I have just been told by my friend, Josh, that he received a ticket today for running a red light on Commonwealth Ave. up in Boston. He says there were no cars in sight, but of course we all know that you still are supposed to stop... Here is the kicker, though - he was on his bicycle. The ticket will cost him U$S 150 and will have an adverse effect on his insurance.I'm studying for a test, so I won't take the time to look into what the current law applicable in Boston, Massachusetts actually says about this. Nor will I get into the policy arguments about whether a bicycle should constitute a "vehicle" - or other relevant terminology - while on the roads and/or sidewalks of an urban community. But you should feel free to debate:
Should driving laws and regulations should be equally applicable to cyclists?Actually, I take it back - don't feel free to debate this here. I'll just end this post by saying that this is one more reason I am enjoying being out of Boston and in Latin America for the semester :-)
What are the arguments?
Maybe for the sake of synergy between all the operators on the roads?
Maybe to help ensure the safety of community members?
Should cyclists be required to apply for a license to operate their bike or unicycle?
Should cyclists pay for a license plate to put on their bikes?
If so - should the license plates be full-sized like we put on cars - or maybe the little key-chain sized license plates? Maybe something in between...?
UPDATE: Well, the law students decided to debate anyway. Hehe... Therefore, the floor is open again to comments and arguments for anyone who has something to say about this.
Laws should be the same for bicyclists and motor vehicles. Bicyclists are dangerous, especially around Boston and even more so in the BU area. I have almost killed 3 personally. Stay to the right, don't weave in and out of cars, and don't run red lights. A ticket is better than your life, but I agree that this should be enforced accross the board if it is enforced at all.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, to operate a motor vehicle the States require a driver to qualify for and obtain a drivers license. In theory, doesn't a license signify that a driver is aware of the driving laws and is therefore bound by them? The States require a person to obtain a license to operate a car, truck, bus or even a motorcycle. However, a license is not required to operate a bicycle. I'm just sayin...
ReplyDeleteIf you think, like I do, that most people who write traffic laws don't know shit about riding bicycles safely (i.e., not dying), disobeying certain traffic laws becomes much more appealing. Traffic laws weren't written by cyclists or with cyclists in mind. I'll stop breaking traffic laws if/when the local government passes laws that take my safety into account. Until then, I'll decide the best way to be safe on a bicycle, and if that means breaking traffic laws, so be it.
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