An observational study conducted by the professors and students of Hunter College conclude that the cyclists of the city do not obey traffic rules. I’ll admit, I was surprised this study was even published, because though we all know that pedestrians get away with a lot on city streets (who hasn’t walked right out in front of a car when the light is green? I mean, it’s in our DNA, as adopted New Yorkers, to walk against the traffic laws!), the real risk-takers are the cyclists, whether if they are the casual biker or if they are messenger boys. Personally, I thought the point of getting a bike, besides the economical reasons, is to be KING OF THE ROAD!!!

Anyway, students have spent the month of October watching 3,000 cyclists at 69 random spots. According the the results, 43 percent stop at red lights and only 27 percent of messengers and delivery people were wearing helmets even though they are required to do so by law. The study also asserted that an overwhelming 56 percent of cyclists under the age of 14 tend to bike on the sidewalk, and though it’s a violation of bike traffic laws, it relieved me to hear that because I just pictured dead children on bikes.

Before you guys laugh at me, I should probably point out that most of my urban biking experience comes from living vicariously through this video:

Photo: Flickr courtesy of Joe_Shlabotnik