Don't go jumping red lights

Got pulled over this morning for jumping a red light. I do it all the time. It does not bother me that some people frown on it. Motorists, other cyclists, pedestrians. Makes no difference to me. There are those that say it gives cyclist a bad name. Whatever! If you're the type to make generalisations from singular observations of one persons behaviour chances are you're an arse anyway. 

Just because I'm undercover don't go jumping red lights.  It was an unmarked car that pulled me. I dutifully acknowledged the rebuke and off we went on our way. No big deal. No more time wasted for either of us than that. Whatever the circumstances I accept red lights mean stop. Regardless of that I still go through them if it looks safe. If I get hit or fined as a result I'l take it on the chin without protest. So far so good. 40 odd years of doing so and it's only happened once when I and a motorist both went through orange lights.  You should be more careful of doing that but hardly anyone ever mentions it. I came out of the encounter worst with a broken wrist. The driver was okay. We both apologised and went on our way. Adrenalin is a great short-term analgesic.  

Anyhow it got me thinking about some of the more frequent vehicular misdemeanors of other road users I encounter when out on my bike: speeding; using a mobile; smoking weed; jumping lights; close passes; verbal abuse; and road rage.

I'm not trying to negate my behaviour because, well look at what other people do. Nothing bad has happened when I've seen them occur. It's just life. People do stuff that they are not supposed to. Like jumping red lights. My view is so long as no one gets hurt try not to get your knickers in a twist about it. Move on. Don't generalise. Keep on being the paragon of virtue we all are except those times when we're not.