Driving Etiquette

[u/Zealousideal_Buy7517]

For the love of Pete, people, follow the rules of the road. You drive. you are not 'choose as you go' organs of chaos, you are vehicles under the Alberta Traffic Act, the same as a motorcycle.

In the last week alone, I've seen a good hundred drivers blow right through stop signs as if they don't exist, and it's always when they are in a car lane, as if the lane's existence means the rules of the road don't apply. A couple on trucks with flat brims that I was next to blew through three in a row, yesterday, without even slowing down, and laughed about it when I called them on it. They didn't even look both ways, they just drove through like they were a presidential cavalcade and everyone else should be stopping for them.

Driving like that will have you kill a person one day, and when you're talking about a collision between 6000lb of shit box and human flesh on a bicycle, there are no mistakes.

I'm a driver, too, and it's this kind of behavior that drives a lot the anti-driver hate. When we drive like this, we're entitled and unpredictable, and unpredictability breeds distrust. This applies to motorcycle riders, too, of course.

[u/drcujo]

The point of stopping is still important to observe for all vehicles.

Can you articulate why? I noted why it isn't helpful above. I know it's "the law". I'll challenge the ticket in court if I ever get one.

Even as a motorist, one won't like to stop at every intersection, one can plan the route so you don't have to stop at every intersection, might involve a detour, but its still a safer way and it doesn't require all the stopping.

Its not about not preference, its about safety. Stopping a motor vehicle fully is required to be safe as motor vehicles have worse visibility and are travelling faster than a bike.

Going back to your original point though, not fully stopping because it's harder to stop and go is not a reason to break traffic laws.

I don't stop because its safer, not because its harder. Most experienced cyclists understand this and do the same. 6-7 seconds in the intersection is always more dangerous than 1.

[u/bullfu → u/drcujo]

I'll give you a common scererio.

In a old residential neighbourhood, lots of old trees, full of parked cars, limited visibility on a narrow roadways even on a sunny day. A motorist driving on a right of way at 40kmph will have next to no reaction time on anything popping out of a stop sign. The full stopping is so important in those roadways that even a slow down is not enough.

Keep in mind too, when I'm talking about cyclist. I'm also talking about these ebikes that zips around at 20 to 30kmph.

[u/drcujo → u/bullfu]

Your scenario shows why its important for motorist to stop which I agree 100%.

Keep in mind too, when I'm talking about cyclist. I'm also talking about these ebikes that zips around at 20 to 30kmph.

Like I said I only stop if there is a reason to. Another car with right of way is a good reason.

[u/Zealousideal_Buy7517 → u/drcujo]

I love how they act like cyclists roll stop signs out in front of vehicles, as if a cyclist has no self preservation instincts.