Anarchic Rules of the Road: Cyclist Edition

Boston-area drivers don't like rules. Boston-area pedestrians don't like rules, and the city is trying to make hay of it by upping jaywalking fines. And now it is the cyclists' turn to feel the heat.

For the record, Bostonist is thoroughly pro-cyclist and supported the Bicyclist Bill of Rights, which former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey trashed as she was leaving office.

So, it is with much love that Bostonist asks, why do some bicyclists think they can plow through intersections without stopping? This Bostonist was at a crosswalk with a stop sign where a car stopped. This Bostonist proceeded to cross when a cyclist zoomed through, nearly leading to an accident. While getting hit by a bike is significantly different from getting hit by a car, a hit from a bike would certainly hurt like a bitch--both for the pedestrian and the cyclist.

Platinum Elite noticed a similar experience in another part of the city, only he was the one behind the wheel and obeying traffic laws:

One guy bolted through a red light, literally through a stream of pedestrians. Two people had to jump back to avoid being hit.

At the very next light, another biker sped through a red light almost plowing into a poor little old lady crossing the street in her violet pants, sun hat, and cane.

Is there something we don't know about regarding bicycle rules? Granted, it's a drag to stop and start again, but no one really wants to get plowed.

The opinions stated in this post belong solely to this Bostonist. Image of a bike lying in wait from AntyDiluvian from photos tagged "Bostonist" on Flickr.