Irritation @ Traffic Lights- Not RLJs

spen666

Why do some of you ride beyond the stop line at red traffic lights and then stop in a position where you cannot see the traffic lights?
These people are then dependent on those who can see the red lights setting off before thery know it is safe to proceed.

It has the effect that those who stop ahead of the line are overtaken by those who can see the lights and are passed by vehicles going faster than if the cyclist had stopped at the stop line or behind it?

Anyone understand my question and care to explain?

prawny

I know what you mean and have been guilty of this in the past, I feel a right twonk whenever I do it, but that said I've never been totally blind to the lights colour I have had to look at reflections before :oops: or I'll roll back a bit, I don't hold peeps up (other than with my slow riding).
I don't get caught in this situation now I've been riding a bit though - a newbie error for me.

biondino

I think people have programmed themselves to believe it's so much safer in front of traffic that it's worth doing even when you can't see the lights. Of course, many of these people will just go when it's clear, opening up a Schroedinger analogy - if you don't know whether the lights are red or green, is it still RLJing?

blu3cat

Of course, many of these people will just go when it's clear, opening up a Schroedinger analogy - if you don't know whether the lights are red or green, is it still RLJing?

aaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhh Not Schroedinger again.

I have done it before myself, when filtering up to the front of a line of traffic, usually with a bus lane as the target ahead. Not proud of my mistake and yep I will admit it is annoying, and so I have corrected the error of my ways.

Dudu

blu3cat wrote:

Of course, many of these people will just go when it's clear, opening up a Schroedinger analogy - if you don't know whether the lights are red or green, is it still RLJing?

aaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhh Not Schroedinger again.

Mieeow/

Eau Rouge

I'm now trying to think of a set of traffic lights that didn't have a second set across the junction so that even if I am beyond the first set, I can still see the lights change, and so far I can't recall any... I suppose there must be some around here.

Stuey01

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Jay dubbleU

Eau Rouge wrote:

I'm now trying to think of a set of traffic lights that didn't have a second set across the junction so that even if I am beyond the first set, I can still see the lights change, and so far I can't recall any... I suppose there must be some around here.

Wot he said

pangolin

Yeah there's a couple where you can do that along Kings Road.

always_tyred

biondino wrote:

I think people have programmed themselves to believe it's so much safer in front of traffic that it's worth doing even when you can't see the lights. Of course, many of these people will just go when it's clear, opening up a Schroedinger analogy - if you don't know whether the lights are red or green, is it still RLJing?

Its more like, "if a tree falls in the forest does it still make a sound?"

Yes.

redvee

A problem I'm getting at the mo is the sun coming at the wrong angle and blinding me so that I can't see the light colour which leads to some frantic repositioning left, right, forward, back.

Dirty Gertie

spen666 wrote:

Why do some of you ride beyond the stop line at red traffic lights and then stop in a position where you cannot see the traffic lights?

If you were short legged (like me) you would'nt need to ask, but seeing as you did, here's the answer.]

Many traffic lights in my area have a left filter lane segregated from the main route by a small triangular raised section of paving that begins at the stop lines. It's very convenient for us vertically challenged types and saves us getting down off the saddle. In order to make use of it however we first need to creep over the stop line.

prj45

spen666 wrote:

Anyone understand my question and care to explain?

Oooo, yes.

I'll often say to somebody that does this (whether they are in a car, on a motorbike or pushbike) as I ride past them "If you'd've waited behind the light you've seen it go green".

Said it to a guy on a pushbike at liverpool street the other week and he got right narky.

DonDaddyD

I do this then immediately think shite or I'm glad I'm not next to that pr*ck revving his engine complaining about cyclists, playing awful music awfully loud and who cannot seem to hold the car in place via the clutch.

Then I think, no matter about the lights I'll just move off when the cars on the other side of the road move off.

Corporate Camper

I'll tell you what irritates me: people who press the buttons on pedestrian crossings even though they aren't going to cross the road, and people who let their kids do it.

Bhima

There's only 2 junctions where I do this.

However, I CAN see the other lights on green, so when they go red, I know for a fact that the lights behind me are going to go green within a few seconds.

The only reason I do it, is because there's a significant gap between the lights and the actual junction - about 30/40m.

So when the other lights go red, I can get ahead of the traffic behind and take the lane with speed.

biondino

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Ditto. To err is human, to forgive divine

Aidy

This actually annoys me far more than just jumping the light.

I mean, if you're going to move beyond the white line, you've effectively red light jumped - why not just go the whole hog and complete the manoeveur?

freehub

I do it at one set of traffic lights in Manchester near PC World, but that's because you can see the lights right across the road and it's much better than having cars slowely pulling up to the side of you.

Aidy

freehub wrote:

I do it at one set of traffic lights in Manchester near PC World, but that's because you can see the lights right across the road and it's much better than having cars slowely pulling up to the side of you.

Why aren't you in the middle of the lane?

Stuey01

freehub wrote:

I do it at one set of traffic lights in Manchester near PC World, but that's because you can see the lights right across the road and it's much better than having cars slowely pulling up to the side of you.

If you can see the lights across the road then it isn't the same thing is it?

spen666

biondino wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Ditto. To err is human, to forgive divine

and to sue is to get lots of compensation

Stuey01

spen666 wrote:

biondino wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Ditto. To err is human, to forgive divine

and to sue is to get lots of compensation

typical lawyer...

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Ditto. To err is human, to forgive divine

Me too - even just positioning yourself in front of the car that's in the ASL can put you too far forwards. I don't do it any more.

spen666

Stuey01 wrote:

spen666 wrote:

biondino wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

Ditto. To err is human, to forgive divine

and to sue is to get lots of compensation

typical lawyer...

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Aidy

Stuey01 wrote:

There are several on my route in that London, I've done by accident once or twice and have learned from it.

As with most rules of the road, I do think there are times where it's appropiate and times where it isn't.

I just see far too many doing it at inappropiate times.

freehub

biondino

You're a bit wobbly there, freehub

(and, um, I'm not sure what you're getting at?)

Headhuunter

I do this sometimes, it IS safer to be ahead of the traffic at junctions, why else would there be ASLs? However as we have discussed previously, ASLs are usually reserved for use by white van man, cab drivers, motorcyclists and anyone else who fancies dropping in. In those situations I make my way to the front of all this detritus, whether or not it is beyond the white line or ahead of the traffic lights. I have to wait for my signal to move from the traffic behind, which sometimes means I'm a little slower than usual setting off so motorists behind may be held up a little, but that's the price you pay for blocking the ASL as far as I'm concerned.

freehub

biondino wrote:

You're a bit wobbly there, freehub

(and, um, I'm not sure what you're getting at?)

Someone on the other page said why am I not in the middle lane.

prawny

Last night there was an Audi at the cross roads by me that pulled up with the white line level with the start of the back door. Does the A in ASL stand for Audi now? :P