RLJers bother me more when on a bike than in a car

DonDaddyD

A lot of you have claimed that RLJers ‘give us cyclists a bad name’ and that if want to be treated equally on the road by motorists then we should respect the rules of the road.

Has anyone ever considered the perception/opinion of the motorist?

Basically I drove my car to work last week and was witnessed to an RLJer. In all honesty it didn’t bother me as he zoomed through the lights at a crossing.

“Great” I thought as this meant I could accelerate from the lights at normal speed, not worrying about overtaking him, bumping the car to my right or the cyclists slow speed wobble.

However, the same situation occured while on a bike - an RLJer zooms past me - and I’m thinking “what an idiot”.

Could it be that RLJers bother cyclists more so than motorists?

I'll admit that when an RLJer passes through a junction or across me at a junction, regardless of the vehicle it annoys me.

chuckcork

You need a 3rd option as it bothers me either way, and a 4th option for those who are the opposite and don't give a toss at any time.

Snudge

I voted for "more bothersome as driver" because whilst the practice of RLJing is wrong , I condone it for others whilst cycling as being mainly harmless but when I'm driving it just seems frustratingly dangerous even though I am still pro-cycling. I guess for me the mentality of driving and cycling is quite different.

il_principe

chuckcork wrote:

You need a 3rd option as it bothers me either way, and a 4th option for those who are the opposite and don't give a toss at any time.

+1 they both irritate me. I was the only cyclist stopping at lights this morning - on an 8 mile ride from Willesden to London Bridge. Nutters jumping lights on Edgware road, Park lane etc. All of them were riding like total numpties, including one girl who was wobbling all over the place and nearly had me off - pulled out from hehind a bus without looking or indicating. We had words, and she was damn lucky i wasn't a car/bus etc. Despite all this she caught me at the next lights and jumped them. Mental. Fcuking Mental.

rolf_f

Realistically, it should bother you more on the bike.

TBH, before I started cycling I can't say that the concept of cyclist RLJing was ever in my consciousness. I might have thought 'numpty' as I saw it happen but ultimately could care less. Far more important things to worry about whilst driving than RLJers unless one piles into you whilst you are passing through on green.

As a cyclist, it is worse as there is the knowledge that somewhere, Michael Douglas is about to have a nervous breakdown with a gun and maybe, a RLJer will trigger him off! The behaviour of other idiots can have consequences for you.

Ultimately, if RLJing as a motorist really upsets you that much, you probably ought not to be driving.

Headhuunter

Most of the RLJ-ing I witness could only bother you (as a cyclist or a driver) if you're just a bit bloody minded and frustrated that someone is able to whip through the traffic more easily than you. Most RLJ-ers I see do it slowly and carefully. Of course there are some loons who just whizz through red lights without the slightest glanc, but they're unlikely to be with us for long...

Porgy

I had words with some @rsehole yesterday who cycled through ped lights in south london really really slowly (as if by going slowly no one would notice :roll: )while loads of people were crossing. the worst thing is that some of those people were looking daggers at me as if he was anything to do with me.

I caught him up at the next set of lights and asked him why he hadn't gone through those lights as well.

Then I told him that he was an idiot cycling through a crossing where around a dozen people were trying to cross.

He just blanked me completely with a smug f*cking grin on his face. I felt like decking him!! :evil:

btw - couldn;t vote as RLJers bother me most when I'm a pedstrian.

Rockbuddy

Yeah, another RLJ thread

I didn't vote as the offence can annoy me equally from both forms of transport. I think no matter who is RLJing and no matter what your transport it's only really annoying when it directly affects you.

If I'm waiting at lights and I see an RLJer coming the opposite direction I may give a dissapproving shaking of the head but other than that it doesn't bother me.

It's the danger aspect that gets me, being rear ended or closley overtaken by someone who is RLJing when you are not or someone going through a junction in front of you on red when you are going through on green (bloody stupid). This happens rarely (well to me anyway) but it does happen and this botheres me alot. Whether I am in the car or on the bike and whether it's a car or bike doing the RLJing it's dangerous and stupid.

rich_e

I think the other perspective is also that of a Pedestrian, as at some stage, we are all going to be one.

I know that when I'm on foot in Central London that RLJs are even more so annoying because of the fact that they are forcing there way across peds at busy crossings when they shouldn't be crossing at all.

I once had an altication with a woman on a bike who RLJ as I was crossing the road during the green man phase,she was then going the wrong way down a street and nearly hit me. Making it out that it was all the Peds faults for being in her way. :roll:

patchy

saw a brilliant one near regents park this morning - one bike went through after lights went red and nearly collided with someone coming from another direction who'd jumped the lights befor tehy went green.

Laugh? I nearly died.

Porgy

patchy wrote:

saw a brilliant one near regents park this morning - one bike went through after lights went red and nearly collided with someone coming from another direction who'd jumped the lights befor tehy went green.

Laugh? I nearly died.

it's what you call a win-win outcome

ride_whenever

i have the same thing with pavement riders when i'm on foot. Being in oxford the number of gormless students riding on the pavements is outrageous. I've taken to assuming an air of being completely unaware and tend to walk them off the pavement. I know that they're not going fast enough to hurt me, but if they go down then they wont do it again.

That and shouting at them.

b0y1nterupted

the only time its anouying to me is when i've gone passed them & i stop for lights & they go through so i have to overtake them again :x

biondino

Headhuunter wrote:

Most RLJ-ers I see do it slowly and carefully. Of course there are some loons who just whizz through red lights without the slightest glanc, but they're unlikely to be with us for long...

I call a weeny bit of bulls**t on this one. Most RLJers aren't slow and careful - most RLJers simply proceed as if there wasn't anything there at all. Some slow down and look, but they're in the minority. I will agree that there aren't *that* many who plough through recklessly regardless of the circumstances, but there are enough.

Porgy

even someone going through slowly and "carefully" can get in the way of people crossing - even if they pose no risk they are a nuisance and an irritant.

tailwindhome

Round and round the big wheel goes, where it stops nobody knows.

d.n.f

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

Porgy

d.n.f wrote:

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

you're having a laugh!!

everyone i know who isn't a cyclist complains about RLJers. It's the first thing anyone says to me when they find out I ride a bike - you're not one of those who go through red lights? every phone in programme on the radio about cycling ends up being a mass complaint about RLJing and cyclists on the pavement - letters pages and articles in papers are full of complaints - whenever i get into a row with some c*nt in a car or taxi about somehting they've done wrong - they eventually get to the line - well you lot don't pay any attention to the law.

And I'm f*cking sick of it - cycling is supposed to be a great thing - an achievement - a positive thing - not a focus for hatred - which it is becoming.

And you think no one gives a monkeys.

doog442

Porgy wrote:

d.n.f wrote:

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

you're having a laugh!!

everyone i know who isn't a cyclist complains about RLJers. It's the first thing anyone says to me when they find out I ride a bike - you're not one of those who go through red lights? every phone in programme on the radio about cycling ends up being a mass complaint about RLJing and cyclists on the pavement - letters pages and articles in papers are full of complaints - whenever i get into a row with some c*nt in a car or taxi about somehting they've done wrong - they eventually get to the line - well you lot don't pay any attention to the law.

And I'm f*cking sick of it - cycling is supposed to be a great thing - an achievement - a positive thing - not a focus for hatred - which it is becoming.

And you think no one gives a monkeys.

brilliant post..agree with every word, RLR's are NOT cyclists... they are chavscum who are probably disqualified from driving /cant afford to drive or are riding stolen bikes and dont give a feck

d.n.f

Porgy wrote:

d.n.f wrote:

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

everyone i know who isn't a cyclist complains about RLJers. It's the first thing anyone says to me when they find out I ride a bike - you're not one of those who go through red lights? :

Is that really true? I haven’t experienced that. It’s normally ‘What do you ride’ or ‘How far?’ I’m relatively new I spose so there’s still time.

I have been using Londons roads for some 15 years though and it’s never really bothered me, not paid any attention to it tbh as there is so much more to be worried about, and no one else I know (non cyclist) ever talks about it.

prawny

d.n.f wrote:

Porgy wrote:

d.n.f wrote:

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

everyone i know who isn't a cyclist complains about RLJers. It's the first thing anyone says to me when they find out I ride a bike - you're not one of those who go through red lights? :

Is that really true? I haven’t experienced that. It’s normally ‘What do you ride’ or ‘How far?’ I’m relatively new I spose so there’s still time.

I have been using Londons roads for some 15 years though and it’s never really bothered me, not paid any attention to it tbh as there is so much more to be worried about, and no one else I know (non cyclist) ever talks about it.

Yeah the Red Light thing is the 3rd thing that comes up, I've quite new to this and I've started to get the 'how long does it take? How much longer if you stopped for red lights?' questions. The people at work are quite pleased/surprised when I tell them I always stop for reds.

Headhuunter

d.n.f wrote:

Porgy wrote:

d.n.f wrote:

I reckon the only people bothered by RLJing are cyclist who don't RLJ.

No one else really gives a monkeys....no matter what they're driving.

...except maybe those community support officers, but not much.

everyone i know who isn't a cyclist complains about RLJers. It's the first thing anyone says to me when they find out I ride a bike - you're not one of those who go through red lights? :

Is that really true? I haven’t experienced that. It’s normally ‘What do you ride’ or ‘How far?’ I’m relatively new I spose so there’s still time.

I have been using Londons roads for some 15 years though and it’s never really bothered me, not paid any attention to it tbh as there is so much more to be worried about, and no one else I know (non cyclist) ever talks about it.

Me too. Most people I speak to ask me things like how far do you go? Is it dangerous? What kind of bike do you ride? etc etc before the conversation turns to something else. I've barely ever met anyone outside these forums who gives 2 hoots about RLJ-ing and as a frequent pdestrian in London (as well as cyclist), I can't say it concerns me much, there are far bigger things to worry about, however people here seem to get their nickers into a huge twist about it....

Kieran_Burns

I had a right barny at an idiot RLJ this morning. Why? 'cos the idiot rode virtually straight out in front of me when I pulled out from the lights I'd been waiting at.

He looked genuinely shocked that someone would even mention it. :shock: The worst of it was - I watched 3 others go through the same set and not one of them even glanced around to check for traffic / pedestrians.

I took great pleasure in belting past the lot of them - who were spread out across the whole damn carriageway down the one way street. Yeesh. I think in this case it was a matter of just poor cyclists with limited road knowledge as opposed to more experienced cyclists making a conscious decision to treat a light as a give way.

Tentacles

I don't get this discussion at all. Unless it directly affects you, and by direct I mean direct, not some covuluted karmic retribution theory. Unless the RLJ'er hits or endagers you at that moment with that particular "jump" why do you care?

I wouldn't waste your time concerning yourselves - do you think that by shouting at someone when they are crossing a junction it will make them a safer cyclist? If they don't know how traffic lights operate and why they are there it is incredibly unlikely you will have a positive influence on thier mindset. More likely than not you'll just end up looking like a self righteous idiot to them.

It would be worth noting that the people who seem to be most vocal about the evils of RLJ'ing are those that live in London. Understandable, London does have the highest percentage of cyclists and traffic lights in the country. However, i'm curious to know how other people in a more rural setting feel about it - does it bother you guys and girls as much?

Stuey01

My whole team were having a discussion the other day about "bl00dy cyclists" and RLJ'ing. I told them that not all cyclists RLJ, that I don't, and that there are plenty more bad drivers on the roads than there are cyclists.

That shut them up, well, that and the fact that I do their appraisals...

Headhuunter

That's the thing. If you take a step back you realise that RLJ-ing barely registers in significance when compared with speeding motorists, illegal manoeuvres made on the road, general dangerous driving (and riding), listening to headphones whilst riding etc etc, yet people get so worked up about RLJ-ing! Peds need to remember it's not RLJ-ing cyclists that kill them, it's motorists - thousands die in accidents with cars every year.

Porgy

Headhuunter wrote:

That's the thing. If you take a step back you realise that RLJ-ing barely registers in significance when compared with speeding motorists, illegal manoeuvres made on the road, general dangerous driving (and riding), listening to headphones whilst riding etc etc, yet people get so worked up about RLJ-ing! Peds need to remember it's not RLJ-ing cyclists that kill them, it's motorists - thousands die in accidents with cars every year.

That's true but that makes the fact that I get THAT BLOODY QUESTION so often even more annoying. And when I deny I do it - I get that sceptical look - oh right, course you don't

Lucky old you anyone who has more intelligent and rational colleagues - i work with a load of pro-car morons who will use any excuse to belittle the cyclist.

And it has undermioned me in arguments with offending motorists so often - I suspect some of the direct attacks I've had against me by motorists have been due to their perception of us as constantly breaking the rules.

Anyway - I don't give a shit about RLJers really - just sick of the geenral pervading attitiude of non-cyclists in London.

Headhuunter

Porgy wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

That's the thing. If you take a step back you realise that RLJ-ing barely registers in significance when compared with speeding motorists, illegal manoeuvres made on the road, general dangerous driving (and riding), listening to headphones whilst riding etc etc, yet people get so worked up about RLJ-ing! Peds need to remember it's not RLJ-ing cyclists that kill them, it's motorists - thousands die in accidents with cars every year.

That's true but that makes the fact that I get THAT BLOODY QUESTION so often even more annoying. And when I deny I do it - I get that sceptical look - oh right, course you don't

Lucky old you anyone who has more intelligent and rational colleagues - i work with a load of pro-car morons who will use any excuse to belittle the cyclist.

And it has undermioned me in arguments with offending motorists so often - I suspect some of the direct attacks I've had against me by motorists have been due to their perception of us as constantly breaking the rules.

Anyway - I don't give a shoot about RLJers really - just sick of the geenral pervading attitiude of non-cyclists in London.

You work for TfL don't you? That must say something - that your colleagues are "pro car morons".... No wonder public transport in this country is so sh*t.

If a motorist directly attacks me about RLJ-ing, I'll just remind them that "all" motorists speed and speed kills. "All" motorists constantly break the rules.

Porgy

Headhuunter wrote:

You work for TfL don't you? That must say something - that your colleagues are "pro car morons".... No wonder public transport in this country is so sh*t.

If a motorist directly attacks me about RLJ-ing, I'll just remind them that "all" motorists speed and speed kills. "All" motorists constantly break the rules.

I don;t work directly for TfL who have a more enlightened attitude by and large - I do have something to do with TfL as our environmnental policies are cascaded down from them.

I work directly for LU - maintenance - just like any large maintenence organisation really - a mixture of skilled and semi-skilled / manual workers mostly - quite working class - and they DO like their cars. Only a few cyclists amongst them - and they tend to keep a low profile - or are just not as into it as I am - with a couple of exceptions.

NWLondoner

In my experience when i mention that i am a cyclist (thankfully not a commuter) the first thing people always moan to me about is RLJ :x

When I say that I do not RLJ they say well you must be the only one who doesn't.

Like it or not RLJ does p*ss other drivers off and (hopefully i'm wrong) but could/does lead to them seeing red next time an innocent cyclist filters up along side them.

IMO it's the thin edge of the wedge to say that it is safer, because where does it stop?

Red means STOP regardless of your mode of transport.

I am fed up of waiting at red lights and some moron is so intent on getting through the red light that they barge past me and other motorists, only for me to blast past them 50 meters further up.

roger_merriman

can't say i'm that worried by RLJ normally i'll assume they are a idiot mind you, and normally i find that i pass them very soon after so begs the question why.

a lot about traffic can get up ones nose if you let it, it's unwise to do so.