Stop Being a Road Menace! The 10 Most Common Violations by Cyclists—How Many Have You Committed?

Has the Lawlessness of Cyclists Become a New Urban Public Nuisance?

Xiaoxiang commutes by bicycle every day. To save time going to and from work, he habitually weaves at high speed through narrow sidewalks, even frantically ringing his bell to urge pedestrians shopping or strolling ahead to make way.

One day, as he was about to force his way past a gap between crowded pedestrians, an elderly man ahead suddenly changed the direction of his steps to avoid a puddle. Xiaoxiang was going too fast to brake in time and slammed hard into him from behind—both of them crashed to the ground! The elderly man suffered a broken arm and was taken to the hospital, Xiaoxiang’s beloved bike was twisted out of shape, and he later faced huge compensation for negligent injury.

This avoidable accident would never have turned into a lose-lose tragedy if Xiaoxiang had known to slow down, yield to pedestrians, and follow the basic rules for slow vehicles.

Sadly, cases like Xiaoxiang’s are just the tip of the iceberg in major metropolitan areas nationwide. With the environmental trend and the popularity of shared bikes, more and more people choose bicycles for transport; however, many riders treat traffic regulations as nothing, holding the rogue mentality of “I have no license plate so the police can’t catch me” and “I’m a vulnerable road user,” treating themselves as a privileged group with “right-of-way supremacy”!

What is worse, on weekend holiday road-bike group outings, a whole group rides abreast domineeringly, filling the entire lane, and some even jump into the middle of the road to intercept motor vehicles to keep their group intact—this lawless bullying not only makes motorcyclists and car drivers miserable, but also makes pedestrians on the sidewalk tremble with fear.

Today let us seriously take stock of the 10 most common violations by cyclists, and see whether you or your friends have unconsciously committed a few of them?

The 10 Most Common Cycling Violations on the Road

Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, bicycles are clearly classified as “slow vehicles” and must strictly obey traffic signs, markings, and signal controls:

1. Riding Against Traffic (Extremely Dangerous)

Some riders hold the absurd misconception that “riding against traffic lets you see oncoming cars head-on and dodge in time.” However, riding against traffic is precisely the main cause of severe head-on collisions!

When motor vehicles turn or merge into a lane, the driver’s view prioritizes oncoming traffic in the same direction and simply does not expect a silent bicycle speeding toward them against traffic. Under Article 73 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, bicycles must travel in the same direction along the right side of the lane; riding against traffic is punishable by a fine of NT$300 to NT$1,200.

2. Illegally Riding on Ordinary Sidewalks

Many people, to avoid traffic on the main road, simply ride their bicycles at high speed onto the sidewalk.

It must be clearly understood: sidewalks are in principle “exclusively for pedestrians”! Unless the section is marked with a “pedestrian-bicycle shared sign (shared path)” or a separate bicycle lane, riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is a violation. If you must cross a sidewalk without a bicycle lane, the only legal way is to “dismount and walk the bike”—never ride on the bike and compete with pedestrians for space.

3. Ignoring Traffic Lights, Treating Signals as Suggestions

“Stop on red, go on green” is common sense understood in kindergarten, yet many cyclists pride themselves on being nimble, slowly rolling through red lights, or even blatantly crossing the crosswalk.

Bicycles are subject to signal control just like cars and motorcycles! Running a red light not only gets you fined, but also makes you highly likely to be crushed in the blind spot of a large vehicle starting on green, at a tragic cost of life.

4. Using a Phone or Wearing Noise-Cancelling Headphones While Riding

One hand on the handlebar, the other scrolling social media; or both ears wearing active noise-cancelling headphones blasting bass-heavy music—this is common on the streets.

This behavior reduces the brain’s alertness to the surrounding environment to zero, completely blocking out the honking of turning vehicles behind and the siren of ambulances. Traffic regulations explicitly prohibit holding and using a mobile phone or computer device while riding; if you need to check a map or reply to a message, be sure to pull over safely to the side first.

5. Illegal Two-Person Riding, Standing on the Axle

In terms of frame structure and weight distribution, the vast majority of ordinary bicycles are designed for a single rider. It is common for junior high students or couples, for convenience, to let a friend sit on the rear rack, or even stand with both feet on the rear-wheel pegs (foot pegs), wobbling along.

This acrobatic way of carrying people easily causes falls and fractures due to loss of balance, and the consequences are even worse if rear-ended by a motorcycle. Except for carrying young children in a legally installed, certified child safety seat, illegal two-person riding is punishable by a fine.

6. Riding Side by Side, Chatting and Blocking the Road

Some cycling friends habitually ride shoulder to shoulder with companions, enjoying the breeze while chatting about everything under the sun.

On narrow slow lanes or alleys, two bicycles side by side are enough to block most of the road, forcing cars and motorcycles behind to illegally cross the double-yellow line and overtake against traffic, easily causing rear-end collisions and driving disputes. The correct approach is to ride in a single file, and if you want to chat, pull over at a convenience store or rest area first.

7. Hogging the Middle of the Lane (Slowpoke Road Captain)

Some riders think riding in the very middle of the lane makes them “more visible” to drivers behind. But the reality is: when a bicycle hogs the center of a 50 km/h lane at 15 km/h, it only causes serious traffic backup behind and even triggers road-rage conflicts.

Bicycles should always ride along the outermost edge line of the lane. If there is an obstacle ahead and you need to change lanes or turn, first turn your head to confirm no vehicles are behind, and extend your arm to make a clear “turn signal” to alert road users behind.

8. Ringing the Bell Wildly to Chase Pedestrians Away

The original purpose of a bicycle bell is to emit a faint sound to “warn and remind” in blind spots or emergency blind curves—not to serve as an alarm to chase pedestrians ahead away!

On shared pedestrian-bicycle paths, pedestrians’ right of way always takes priority over bicycles. Ringing the bell urgently and repeatedly behind pedestrians, forcing the elderly, weak, women, and children to scurry aside, is a very ill-mannered and impolite act. When someone is ahead, you should proactively slow down and follow patiently, and only pass gently when there is ample safe space.

9. Sprinting at High Speed on Sidewalks

Even on a legally marked “shared pedestrian-bicycle sidewalk,” cyclists must follow the principle of “travel slowly and yield to pedestrians.” Many treat the sidewalk as a closed racetrack, speeding through blind corners, easily injuring children and elders stepping out from arcades or shops.

10. Treating Brakes as Decoration, Forcing Through Crowds

When encountering crowds or slowing at intersections, some riders would rather sway left and right forcing through like playing a video game than move a finger to squeeze the brake.

Remember: your bicycle is equipped with fully functional brake calipers! In any narrow situation where safe passage cannot be confirmed, slowing down, gently braking, or even putting both feet down to stop and wait is the most basic requirement of a civilized road user.

Conclusion: Right of Way Is Built on Law-Abiding, Be a Cyclist of Character

The bicycle is an elegant tool that is carbon-free, environmentally friendly, physically strengthening, and close to the city. However, “environmentally friendly” never equals “privilege,” and “vulnerable” should never become an excuse for “violation”!

Only when every cyclist can let go of the gambler’s mentality and truly ride on the right in the same direction, stop at red lights, stay off sidewalks, and proactively yield to vulnerable pedestrians, can we truly earn the sincere respect of the public and other road users, and jointly create a safe, friendly, and dignified people-oriented road environment!