Busting the myth of the "scofflaw cyclist" Danish Road Directorate studies reveal that while 66% of motorists routinely break road traffic laws only 5% of cyclists do so. Law breaking by cyclists is higher where there is no cycle-specific infrastructure.

Some interesting stuff here, including links to more studies showing similar results in different countries.

The summary is that the reason motorists break more laws is that speeding is so common.

I don’t think this is because motorists are all evil and cyclists are all saints. Probably, the reason motorists break speed limits is that it can be relatively difficult to keep cars below the speed limit. It’s all too easy to absentmindedly speed up. It’s also, perhaps becuase of this, widely seen as socially acceptable to break the speed limit (speaking anecdotally).

One interesting thing here, which may not surprise regular readers of Fuck Cars, is that better cycling infrastructure leads to less lawbreaking by cyclists. As is often the case, it’s the design of roads and cities that changes behaviour, not abstract appeals to road users to be sensible!

  • potpotato
    40•1 year ago

    it can be relatively difficult to keep your car under the speed limit

    Hard disagree. This is like saying it’s difficult to stay off you phone while driving — it’s just a shitty habit that can be corrected.

    • @magiccupcake@lemmy.world
      24•1 year ago

      It is in america. Roads are too wide and straight, which sends subtle signals that its safe to go faster than the speed limit.

      This is especially bad on roads that have had their speed limit reduced without changing anything else.

      I blame American road designers for speeding more, because we should be designing roads that reflect the speed we want them to drive.

      Though the best solution to speeding is just removing cars, but I doubt that will happen.

    • @AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
      8•1 year ago

      https://youtu.be/bglWCuCMSWc?si=8786kjY70qqai4V2

      Yes, drivers absolutely should be actively driving, but they don’t. I’ve watched how a lot of people drive over the years, and the vast majority of drivers aren’t actively checking their mirrors, and gauges every few seconds. Road designers have decades of data on how to subconsciously make us slow down. It won’t stop all speeding, but it will drastically reduce it in the US.

    • @frankPodmore@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      2•1 year ago

      Perhaps. In fairness, I drive very little and haven’t done so for years, so I’m probably not the best witness!