Do YOU always stop at a red light?

 I admit it: I often "run" stop signs and even, occasionally, red lights when I am pedaling my bicycle — as long as no cross traffic is coming. 

I would never do this on my motorcycle, however. 

The reason bicyclists disobey stop signs and, sometimes, red lights is obvious. Momentum is important to bicyclists. Preserving it prompts them to take some, hopefully prudent, actions. These are illegal and, yes, I was once ticketed. 

But still, we do it; most bicyclists do, anyway. Most do it carefully. 

Momentum is less important when a motor is doing all the work. But there are other factors to the safety equation.

A bicycle typically is going slower than a motor vehicle, giving the rider a lot more time to check for cross traffic at an approaching intersection. If something is coming the bicyclist can see it and can brake quickly from that low speed.

All this is obvious. Why even bring it up?

Because there is a new variety of two-wheeler on our streets, much faster than a bicycle, yet seen everywhere ignoring stop signs and even red lights: the electric "bicycle."

They're capable of motorcycle speeds on residential streets, at least. But because they are legally allowed to enjoy the freedoms from regulation typical of bicycles, some riders tend to feel they're free from using common sense as well.

Free from requirements for insurance, licensing, safety equipment, rider age and training, electric bicycles are seen everywhere now on our streets and even swerving around baby strollers on pedestrian malls and sidewalks.

Riders obviously consider themselves above the law.

"Bicyclists do it," is not an excuse for these guys. They're going faster than pedal bicycles on machines that weigh more but may have no better brakes than a typical 10-speed.

Simply put, electric bicycles are motor vehicles.

They ought to be regulated and ridden to the standards motor vehicles require.