Then why did you bring up the pride parade?

It was sarcasm… you’re comparing regular traffic rules during regular traffic to a large protest, and expecting that everyone will be following the same rules. It’s just not reality.

Many bikers break laws about where to cross or how to handle intersections and are just ignored all the time.

See, that’s where the problem is.

Cyclists and pedestrians are unfairly expected to act like multi-ton vehicles. They are not, and should not, have the same rules.

For instance, cyclists should be using the Idaho Stop (meaning: treat red lights as stop signs and stop signs as yield signs) because it’s SAFER, more efficient, and improves traffic flow.

Pedestrians shouldn’t be forced to cross roads only at crosswalks. “Jaywalking” is some BS nonsense made up to make pedestrians look like the bad guys. People don’t need the same rules as heavy machinery travelling at 10-20x their speed.

There are studies showing that when cyclists “break the rules”, it’s often for safety. Motorists do not, and cannot, make the same excuse.

Do these people not know about side streets or bike paths or anything else? There are places to bike outside of traffic.

Discrimination. Cyclists and pedestrians should not be forced to go somewhere else, because of cars.

On the flip side, if a motorist sees thousands of cyclists taking up the street, they should detour someplace else. It’s only fair. /s

So the only way to show people that bikers exist is by massively disrupting traffic and causing safety issues?

Yes. As with any other protest, you have greater impact with greater numbers. This brings greater safety, too. “Disrupting traffic” is funny… does the movement of people only matter if they are in cars? What about the thousands of cyclists who were in constant motion, not creating their own congestion or being slowed down? Motorists can only dream of that kind of efficiency.

That’s how people-first transportation infrastructure works, BTW. As a society, we should strive for this level of people-moving infrastructure.

Or it shows the government that bikers don’t listen to traffic laws and do whatever they want.

There is no evidence of that. On the contrary, I’ve seen local representatives join in these unplanned group rides 🤭

See, this has been going on for 35 years and the only thing you can point at is maybe it might have possible sped up some cycling infrastructure. Maybe. Yah, that’s not a lot of progress for 35 years of this nonsense.

Hmm. Except for the fact that cities who host these events have been getting infrastructure upgrades, often at a faster pace. It puts pressure on local governments to act. These cyclists are voters, too, and they know it.

This is just wild… People need traffic rules. Have you ever been in a large crowded city? Do you know all the foot TRAFFIC rules? There is literally a section of code on just this. And yes, cars exist, but what do you propose to avoid needing these rules, have no cars at all? That’s absurd. Look at rural areas and tell me how that works.

Oh man. Have you ever seen traffic rules in a crowded mall? What about at a large venue event? Have you ever been to a very busy city where cars are blocked from access to certain roads? No traffic rules for pedestrians, because pedestrians aren’t hurling by at 100km/h pushing 2000lbs of metal around.

Traffic rules are there because of cars.

If you look at any laws where a pedestrian could get a fine for “breaking the rules”, it’s nearly always because they are “breaking rules” designed specifically because of cars!

No, I would prefer they don’t disrupt an entire city for some performance that has gone on for 35 years with nothing to show for it. It’s just an excuse to protest and “stick it to the drivers.”

It sounds like you just don’t want them to be able to protest.

Protests around the world happen all the time. Not just a few thousand people, but sometimes hundreds of thousands or more.

Even pedestrians do the same, for the same reasons, in “Reclaim the streets” protests.

Ok, now imagine you are late to pick up a family member from the hospital, or you’re going to miss an interview, or a million other things.

My dude, these things happen IN REGULAR CAR TRAFFIC, on a daily basis. In fact, because of car traffic congestion, even pedestrians who have nothing to do with driving, are inconvenienced and delayed. Not fair, is it?

There is no time/place for a protest that would work well for everyone. By their very nature, this is why they are effective.

But I will say that emergency vehicles are never blocked by these protests, or any protest that I’ve ever witnessed. I have seen regular traffic block fire trucks, though.

If someone hates cyclists for doing something like this they must be a bigot and racist?

I’m saying that the same intolerance towards a minority group of cyclists often spills into other groups.

You can hate that a protest is inconveniencing your drive home from work, but to hate a person for exercising their right to protest for better road safety is very much in the same vein as bigotry.

You’ve decided that drivers are the enemy and so now they suddenly don’t matter at all.

I am a driver. I have been inconvenienced by other people’s protests. I’ve never once said I’ve hated a person for protesting for their right to safety, better working conditions, equal pay, or a host of other societal problems that should be challenged.

You can be pro-animal rights and think that what an animal rights group does is wrong.

Absolutely. I’ve been part of animal rights protests, and have been critical of the approach that some AR groups take.

But I don’t think the feeling of HATING a protester has ever crossed my mind at all. Unless they were a Nazi. I’m fine with hating Nazis.

edit: grammar