Road rage

ademort

Having watched the programme tonight it really shows the problems with commuting in London, and while it was good to see the various bike demo,s to highlight the problem i think that the amount of bikers highlighted jumping red lights has not done the cyclists image any good, thank god i live in the Netherlands Greetings Ademort

simon_e

the amount of bikers highlighted jumping red lights has not done the cyclists image any good

Most of the UK population don't live in London, so this may not be representative. I'd be interested to know how much RLJing goes on elsewhere.

dirk_van_gently

I think RLJ is an epidemic, not just amongst cyclists.
The other day I was riding out of the garage, having just filled up the Moto, I saw a van Hurtling towards the nearby traffic lights, they were already amber when he was 200yrds away. The van just kept going, and by the time the van crossed the threshold of the lights they were already on red. I physically whinced as the van went through the lights, expecting to see a huge prank. Thankfully it didn't happen, but folk who drive like this need to be bought to book. I was so shocked that I didn't get the reg number or the name of the company on the van, the only thing I can remember was TW having some significance. I am on the lookout for the van, because I will recognise it when I see it, and then the transport manager is going to get an email!

jjojjas

I don't see much of it here mind. Most cyclists I see do stop at the light, but I do see a lot on the path. Having said that, I'm not in a city, so theres rarely anyone else on the paths

patchy

me londonite, and RLJing is an utter menace* I tend to find RLJs fit into three types

1) head-to-toe in lycra going at about 40

2) couriers with no fear and a fixie that looks like its been used to jump a red light at a busy crossroads

3) nathan barley-esque morons who, barely aware of their surroundings, blithely sail through causing chaos around them.

would that be fair?


* except when i do it, of course.

iainment

patchy wrote:

me londonite, and RLJing is an utter menace* I tend to find RLJs fit into three types

1) head-to-toe in lycra going at about 40

2) couriers with no fear and a fixie that looks like its been used to jump a red light at a busy crossroads

3) nathan barley-esque morons who, barely aware of their surroundings, blithely sail through causing chaos around them.

would that be fair?


* except when i do it, of course.

Not really - I rlj but don't really fit any of these categories.

:twisted:

saveswalking

Apparently the red light/green light for pedestrians is 'advisory' where as for other road users its the law.

Traffic lights are designed for Motor vehicles.

Dont know about the rest of the Netherlands but cyclists in Amsterdam dont bother much with red lights and I've never seen anything close to an accident

SW

Random Vince

theres a set of lights that i dont even see when i'm on the bike, they're hidden by a railway bridge due to a slight bend, so unless your where you'd be sat driving a car you dont see them, by the time i can see them i'd have to snap my neck to look up at the light itself

and by the time i've realised the lights are there, i've got through the junction (its a T junction so nothing is gonna hit me due to how the junction is,

but each time i tell myself off for it

redddraggon

At about the halfway point of commute there are traffic lights which are trigged by sensors in the road. In the past I've waited 5minutes for them to change while others around change to and fro, in the end (if it's safe) I go through on a red. They only normally change on the odd (very very rare) occasion that a car pulls up behind.

As far I'm concerned if the lights are not going to change I'm not waiting. As far as I'm concerned the lights are faulty.

EDIT to add: This is the countryside, so outside peak times (when I'm there) it's very quiet, so no cars to trigger the sensors.

ademort

saveswalking wrote:

Apparently the red light/green light for pedestrians is 'advisory' where as for other road users its the law.

Traffic lights are designed for Motor vehicles.

Dont know about the rest of the Netherlands but cyclists in Amsterdam dont bother much with red lights and I've never seen anything close to an accident

SW

Hi yes Amsterdam is something else. As far as i know the highway code in Amsterdam goes something like (if you think you can get across then go for it)where i live the worst offenders are schoolchildren, who both going to and coming from school, seem to think that they can ride three or four abreast on the road, take no notice of other road users and if you manage to overtake ar given a load of abuse as you pass. I can tell you my commute is 16Kms each way and of that there is one traffic light and two roundabouts and thats it.Guess i am very lucky, if i had all that hassle in London i think i would go nuts within a week. Greetings Ademort

BigBlackShed

There is a lot of info over at http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/12/12/advanced-riding-tip-triggering-stoplights/#more-696 about how to trigger traffic lights.

I've been using the one pedal down at 6 o'clock over the inductor loop (visable as shiny tar-like sealant in a box shape just before the lights.) and it seems to be working for me.

TheFoolio888

I've been communting every day for 18months in Birmingham and I haven't seen a single cyclinst rlj. :?

Cars are a different matter though :evil: It now seems to be accepted practice to continute through a light that has changed to red several seconds ago as long as you don't hit anything.

Queues of traffic at traffic light controlled crossroads are even worse. Every single day I will see 10-20 cars stationary behind the the white line waiting to cross the junction or turn right. Once the lights are red without fail 203 cars will zoom across the junction. they are a right menace.

Tossers...

redddraggon

TheFoolio888 wrote:

Once the lights are red without fail 203 cars will zoom across the junction.

Bloody hell, 203?

lol

jefferee

Couple evenings ago I saw a car RLJ at a relatively major intersection on my route... didn't even slow down.

The scary part is, I was about to cross that street (on the green, of course)--there's a building on the corner, so it's blind until you get into the intersection. I was heading uphill, so I was cranking away on the pedals, trying to make the light before it changed (it had been green my way for quite a while) and not looking for RLJers. if I'd been 20 yards ahead of where I was, I'm pretty sure wouldn't be typing this.

Did give me an opportunity to empty the AirZound, though. :twisted:

Scratch n Sniff

RLJ used to be a good source of adrenalin fuelled town/city riding, yes its risky, but it certainly puts you on the road map, along with all of those others that exist in their metal 4 wheeled steel cages. It can also be a lot of fun !!!!
Years ago there used to be a commercial "think once, think twice, think bike". It made little difference to those behind the wheel, as they still displayed a healthy disregard for us the two wheeled variety.
These days the extreme rise in bureacracy in this country, has given birth to two wheeled plod, bless them with their little flashing lights and sirens, after all, everyone should be given the opportunity to feel important
My point being that if you are diligent at lights and quick of the mark, then why not ?

By the way, has anyone outridden a two wheeled plod ?

phil_ss1

I was told by a traffic cop last year that even if two of them sat watching a vehicle blatanttly RLJ they could little about it and that it was a complete waste of time and money trying to pursue a charge. Seems it's their word against the drivers

mrchrispy

I complained to the police again yesterday about the cars jumping the lights outside work....pishes me off that they have a camera on it and it NEVER goes off. The get a letter from me every couple of month.

Random Vince

Scratch n Sniff wrote:

RLJ used to be a good source of adrenalin fuelled town/city riding, yes its risky, but it certainly puts you on the road map, along with all of those others that exist in their metal 4 wheeled steel cages. It can also be a lot of fun !!!!
Years ago there used to be a commercial "think once, think twice, think bike". It made little difference to those behind the wheel, as they still displayed a healthy disregard for us the two wheeled variety.
These days the extreme rise in bureacracy in this country, has given birth to two wheeled plod, bless them with their little flashing lights and sirens, after all, everyone should be given the opportunity to feel important
My point being that if you are diligent at lights and quick of the mark, then why not ?

By the way, has anyone outridden a two wheeled plod ?

yes, i've out ridden bike police - didn't know my rear light wasn't working,

they're not fond of going down stairs at speed (was on the mountain bike)