the road.

I have also ridden on the sidewalk for a short distance when road design suggests that’s what I should 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. The road and sidewalk design cue cyclists to ride on the sidewalk for this short section.

Other street designs are also not very inclusive of cyclists, 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. It is incredibly frustrating to see such signs at some of the more challenging or dangerous points - just when vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, need protection the most, we are simply told to get off of our bikes. 

Speaking of cyclists being excluded from certain street designs, I am reminded of intersections such as Highland W and West Ave (Kitchener). The signal here does not easily recognize the presence of a cyclist. It will change when it senses vehicles, and pedestrians are able to press the ‘beg’ button (these will need to be a topic for a future post!) to alert the signal that someone wants to cross the intersection. As a cyclist though, those sensors rarely 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 have learned that certain intersections like this do have sensor pads embedded in the road, and if you find them and place your bike in the right spot, the sensors should activate. I have figured out how to activate at least some of these sensors, but it should not be some sort of secret that needs a certain level of skill to be recognized as a road user.

Of course, 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 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 Vision Zero. Having a bad day or making a poor choice should not result in a road injury or fatality.

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. When new cycling infrastructure is proposed in your neighbourhood, let your council know that you welcome such infrastructure to help keep everyone in our community safe.

Note: I have shared many of these ideas in a Twitter thread a few years back.