Transportation
Why Cyclists Run Red Lights
Mostly to turn or because the signal doesn't recognize them, according to the latest research.
This past weekend Randy Cohen, former author of the "Ethicist" column in the New York Times Magazine, wrote an op-ed for the paper in which he admitted with pride to running red lights. Although the action is illegal, Cohen considers it ethical:
Cohen is certainly not alone. Studies in Brazil have found that nearly two in five bike riders infringe on red light laws. In China that figure is closer to 56 percent. So far researchers have failed to connect the behavior with increased crash rates, but it's been noted as among the most bothersome behaviors to others on the road, and a key contributor to negative portrayals of bike riding by the media.