Give Us Cyclists a Break

Drivers often moan that cyclists run red lights, and cite this as a reason/justification for playing target practise with riders. If you're a rider, you don't have to read this. If you don't cycle, this is for you:

One of the reasons cyclists are loathe to come to a full stop is because they use clipless pedals. This means their shoes are actually locked into their pedals. While it is often simple to unclick to disengage, sometimes this can take a few tries. When it goes wrong, the results are comical to watch (if you're a driver), and pretty unpleasant as a rider.

Today I suffered this fate at a busy Norwood intersection. The rider in front of me slowed down, I did too, but the wait was so long I had to disengage as I had come to a stop. I wasn't able to get my foot out of the pedal, even though 99 out of a 100 times this is a snip. So what happened? I fell in the road. If you want to know what that feels like - tie your feet together, stand on something the height of a shoebox and with hands on your chest, allow yourself to fall over.

If you see a rider going through a red light, try to remember that it's not sheer cheekiness. There is a risk to himself to stop dead, and it makes sense to avoid this if possible. I am not condoning running red lights. If cars do it, riders can easily be slaughtered in the early hours of the morning. I am just communicating the reason why cyclists sometimes choose to go through.