I passed a car v. cyclist crash this morning on way to work. Cyclist had evidently been riding in the pedistrian crosswalk, against the flow of traffic. Couldn't tell if he had hit a car turning across the walkway, or the car had hit him. Looked like no injuries, though the bicycle was pretty mangled.
That's something that annoys me about bikes in the US vs. Europe: People in Europe are generally taught to obey the same laws as everybody else, whereas US bicyclists, in NYC in particular, just completely wing it. When I first moved here I didn't understand why everybody hated on bicyclists; now, after nearly being hit by a bicycle slamming through a crowded crosswalk at least 10 times, I do.
When I bought my first "nice" bike a few years ago, the guy wheeled it out to me and said, "This is a vehicle, so ride it like a vehicle. Yes, even at stop signs." Then he warned me about Escalades.
In Denver, cars running red lights is a big problem, I see it multiple times per day, and it's terrible. Since becoming a bicyclist, I've completely reversed my position on photo red light (tickets). I still don't approve of photo radar, it's mainly a way for cities to make money. But running red lights needs to be stopped, no pun intended.
