Shouted at a RLJer today

bigmat

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I'll tell you I'm in no hurry to get into work.

Precisely! There are very few RLJers who I don't seem to catch up at some point on the commute anyway, be it because they're slower riders or because the volume of traffic doesn't allow them to get away, in which case, surely you'll just get more frustrated if you're an RLJer because you're being held up all the time, so perhaps they should just chill out .

On the other hand, I regularly see people flying through red lights when i have stopped, and don't stand a chance of catching them because I then get stuck at the next set, and the next set, and the next set... Isn't enough to persuade me to go through a junction when I'm not 100% certain its safe to do so, but I'm equally certain that if you don't stop, you'll get there quicker.

By the way, if my lights are out of batteries and I want to get home before it gets dark, which is worse - jumping a few lights or waiting and riding without lights? Or should I push it the whole way. Life throws up these dilemmas sometimes...

cjcp

MatHammond wrote:

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I'll tell you I'm in no hurry to get into work.

Precisely! There are very few RLJers who I don't seem to catch up at some point on the commute anyway, be it because they're slower riders or because the volume of traffic doesn't allow them to get away, in which case, surely you'll just get more frustrated if you're an RLJer because you're being held up all the time, so perhaps they should just chill out .

On the other hand, I regularly see people flying through red lights when i have stopped, and don't stand a chance of catching them because I then get stuck at the next set, and the next set, and the next set... Isn't enough to persuade me to go through a junction when I'm not 100% certain its safe to do so, but I'm equally certain that if you don't stop, you'll get there quicker.

By the way, if my lights are out of batteries and I want to get home before it gets dark, which is worse - jumping a few lights or waiting and riding without lights? Or should I push it the whole way. Life throws up these dilemmas sometimes...

So do you jump the lights just to catch them/stop them getting ahead?

Re the batteries - if there's a newsagent or garage nearby, you can probably buy some batteries there.

always_tyred

Stop and buy batteries.

You'll get there quicker if you ride faster too.

Maybe spend some time on streetmap and find an alternative route with fewer lights?

Patience?

il_principe

MatHammond wrote:

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

I'll tell you I'm in no hurry to get into work.

Precisely! There are very few RLJers who I don't seem to catch up at some point on the commute anyway, be it because they're slower riders or because the volume of traffic doesn't allow them to get away, in which case, surely you'll just get more frustrated if you're an RLJer because you're being held up all the time, so perhaps they should just chill out .

On the other hand, I regularly see people flying through red lights when i have stopped, and don't stand a chance of catching them because I then get stuck at the next set, and the next set, and the next set... Isn't enough to persuade me to go through a junction when I'm not 100% certain its safe to do so, but I'm equally certain that if you don't stop, you'll get there quicker.

By the way, if my lights are out of batteries and I want to get home before it gets dark, which is worse - jumping a few lights or waiting and riding without lights? Or should I push it the whole way. Life throws up these dilemmas sometimes...

That's just p1ss poor planning fella! Back when I bothered with a car I used to get so unnerved by the number of no lights cyclists. I always carry spares on my commute these days.

the_hundredth_idiot

I actually had some kids tell me off last night for not RLJing!

I'd worked late so was cycling home at about 11pm ish. I came out of a side junction at the same time as three teenagers (guessing around 14/15 ish) came riding past on TWO bikes (third boy on handlebars of one of the bikes), dressed all in dark clothes, no lights, etc.

Even with my speed, I managed to overtake and about 50 yards later pulled to a stop at red lights on a junction with a majorish road (Dog Kennel Hill). The kids sailed past, straight through on the red and, as they passed said, "Hey, man, why are you stopping on the red. Get a move on!" or something very similar.

It had been a long day, my brain was tired and (to my shame) I had no snappy comeback. Suggestions welcomed for next time this happens.

Moral high ground is no good if the kids don't realise you have it.

always_tyred

Consider that the rest of the gang might be close by before saying anything.

il_principe

beseku wrote:

I get narked off with it for a different reason.

I don't jump the lights, although if there is no ASL, (or, as is increasingly the case on Blackfriars road turning into The Cut, a Taxi is sitting in it) I'll sit on or just ahead of the white line so I can have some space and make the traffic behind aware of me.

So imagine how annoying it is when you've got past the five or six slow-ass cyclists only for them to jump the light and get ahead again, only for you to have to overtake, an often risky manoeuvre.

It seems to be the poor cyclists who break the most rules, and generally a poor cyclist is also pretty slow.

Yep - basically if you RLJ it's just another way of saying "look at me, I'm slow and I'm a sh1t cyclist to boot" I get so cross with numpties pushing in front at lights, esp when I've just overtaken them. It happened this morning, coming back from the training ride at this bloke I'd taken doing 30mph (on a race bike in full lycra!) pushes past me at the lights by Chelsea Bridge. WTF was his thought process, he's slow, and on a panniered, knobbly MTB. Wait behind you to$$er.

Arrghhhh. Short staffed in the office today and I'm not in a good mood. Doesn't help that it's perfect cycling weather and I just want to be out on the bike.

Gussio

It isn't just cyclists RLJing and being a menace; cars are guilty of it too. Last night's commute was a good example.......travelling along a cycle lane approaching a left hand junction where I intended to go straight ahead. BMW driven by an ugly woman races up to my right hand side indicating left, keeping pace before cutitng infront of me as the light turns amber. Saw it coming, breaked to a standstill and avoided going right under her wheels. Lights now red and I unclip my left pedal. Peugeot 206 screams through the red light to turn left. If I had unclipped my right foot or gone through the lights then the 206 would have hit me. Both drivers could have killed me balanced against their gain of maybe a minute waiting at the lights. I was angry enough that if either of them were within chasing distance that they would have had me hammering on their drivers' window.

PS I am all for shouting at RLJ cyclists.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

beseku wrote:

I get narked off with it for a different reason.

I don't jump the lights, although if there is no ASL, (or, as is increasingly the case on Blackfriars road turning into The Cut, a Taxi is sitting in it) I'll sit on or just ahead of the white line so I can have some space and make the traffic behind aware of me.

So imagine how annoying it is when you've got past the five or six slow-ass cyclists only for them to jump the light and get ahead again, only for you to have to overtake, an often risky manoeuvre.

It seems to be the poor cyclists who break the most rules, and generally a poor cyclist is also pretty slow.

Yep - basically if you RLJ it's just another way of saying "look at me, I'm slow and I'm a sh1t cyclist to boot" I get so cross with numpties pushing in front at lights, esp when I've just overtaken them. It happened this morning, coming back from the training ride at this bloke I'd taken doing 30mph (on a race bike in full lycra!) pushes past me at the lights by Chelsea Bridge. WTF was his thought process, he's slow, and on a panniered, knobbly MTB. Wait behind you to$$er.

Arrghhhh. Short staffed in the office today and I'm not in a good mood. Doesn't help that it's perfect cycling weather and I just want to be out on the bike.

Totally agree, that's so frustrating. Particularly on my route where it is sometimes stopped traffic for a couple of miles and there isn't really space for me to get past a slow, wobbly cyclist, so I get stuck behind them doing 3mph... :evil:

As for RLJing, I used to do it a LOT, not any more, now I try to trackstand and usually fail! However, if there's not a green box, or if (as usual) some people have parked their cars in it, I do tend to pop myself in front of them. Technically I guess I've jumped a red, but it isn't dangerous, and if cars didn't park in the bike bits I wouldn't have to do it.

Lastly, I always carry those little LED lights on strings with me. They're great.

chaley

I thouhgt that I rarely RLJ, but speaking about it a work today I'm the worlds worst :? , because I seem to always just catch the light, I ride the same route as most of the people I work with drive and know the route like the back of my hand, so have a good idea of how the lights are going to play, so I slow for the lights over taking on the high side as I clear the 5th from pole down with the hammer and away past the car in pole just as the light changes , some times I'm a bit quick and it's not quite changed . The fact that I tend to never stop on the way to work and back is what really gets their goat not the "almost"RLJing. Even on a route you don't know you shouldn't have to really stop with a bit of planing. I hate stopping as my bike's been stuck in the same gear of 2 months now :oops:
Chaley

zanes

I'm not really bothered about this issue (I stop at lights, but I consider me and my bike a full road vehicle-hence all rules apply to me) but I do hope everyone that get's hit while RLJ'ing does two things;

1. Holds their hands up and says "it's my fault"

2. Doesn't have a go at the car/lorry/whatever that hit them,as it was following the rules of the road

But there again as we all know all RTA's involving bikes are the car drivers/hgv drivers/pedestrian walking on the pavement's fault. Obviously :roll:

always_tyred

I think MatH has been pretty honest here.

Overall, I don't think its a good idea to be shouting at RLJers. A quiet word under some circumstances maybe.

Brixtonbiker

I hate it when I see fellow cyclist shouting at others for red light jumping, its so naff.

Let the police do that job,

The police don't seem bothered by it anyway.

What about peds red light crossing. Vaxhall bus station is the worst. Imagine standing at the crossing shouting at fellow pedestrians. would be So wrong.

Shouters Chill out.

bigmat

Fenchurch Street on a morning is hilarious, people literally launching themselves under your wheels the whole way along. Only reason I'd ever shout would be if i couldn't stop though, by which time its a bit late!

jedster

I agree with the majority - RLJing is annoying, a bit pathetic and lacks class but it's not worth picking fights about unless it's really egregious. I generally ignore it or give a "more disappointed than angry" gentle shake of the head,

I've said something on a couple of occasions

1. cyclist slaloming through peds on a crossing
2. cyclist wobbling in front of a car (horns, swerving, flashing lights)

On both occasions I caught them a little down the road with "mate, you really are a pratt" as I passed.

by the way, GTVLusso - you really are just TOO cool for school, you're my hero, SWOON..

Specialized Needs

Brixtonbiker wrote:

Let the police do that job

Why? Yes, I think shouting is naff (might have chosen a different word, but don't know which). Do you mean that only the police should enforce laws? I just want to clarify.

Brixtonbiker wrote:

Shouters Chill out.

Now that I agree with I suppose it may release some of the shouter's frustration, but in my opinion it serves only to reinforce positions. However, this is just my opinion. No doubt there will be those on both sides of the discussion who will enlighten me.

Been reading these boards for four months, and already getting a feeling of deja vu at times. Keep digging those trenches deeper ...

Stuart

Littigator

Brixtonbiker wrote:

I hate it when I see fellow cyclist shouting at others for red light jumping, its so naff.

Let the police do that job,

The police don't seem bothered by it anyway.

What about peds red light crossing. Vaxhall bus station is the worst. Imagine standing at the crossing shouting at fellow pedestrians. would be So wrong.

Shouters Chill out.

The police generally don't seem bothered by anything that affects cyclists.

As to RLJing or not, given the posts here it seems that anyone that does do it does it because it suits them, but no one has denied (apart from one post) that it has a negative effect on drivers i.e. makes them frustrated etc

If you do not do it, it only affects you.

So in summary,

Do it - detriment to others (self absorbed, I'll do what suits me)

Don't do it - detriment to you (small delay big deal get over yourself)

Kieran_Burns

"let the police deal with it"

great attitude... see something happening that is illegal and put your head down... see something anti-social and put your head down.

Great - lets just leave well alone hey? See someone getting mugged? Put your head down, let the police deal with it.

Fantastic - what a great sense of social responsibility you have.

KitsuneAndy

beseku wrote:

I don't jump the lights, although if there is no ASL, (or, as is increasingly the case on Blackfriars road turning into The Cut, a Taxi is sitting in it) I'll sit on or just ahead of the white line so I can have some space and make the traffic behind aware of me.

Which is what the OP appears to be moaning about, unless I've read it wrong.

Specialized Needs

KitsuneAndy wrote:

beseku wrote:

I don't jump the lights, although if there is no ASL, (or, as is increasingly the case on Blackfriars road turning into The Cut, a Taxi is sitting in it) I'll sit on or just ahead of the white line so I can have some space and make the traffic behind aware of me.

Which is what the OP appears to be moaning about, unless I've read it wrong.

I interpreted it as the person waiting for the junction to clear, then proceeding, whilst the lights were still red; rather than what I interpreted beseku's post as being, which was encroaching on the edge of the junction (or into the pedestrian crossing area) but not proceeding into the business part of the junction until the lights changed to green.

I may be wrong.

Stuart

KitsuneAndy

duncedunce wrote:

KitsuneAndy wrote:

beseku wrote:

I don't jump the lights, although if there is no ASL, (or, as is increasingly the case on Blackfriars road turning into The Cut, a Taxi is sitting in it) I'll sit on or just ahead of the white line so I can have some space and make the traffic behind aware of me.

Which is what the OP appears to be moaning about, unless I've read it wrong.

I interpreted it as the person waiting for the junction to clear, then proceeding, whilst the lights were still red; rather than what I interpreted beseku's post as being, which was encroaching on the edge of the junction (or into the pedestrian crossing area) but not proceeding into the business part of the junction until the lights changed to green.

I may be wrong.

Stuart

Ah yes, you're right. It was late the first time I'd read it

cjcp

MatHammond wrote:

Fenchurch Street on a morning is hilarious, people literally launching themselves under your wheels the whole way along.

I have to agree with this. The pavements are narrow, so they spill onto the road, then you have the ones that don't look in any event. Between that lot, the delivery lorries, longer lorries, buses, and the collection of manhole covers and ruts at the traffic lights on the corner with Philpot Lane, they might as well have us cyclists dodge helicopter gunship fire.

Bassjunkieuk

I thought I'd chime in on this one.
For the record I stand along with cjcp and ja on this one. I dont' RLJ and I personally don't see the point. I don't hand around when I'm moving on the bike and can catch the majority of RLJer's within 50-100 yards of the lights.

The thing that really annoys me is the bad image that RLJer's give me as an honest cyclist. Twice this week I have had conversation's about my cycle commuting and within 3 minutes the subject of RLJ has been raised. When I deny that I don't do it I get that "of course you don't" look of disbelief!

At the end of the day tho regardless of the numerous threads on this forum none of those that do RLJ as they believe it is safer are going to change their ways,

Also to answer MatH (I think it was him that posed this originally) question about motorway driving, I don't normally stick to the 70mph limit, but normally do around 75-80mph. The only thing this behaviour has in common with the RLJ debate is the legality of the act, which if your taking as it's strictest form doesn't even need to be thought about in term's of motorways - how many people actually stick to 30mph around town?

The way I see it is as a controlled risk. On the motorway I know I should only really have to deal with traffic in front or behind me. If the road is clear ahead I can continue, if there is something behind me I'll move over and let them past.
If you choose to RLJ there is much more then the path ahead to concentrate on, whilst I don't doubt I could nip across most of the junction's on my commute safely I don't as I'm still putting myself in to much of a risk. Besides I quite like the stop/start riding as I quite enjoy the sprint's from the lights and as JA says if you want un-interupted riding don't look for it in the town - head out into the country :-)