RLJ meets Critical Mass

phil_ss1

Please can the "safe" RLJ'rs explain to the rest of us law abiding riders what will happen when the number of cyclists reaches the point that when approaching any red light lots of d**kheads are RLJ'ing from any direction..... :twisted:

Be interested to know how an RLJ'er will feel when they get knocked off by a fellow law breaker - who will they blame????? - who will they sue????

What goes around comes around.

:idea: STOP the RLJ'ing :idea:

Phil

SmellTheGlove

What happened on your ride in this morning Phil..? Not trying to be a smartarse, just reading between the lines, but do you want to get it off your chest?

iainment

phil_ss1 wrote:

Please can the "safe" RLJ'rs explain to the rest of us law abiding riders what will happen when the number of cyclists reaches the point that when approaching any red light lots of d**kheads are RLJ'ing from any direction..... :twisted:

Be interested to know how an RLJ'er will feel when they get knocked off by a fellow law breaker - who will they blame????? - who will they sue????

What goes around comes around.

:idea: STOP the RLJ'ing :idea:

Phil

All I can say is if it ain't clear and safe to go don't go. So no different to any other situation really.

Pip pip.

Greg T

Happened to me yesterday morning.....

Coming round Parliament Sq I'll take the left down Whitehall (if the lights to get passed the House are red) then the right after the Cenotaph past the MOD and then left onto the embankment again.

I was following a bus down past the MOD so the lightst the bottom were green when I got there - going round the corner at speed and cranked over when a RLJer came through the main lights on the embankment.......

Arss

redvee

Last week on the way back from the chemist I had to pass through 5 sets of lights, as I was stopped at the first set a RLJ'er passed through, as he did the next set. At the third he paused and waited for the traffic to clear then went through on red. At the fourth set he stopped :shock: as he did at the fifth. The advantage he gained over me at each set was only about 10 seconds and I made sure I overtook him between each set

jeepie

I'd be interested to know exactly what is meant by RLJ...

I feel much safer if I can move off from the lights in front of the cars so I don't get squashed at the edges of the road when the lights change. This will mean overtaking stationary traffic whilst the light is red and then stopping in front of the first car, sometimes slightly beyond the white line. This can get congested as more and more people cycle...but I don't really see a way round it.

Is this what you mean phil? Or literally ignore red lights completely?

Big Red S

phil_ss1 wrote:

Please can the "safe" RLJ'rs explain to the rest of us law abiding riders what will happen when the number of cyclists reaches the point that when approaching any red light lots of d**kheads are RLJ'ing from any direction..... :twisted:

Not a lot. The safe ones pause and look.

I'm fairly certain it's still RLJing, but it's no more dangerous than my approach to the (admittedly dwindling) number of non-light-controlled junctions...

iainment

redvee wrote:

Last week on the way back from the chemist I had to pass through 5 sets of lights, as I was stopped at the first set a RLJ'er passed through, as he did the next set. At the third he paused and waited for the traffic to clear then went through on red. At the fourth set he stopped :shock: as he did at the fifth. The advantage he gained over me at each set was only about 10 seconds and I made sure I overtook him between each set

All that shows is you cycle faster than this guy, if he's in a hurry and he's a slow pedaller and he's making sure that there is no danger to him or other road users I don't see any problem.
He gives you a target to reel in, bless him.

Parkey

Doesn't matter what vehicle I'm driving. Bike, car, whatever. The traffic laws are the traffic laws. Red means stop. It doesn't say "well I reckon" anywhere in the highway code.

I'd be interested to know if those who "well I reckon" their impatient way through junctions without waiting for the lights when they're on their bikes do the same when they're driving their cars. "The light was red but I reckon it was safe to go, so I went".

The last thing I want is to be travelling at speed through a set of green lights only to have some plonker roll his bike into my path because of what he, in his wisdom, "reckoned" it was safe to do. Especially not if I'm on my own bike.

As for the "safety" rationalisation, for all those who "have to" get ahead because they don't want to be alongside a vehicle at the junction. It's very simple: If it's not safe to be alongside a vehicle, don't go alongside a vehicle. Use good lane positioning and wait further back.

Read cyclecraft. Get patience.

My 4p worth.

iainment

Parkey wrote:

Doesn't matter what vehicle I'm driving. Bike, car, whatever. The traffic laws are the traffic laws. Red means stop. It doesn't say "well I reckon" anywhere in the highway code.

I'd be interested to know if those who "well I reckon" their impatient way through junctions without waiting for the lights when they're on their bikes do the same when they're driving their cars. "The light was red but I reckon it was safe to go, so I went".

The last thing I want is to be travelling at speed through a set of green lights only to have some plonker roll his bike into my path because of what he, in his wisdom, "reckoned" it was safe to do. Especially not if I'm on my own bike.

As for the "safety" rationalisation, for all those who "have to" get ahead because they don't want to be alongside a vehicle at the junction. It's very simple: If it's not safe to be alongside a vehicle, don't go alongside a vehicle. Use good lane positioning and wait further back.

Read cyclecraft. Get patience.

My 4p worth.

Your finger was quivering with righteous rage when you posted this wasn't it?
Only posted 3 times!!!

Pip pip.

Remember more facial hair, more points.

iainment

spen666 wrote:

said in triplicate so it must be
1) true or
2) Parkey is impatient
3) Parkey has a twitchy finger

4)He works for the council

secretsam

iainment wrote:

redvee wrote:

Last week on the way back from the chemist I had to pass through 5 sets of lights, as I was stopped at the first set a RLJ'er passed through, as he did the next set. At the third he paused and waited for the traffic to clear then went through on red. At the fourth set he stopped :shock: as he did at the fifth. The advantage he gained over me at each set was only about 10 seconds and I made sure I overtook him between each set

All that shows is you cycle faster than this guy, if he's in a hurry and he's a slow pedaller and he's making sure that there is no danger to him or other road users I don't see any problem.
He gives you a target to reel in, bless him.

He's also breaking the law

iainment

SecretSam wrote:

iainment wrote:

redvee wrote:

Last week on the way back from the chemist I had to pass through 5 sets of lights, as I was stopped at the first set a RLJ'er passed through, as he did the next set. At the third he paused and waited for the traffic to clear then went through on red. At the fourth set he stopped :shock: as he did at the fifth. The advantage he gained over me at each set was only about 10 seconds and I made sure I overtook him between each set

All that shows is you cycle faster than this guy, if he's in a hurry and he's a slow pedaller and he's making sure that there is no danger to him or other road users I don't see any problem.
He gives you a target to reel in, bless him.

He's also breaking the law

Crikey. I'd keep well away from him then, he might do anything.
Break one law and there'll be no stopping him, robbing, violence, fraud, treason, personation.....

Parkey

iainment wrote:

I'd keep well away from him then, he might do anything.
Break one law and there'll be no stopping him, robbing, violence, fraud, treason, personation.....

Troll slaying....

il_principe

Parkey wrote:

The last thing I want is to be travelling at speed through a set of green lights only to have some plonker roll his bike into my path because of what he, in his wisdom, "reckoned" it was safe to do.

Exactly - I've had several near misses with these morons.

Clever Pun

iainment wrote:

Remember more facial hair, more points.

que?

Also RLJ'ing a gateway crime?... very good

iainment

Clever Pun wrote:

iainment wrote:

Remember more facial hair, more points.

que?

Also RLJ'ing a gateway crime?... very good

Humour mon ami. From my belief that bearded footballers are better - Derek Hales, Georgie Best and er that's it proving my point.
Trevor Hockey of course being the exception to this rule.

Parkey

jashburnham wrote:

Exactly - I've had several near misses with these morons.

Likewise. Hence my strong feelings on the subject.

iainment

Parkey wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Exactly - I've had several near misses with these morons.

Likewise. Hence my strong feelings on the subject.

I admire a man with strong feelings.

:roll:

AdeC

I jump red lights and I'm damn proud of it. Why should I sit there breathing in fumes and wasting my time when I can just keep going.
Jumped a light on yesterday's commute. Junction was totally clear. The police were 2 back from the lights and they did nothing. why? because they have more to worry about than a cyclist jumping the lights when its blatantly obvious that it was safe to do so.

breaking the law? i dont care!


there you go - that should give you some ammo

iainment

AdeC wrote:

I jump red lights and I'm damn proud of it. Why should I sit there breathing in fumes and wasting my time when I can just keep going.
Jumped a light on yesterday's commute. Junction was totally clear. The police were 2 back from the lights and they did nothing. why? because they have more to worry about than a cyclist jumping the lights when its blatantly obvious that it was safe to do so.

breaking the law? i dont care!


there you go - that should give you some ammo

See he doesn't care! Next stop chaining his bike next to a sign that forbids bikes being locked to the railing.
It's a roller coaster ride and he's on it!!

il_principe

AdeC wrote:

I jump red lights and I'm damn proud of it. Why should I sit there breathing in fumes and wasting my time when I can just keep going.
Jumped a light on yesterday's commute. Junction was totally clear. The police were 2 back from the lights and they did nothing. why? because they have more to worry about than a cyclist jumping the lights when its blatantly obvious that it was safe to do so.

breaking the law? i dont care!


there you go - that should give you some ammo

You'll care when you ram me and I come after you with my D-Lock...

iainment

jashburnham wrote:

AdeC wrote:

I jump red lights and I'm damn proud of it. Why should I sit there breathing in fumes and wasting my time when I can just keep going.
Jumped a light on yesterday's commute. Junction was totally clear. The police were 2 back from the lights and they did nothing. why? because they have more to worry about than a cyclist jumping the lights when its blatantly obvious that it was safe to do so.

breaking the law? i dont care!




there you go - that should give you some ammo

You'll care when you ram me and I come after you with my D-Lock...

All on board for fantasy island! or is it another one who'll relish breaking the law.

D lock to cranium = crime.

il_principe

Note the smiley face... now re-evaluate.

snooks

I was almost clipped by a RLJ on this week, I got a good start when the lights went green, and came close to being taken out by a [Think of your own way of describing a very silly person]...He was carrying speed and obviously didn't want to stop, in spite of a tidal wave of hairy rsed cyclists, 1/2 a dozen motorbikes, a couple of tonnes of cars, buses, trucks et al.

I didn't know whether he was going to pass in front or behind me (and to be honest I don't think he did either)

No contact, but he shouldn't have put me in a position where if I had to break any harder I'd have had motorbike, car and bus tracks over my rse. If they wanted to become part of the tarmac, fine with me, as long as they don't take me (or anyone else) out in the process.

If you want to RLJ, go for it, just please do it when you're not going to be a danger to anyone. (including yourselves)

I've seen too many near misses where someone who thought they were safely jumping a red light, were saved from doing a bonnet bounce by a driver who was more awake than most.

Ah, and relax, now I've got that off my chest...Bring on the weekend!!

AdeC

correcto! its anarchy out there - you may as well join in.

snooks

AdeC wrote:

The police were 2 back from the lights and they did nothing. why? because they have more to worry about than a cyclist jumping the lights when its blatantly obvious that it was safe to do so.

Working along that line...why doesn't anyone jump red lights when there are police at the traffic lights?

Funny how no RLJers have the balls to try your theory out when there are coppers on cycles or motorcycles at the lights along the embankment?

Instead everyone sits neatly behind the white line, and everyone gets away safely

SamWise72

I've noted that this behaviour gets worse the nearer to 9 am it is. At 7:30, only about 1 in 5 riders I see in London RLJs. At around 8:45 (when I was going like a bugger to get where I needed to be after a train delay), it was closer to 4 out of 5. Certainly, it was by some way the majority!

Big Red S

Parkey wrote:

Doesn't matter what vehicle I'm driving. Bike, car, whatever. The traffic laws are the traffic laws. Red means stop. It doesn't say "well I reckon" anywhere in the highway code.

I'm not trying to say it's legal. I don't do it out of some love of breaking the law. I do it because when it is safe to cross the road, it feels[1] much safer to cross the empty road than to sit at the red lights.
'course, It's only the same feeling of safety that leads me to cross non-light-controlled crossings.

I'd be interested to know if those who "well I reckon" their impatient way through junctions without waiting for the lights when they're on their bikes do the same when they're driving their cars. "The light was red but I reckon it was safe to go, so I went".

No, since on my motorbike I can accelerate across the junction at a similar speed to the rest of the traffic.

[1] I know my feelings might well be wrong. Hell, I know they are - I wear a helmet, after all.

NWLondoner

At the risk of getting shot I hate RLJ.

I was amazed/disgusted at the amount of RLJ I saw on my Thursday morning ride in the rush hour.

Is it really worth the few extra seconds by risking both your safety and others?

If you read many of the online posts on other sites about cyclists it does seem that the majority of motorists have it in for us and to some extent can you really blame them?

The roads are for ALL of us and we should ALL obey the laws. Yes, it can be a pain in the ass to follow them all. However if we want more cycling provisions/facilities that actually work and are safe to use we need to get motorists more on our side. Remember motorists are still the MAJORITY and if you want your local authority to pump resources into cycling they will only do it if they have real public support.

Just my 2c worth

always_tyred

Actually, I am quite grateful to rljers.

When I'm patiently waiting on red and someone comes past, hops off the pavement and crosses the junction, it draws all of the ire of the motorists who might otherwise have hated me for simply being there.

Instead, they all think, "All cyclists should be like him."