Flat Fixie..

Just came back from a ride where I ran copious amounts of red lights and gave this some thought. While we as cyclists are demonised by the general public for breaking the rules of the road, I believe it is a natural and intelligent reaction to an environment where the odds are stacked against you. In a way it is a miniature act of anarchy, a subversion of a normative state to your own ends. Just as a ped will cross a road when the little man is red, because they can see the road is clear, I will make a similar calculation literally tens or even hundreds of times on every ride. I don't do it to be wilful, to be rebellious, I do it because I'm intelligent enough to know what the best and safest course is in any given situation rather than simply let the traffic laws make that decision for me. I'll approach a red light, slow, observe the traffic, observe any peds crossing and if it's clear I'll go. There's no reason to wait at a red light when there isn't any traffic coming from the other direction. There's no reason not to ride the wrong way down a one-way street if it's clear, and there's no reason not to hop the curb if your path is obstructed. By observing these rules to me you are giving away a little bit of your freedom every time, and letting other people make decisions for you.

As cyclists we connect in a very real way with the environment around us, far more than other road users and peds. We are also the most vulnverable on the road and that should make you very aware of what is around you. I don't take risks, and I don't endanger other road users, but every time I get and ride I will continue to make decisions based on my own reading of any situation, not blindly adhere to the rules

Don't mean that as a criticism Captain Anal, just my personal mission statement. I feel quite passionately about it: ride fierce, ride free

I might get that as a tattoo!