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BUREAU OF ROAD FAIRNESS — OFFICE OF PUBLIC AWARENESS

BUREAU OF ROAD FAIRNESS — INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

TO:
ALL MOTORISTS
FROM:
AARBAA RESEARCH TEAM
FILED BY:
Survey Lead, Office of Field Observation
DATE:
DECEMBER 15, 2024
RE:
OPERATION RUSH HOUR: EXPOSING CYCLIST TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

OPERATION RUSH HOUR: Exposing Cyclist Traffic Violations

AARBAA's traffic monitoring command center during Operation Rush Hour
FIG. 1 — AARBAA'S TRAFFIC MONITORING COMMAND CENTER DURING OPERATION RUSH HOUR. SOURCE: BUREAU ARCHIVES.

OBSERVATION MEMORANDUM — On the six-month rush-hour survey and its findings.

Over a six-month window, AARBAA logged more than 3,000 traffic violations attributed to riders during peak intervals across ten metropolitan areas. The record indicates a consistent pattern of non-compliance with bearing on both motorist and pedestrian right-of-way.

The Survey

From June to November 2024, AARBAA observers stationed at 50 high-volume intersections across 10 cities documented rider conduct during morning and evening peak intervals. Using dash cameras, body cameras, and standardized reporting forms, the team compiled a continuous record of the observed violations.

Key Findings

FIGUREFINDING (50 SITES, JUN–NOV 2024)
87%of observed riders ran at least one signalized intersection
92%did not signal turns as required
76%operated against the flow of traffic
94%did not stop at stop controls

Conduct Logged, by Category

  1. Rolling Stop-Control Passage: Riders routinely treated stop controls as yield conditions and signalized intersections as stop conditions, producing right-of-way ambiguity for adjacent motorists.
  2. High-Speed Lane Filtering: Riders filtering between vehicles at speeds exceeding 25 mph, with logged contact against side mirrors.
  3. Sidewalk Operation at Speed: Riders transferring to the sidewalk at speed where the roadway was congested, entering pedestrian right-of-way, including near elderly and disabled pedestrians.
  4. Formation Lane Occupancy: Formations of 10–20 riders occupying full travel lanes rather than operating single file where required.
  5. Equipment Findings: 68% lacked required lighting and reflectors; 43% presented no functioning brake on inspection.

“In 30 years of driving I have not seen this degree of non-compliance. When a collision occurs, the framing reverses. This survey puts the prior conduct on the record.”

— Sarah Mitchell, Denver commuter and AARBAA member

Sites by Violation Rate

CITYVIOLATIONS PER HOURMOST COMMON VIOLATION
Portland, OR247Signalized non-stop
San Francisco, CA231Improper lane change
Seattle, WA198Failure to yield
Austin, TX187Wrong-way operation
Denver, CO176Stop-control non-stop

AARBAA’s Response

The compiled record will be submitted to city councils, state legislatures, and federal transportation authorities. AARBAA recommends:

  • Licensing and registration for riders operating on public roadways
  • A defined penalty schedule for rider violations (minimum $500 per offense)
  • Installation of rider-specific enforcement cameras at high-volume intersections
  • A liability-insurance requirement for road riders
  • Enforcement of existing traffic statute

Join the Survey

Contribute to the observation record in your area. Install the reporting application and file your submissions. File on Form AAR-101

CROSS-REFERENCES