Red lights and other traffic stuff.

anton1r

alfablue wrote:

anton1r wrote:

Newfish wrote:

....
The other day I was shouted at for jumping a red light. Now I am fully aware that we should adhere to the rules of the road, however as a cyclist we can usually sit further forward than cars at lights and see when they are going to change before car drivers, so I personally don't see any problem with jumping the light if it is going to change anyhow and being out of the way for when the cars move off.

It's wrong but I go on amber too, never had any abuse for it but I reckon drivers are just happy to have you out the way. Though it does depends how early you jump.

Incredibly stupid! Have you ever considered that drivers / cyclists at the other set of lights may be taking similar risks by failing to stop on amber (or red)? At some point you will collide with a similarly stupid road user :?

Where I live its not even safe to go on green because of RLJers, both two and four wheeled!!!! :evil:

Hmm... maybe i'll start writing my will now. :roll:

alfablue

Yes, you should.

anton1r

Glad we agree on that. Now where was this thread going before that little interlude...

Ahh yes using common sense...

alfablue

anton1r wrote:

Ahh yes using common sense...

Common sense, fantastic:
1) People who run red lights or amber lights risk injuring themselves or others (they may then call these events "accidents" :roll: ). 4% of pedestrian injuries are caused by cyclists jumping red lights (CTC).
2) Red light jumping fosters a "them and us" mentality (AA), and is frequently cited by drivers as their overriding perception of cyclists.
Common sense conclusion, RLJ'ing is dangerous and gives motorists a reason to disrespect cyclists.

Of course, you will be so skilled that you will never make a mistake that will lead to collision (I have met people such as this in the A&E dept), and of course you may not give a t*ss about what motorists think of cyclists (the many of us who get abute and hostile driving around us because we are tarred with the RLJer brush reserve the right to think otherwise).

Common sense . . . yeah.

Gazlar

One of my big beefs with other cyclists is the really right squeeze down the nearside of traffic to get to that front at lights, fine if there's plenty if room but when your constantly clipping the kerb, just wait in the traffic or get of and push on the pavement. This also goes for undertaking on tight main roads as many are here in Cardiff because of parking provision (city road my main target)mthe road widens and narrows and many times I've had cyclists try to undertake at a point it narrows and there is just nowhere to the right to move over to when the roads are busy.

With regards to lights I always stop, if they are taking ages to change because of a timer or sensor then I hop off and push as a pedestrian crossing the road would cross. Especially as I trend to commute at 4 in the morning or least thing at night.

supersonic

I never undertake, very easy to get stuck. At junctions cyclists should place themselves in the middle of the road and make themselves seen.

Gazlar

supersonic wrote:

I never undertake, very easy to get stuck. At junctions cyclists should place themselves in the middle of the road and make themselves seen.

Exactly this. If the highway code states that its not safe for a car to undertake another one then you really are taking a helluva chance on a bike. I think for the moderate majority we have the foresight of being in both driver and rider categories. I know I've had as many near misses with bad cyclists in my car as I've had on my bike with bad drivers.

alfablue

I agree, but in a way, cycle lanes and ASL's encourage undertaking. I often spurn them and wait in primary behind a car. Maybe this is why semi-segregated cycle infrastructure is the worst of the three options (full integration, or total segregation).

njee20

Mmmm, that's certainly a huge problem with all cycle lanes. I use Cycle Superhighway 7 whenever I ride into London, and whilst I actually think it's very good having to ride up the left of 7 miles of stationary traffic leaves plenty of opportunities for folk to nip into side roads without seeing you. The volume of cyclists helps, as does a dose of common sense, but even so, not ideal.

That said, not sure I'd want a cycle path in the middle of the road!