> "[...] road safety would be improved for all if more motorists also cycled"
While this statement seems quite trivial I think there's more truth in that than one might realize straight away. I would say that even if cyclists break the law (even to save time and not only to save lives as the title suggests), they often know that they're breaking the law. On the other hand many motorists who break traffic rules regarding cyclists doesn't even know that they're breaking them.
It might seem that knowingly breaking the rules is even more morally reprehensible, but I think at the same time this leads to less entitlement - and in consequence to less road rage.
Some examples of rules a lot motorists doesn't know about (mind German traffic rules):
* it's not allowed to overtake cyclists if you can't keep at least 1.5m distance; this rules only works one way, cyclists may overtake without keeping that distance. The minimum distance even applies if the cyclist is in a marked bike lane on the road.
* there's only an obligation to use bike lanes if they're explicitly marked with a distinct sign; there's another sign which indicates that it's allowed to use e.g. a sidewalk with a bike, but not an obligation
* It's allowed to pass standing / slow moving cars on the right (this is especially usefull in front of red traffic lights); unfortunately there's no obligation to cars to leave space on the right if possible. If you know this rule as a (considerate) motorists, you can leave that space.
* There's a sign which allows cyclists to use one-way streets in both directions; if this sign is posted, cyclists have the same rights of way as cars regardless of direction
* Even if there is a obligatory bike-path, you're allowed to switch to a left-turn car-lane in front of crossings to make a left turn unless it's explicitly disallowed by signs.
I could go on and on, but motorists not knowing these rules might come to the conclusion that cyclists are breaking the rules all the time, which in turn leads to more agression against cyclists. None of the rules above were mentioned during my drivers lessons - it was more like a general 'be careful regarding cyclists because they are weaker, behave unpredictable and don't know the rules'. When it fact it's ofentimes the other way around.