London cyclists! Red light running survey

ImperialCollegeMSc

Hi all,

I am currently writing a research paper into red light running among cyclists in London. Part of this paper involves a survey, which investigates the extent of red light running and the reasons why cyclists run red lights.

As a keen cyclist myself, I want to provide an objective view of the subject with the ultimate aim of supporting measures to improve cyclist safety.

Please could you spare 2 minutes and complete this (very brief!) survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NQQMZ6V

Please note that the survey is only for people who cycle in London, and are over 18 years of age.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Alex

surrey_commuter

Done - could I suggest you clarify by what you mean by rarely/sometimes/ etc as you could easily clarify.

I am sure you will get a good response but would it be possible for you to share the results with this forum?

rower63

Surrey Commuter wrote:

... would it be possible for you to share the results with this forum?

+1

presumably you're also going to conduct a field survey and compare the results of actual vs self-confessed?

rubertoe

I think you will get a pretty one sided view from the members of this forum. your probably better of picking a junction and sitting and counting how many do and how many dont.

Done

dhope

Done, and added a few explanations

I took 'always' cycling as commuting by bike 4 times a week with some after work and weekend rides.
And I've confessed to being an occasional RLJer, claiming safety as my reasons (and some element of laziness)

Paulie W

rubertoe wrote:

I think you will get a pretty one sided view from the members of this forum. your probably better of picking a junction and sitting and counting how many do and how many dont.

Depends what you're trying to achieve. A study of RLJing at one junction isnt going to tell you much. A survey of cyclists may misrepresent the extent of RLJing - although there is plenty of research out there about how to allow for underestimation, misrepresentation in surveys - but at least it will give you richer data to analyse.

Kieran_Burns

dhope wrote:

Done, and added a few explanations

I took 'always' cycling as commuting by bike 4 times a week with some after work and weekend rides.
And I've confessed to being an occasional RLJer, claiming safety as my reasons (and some element of laziness)

dhope

rubertoe wrote:

I think you will get a pretty one sided view from the members of this forum. your probably better of picking a junction and sitting and counting how many do and how many dont.

Depends on the reasons people give, and if people are being honest.
I assume the aim isn't just to say 'some cyclists RLJ'. Unless you observed a series of busy junctions, with a combination of ASL/not, left turn, number of lanes, roundabouts, mob mentality etc, then you'd not get much that was useful. Actually seeing what influence the road layout and traffic density has on the number of RLJers would be interesting, but just knowing that some people do and some don't is nothing new.

dhope

Kieran_Burns wrote:

dhope wrote:

Done, and added a few explanations

I took 'always' cycling as commuting by bike 4 times a week with some after work and weekend rides.
And I've confessed to being an occasional RLJer, claiming safety as my reasons (and some element of laziness)

Shit, I meant occasional red light anticipator

rubertoe

Maybe its just me, I dont. ever.

I have been known to stop at a red light, late at night in the burbs when no one is about at all, except me. But, I can see the reasons why the question shave been asked.

kurako

I am interested in why drivers run red lights. Is is laziness/safety? I pulled over on WB this morning to let an ambulance past then stopped cos the lights were changing only to be passed by an RLJing WVM whose buddy shouted something completely unintelligible out of the nearside window. Perhaps there is a WVMradar you can ask what they were on about. That's assuming they can read and type with their podgy fingers ;-p

I did jump the Queens Rd lights opposite the Wimbledon cop shop this morning but that's only because the road layout is completely stupid. I especially enjoy it when the council CCTV car is sitting there trying to catch cars using the bus lane for a cheeky cut-through.

rjsterry

Done. You might also want to extend your research to zebra crossings - there is a fair bit of abuse of those from all forms of transport.

dhope

rubertoe wrote:

Maybe its just me, I dont. ever.

I have been known to stop at a red light, late at night in the burbs when no one is about at all, except me. But, I can see the reasons why the question shave been asked.

What do you count as a RLJ though.

What I've counted as RLJing (and admitting to doing on occasion)

Laziness - sneaking through when you're doing 20mph and think it's likely that you'll miss the change by a second.

If I've stopped at a pedestrian crossing for example, still clipped in. There's nobody on the crossing and the green man has started flashing, but there's a lag on the lights between the green man and the amber light. I'll begin to set off slowly and soft pedal through sometimes, because I'm lousy at trackstanding and I know if I unclip and put my foot down I'll immediately have to set off again and it'll end up being less convenient for me and the people behind. In reality I'm probably more bothered about it being inconvenient for me.

If it's a busy junction and there's 10 yards space ahead of traffic (but not interfering with other traffic) then I'll stop ahead of the line because I think it's easier for all concerned if I'm up to speed by the time a car goes past me.

All of those are RLJing technically, but I'm comfortable with each of them. The first obviously being laziness and not really excusable.

drlodge

rjsterry wrote:

Done. You might also want to extend your research to zebra crossings - there is a fair bit of abuse of those from all forms of transport.

Zebra crossings are a nightmare, cars and cyclists not bothering to slow down when they can't see if there's a pedestrain trying to cross. Worse still...car stops, pedestrian makes their way across only to be run down by some idiot cyclist barging through.

Burn them at the stake I say.

arran77

You lot do realise that this 'person' is not called Alex and is not writing a research paper into red light running among cyclists in London

You're responses have all been tracked and the authorities are on their way for you right now

rubertoe

dhope wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Maybe its just me, I dont. ever.

I have been known to stop at a red light, late at night in the burbs when no one is about at all, except me. But, I can see the reasons why the question shave been asked.

What do you count as a RLJ though.

What I've counted as RLJing (and admitting to doing on occasion)

Laziness - sneaking through when you're doing 20mph and think it's likely that you'll miss the change by a second.

If I've stopped at a pedestrian crossing for example, still clipped in. There's nobody on the crossing and the green man has started flashing, but there's a lag on the lights between the green man and the amber light. I'll begin to set off slowly and soft pedal through sometimes, because I'm lousy at trackstanding and I know if I unclip and put my foot down I'll immediately have to set off again and it'll end up being less convenient for me and the people behind. In reality I'm probably more bothered about it being inconvenient for me.

If it's a busy junction and there's 10 yards space ahead of traffic (but not interfering with other traffic) then I'll stop ahead of the line because I think it's easier for all concerned if I'm up to speed by the time a car goes past me.

All of those are RLJing technically, but I'm comfortable with each of them. The first obviously being laziness and not really excusable.

All fair points and well made.

monkimark

Has anyone ticked the 'always' box to the question 'How often do you cycle in London?' - does that mean you have to constantly be cycling in London or just that you only get about by bike and never walk?

notsoblue

rubertoe wrote:

Maybe its just me, I dont. ever.

I have been known to stop at a red light, late at night in the burbs when no one is about at all, except me. But, I can see the reasons why the question shave been asked.

drlodge

I would put RLJing broady into two camps:
"Thoughtful and considered RLJing", like dhope describes. You are conciously making a risk based decision according to the circumstances, and really not putting yourself or others in any real danger.
"Blatant RLJing" - the opposite of the above - jumping red lights, often at speed and clearly not safe to do so.

Both are illegal, but I have, on occasions, done the first. I may (once or twice some while back) RLJ'd slightly into the second but its really not a clever thing to do and I don't do it any more. Promise, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a pin in my eye.

Kieran_Burns

drlodge wrote:

I would put RLJing broady into two camps:
"Thoughtful and considered RLJing", like dhope describes. You are conciously making a risk based decision according to the circumstances, and really not putting yourself or others in any real danger.
"Blatant RLJing" - the opposite of the above - jumping red lights, often at speed and clearly not safe to do so.

Both are illegal, but I have, on occasions, done the first. I may (once or twice some while back) RLJ'd slightly into the second but its really not a clever thing to do and I don't do it any more. Promise, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a pin in my eye.

drlodge

Hey its OK, they won't catch me on my bike as I won't be stopping at any lights ;-)

elbowloh

I almost never go through reds. The only time I do is peer pressure.....when i'm on a group ride and the whole group is going through (and it's clear), then I might go with them, but not always. Sometime I'll be a double rebel and stop.

rubertoe

notsoblue wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Maybe its just me, I dont. ever.

I have been known to stop at a red light, late at night in the burbs when no one is about at all, except me. But, I can see the reasons why the question have been asked.

I'd like to thank God, and Allah and Buddah and Lady Gaga.

It means so much to me.

spasypaddy

elbowloh wrote:

I almost never go through reds. The only time I do is peer pressure.....when i'm on a group ride and the whole group is going through (and it's clear), then I might go with them, but not always. Sometime I'll be a double rebel and stop.

assuming you mean it was green when the group started to go through and then changed by the time you got there it doesnt count as a red light as the law is that you count as a single vehicle and if the front goes through on green the rest can follow suit.

Paulie W

spasypaddy wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

I almost never go through reds. The only time I do is peer pressure.....when i'm on a group ride and the whole group is going through (and it's clear), then I might go with them, but not always. Sometime I'll be a double rebel and stop.

assuming you mean it was green when the group started to go through and then changed by the time you got there it doesnt count as a red light as the law is that you count as a single vehicle and if the front goes through on green the rest can follow suit.

Can that be true!!??

elbowloh

spasypaddy wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

I almost never go through reds. The only time I do is peer pressure.....when i'm on a group ride and the whole group is going through (and it's clear), then I might go with them, but not always. Sometime I'll be a double rebel and stop.

assuming you mean it was green when the group started to go through and then changed by the time you got there it doesnt count as a red light as the law is that you count as a single vehicle and if the front goes through on green the rest can follow suit.

Errrrm, yeah that's right... :oops:

surrey_commuter

rjsterry wrote:

Done. You might also want to extend your research to zebra crossings - there is a fair bit of abuse of those from all forms of transport.

As newbie I assumed RLJ anger was a euphemism for any breach of the Highway Code but I have been admonished for "considerate RLJing" by the same people who then skim past peds on a zebra crossing. My rubicon is Lollipop ladies - to me it beggars belief when cyclists brush past them.

elbowloh

Surrey Commuter wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Done. You might also want to extend your research to zebra crossings - there is a fair bit of abuse of those from all forms of transport.

As newbie I assumed RLJ anger was a euphemism for any breach of the Highway Code but I have been admonished for "considerate RLJing" by the same people who then skim past peds on a zebra crossing. My rubicon is Lollipop ladies - to me it beggars belief when cyclists brush past them.

WTF?

That should be the death penalty.

surrey_commuter

elbowloh wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Done. You might also want to extend your research to zebra crossings - there is a fair bit of abuse of those from all forms of transport.

As newbie I assumed RLJ anger was a euphemism for any breach of the Highway Code but I have been admonished for "considerate RLJing" by the same people who then skim past peds on a zebra crossing. My rubicon is Lollipop ladies - to me it beggars belief when cyclists brush past them.

WTF?

That should be the death penalty.

CS3/Cable St absolutely anything goes (The rival RLJers nearly collide in the middle of junctions). I would love to see the Lollipop lady clobber them with her sign

HamishD

ImperialCollegeMSc wrote:

Hi all,

I am currently writing a research paper into red light running among cyclists in London. Part of this paper involves a survey, which investigates the extent of red light running and the reasons why cyclists run red lights.

As a keen cyclist myself, I want to provide an objective view of the subject with the ultimate aim of supporting measures to improve cyclist safety.

Please could you spare 2 minutes and complete this (very brief!) survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NQQMZ6V

Please note that the survey is only for people who cycle in London, and are over 18 years of age.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Alex

Done -

but please do bear in mind, and I'm sure you are, that the value, objectivity and validity of the skewed results in this survey will not be very high because of the inherent bias in respondents... this being a cycling forum and all that. Unless of course you're finding other ways to get participants in the survey other than a sub-group of the cycling populace that is the bikeradar commuting forum and its equivalents...

lancew

I said rarely to RLJ as I occasionally will run a red that I've tried to get through on orange and its just too close to stop.

I also have occasionally just not noticed a pelican crossing when I've got my head down which sounds silly but at the junction near the oval where you've got a left under a bridge with cars with you there is a crossing in about 20 meters which I did this at the other day.

Finally I have once or twice jumped a red when chasing someone down and not wanting to be left behind as I'm at full speed. Bad I know, but no-ones perfect.

I would say in 100 miles of riding I MIGHT jump one red. On top of that I don't go past the line which is still jumping as far as the law's concerned.