Red Light Surprise
Yesterday as I approached a light on Mass Ave it turned red. The cyclist ahead of me rode blithely through it. I came to a complete stop. That was apparently a very unexpected move to the cyclist behind me…
Should this really be that much of a surprise?
However, this is why I sometimes signal when stopping at a red. Of course then the cyclist would be confused about what I’m doing with my hand… right before crashing into me just the same.
I got my derailleur trashed getting rear-ended stopping for a light once. Not a love tap. Although to be fair, I think it was a can-I-make-the-yellow-no-I-can’t sort of moment, so it was a bit of an abrupt stop.
About a month ago I got my back wheel (new a few days before) trashed, plus my rear reflector. Visually we’d have looked almost the complete opposite of the comic though.
Yeah, I’m one of those annoying law-abiders, too. A couple of times I’ve hooked up with another rider, we’ll be riding along and chatting, then when we get to a red light he’ll blow through it and I’ll come to a stop — then I get the “WTF?” look from up ahead instead of from behind.
I do signal but very often it’s not safe to do so — if you’re moving fast and the light changes suddenly, there just may not be time to both signal and come to a safe stop.
Back in my Boston days before Bikeyface was glimmer in her parents’ eyes, I was rear ended on Mass Ave at a stop light, The guy who rear ended me was the guy I was riding with. I stayed upright but he fell which is not what you want to do on Mass Ave,
As a pedestrian, I am always pleasantly surprised when a bicyclist stops at a crosswalk I’m in.
THANK YOU for your uncommon courtesy to the rest of us! I’m sorry you were rear ended – hope that doesn’t discourage you!
It’s pretty bad when you feel the need to signal your intention to obey the law. It’s also pretty bad when you are following another cyclist so closely that you can’t stop without running into them.