And some cyclists think it's safe to jump red lights....

[nickyboy]

Certainly.
I am not talking about Trafalgar Square in the rush hour here, but there are certain conditions where it is perfectly safe to excercise some common sense and pass through a red light, with due care, on a bicycle.

Take my local Tesco for example, where traffic lights were installed solely to control traffic at the T junction where their car park joins the main road. The shop is closed from 10pm to 8am, but the traffic lights are left on 24/7 going through the same light phases as the do during business hours. Crazy, and think of all that CO2 being burnt which Tesco claim to be concerned about - but that's for another day.

So, when I come to the red light on my bike at Tesco, at 2am and it is red; yet I can see for a fact that there are no vehicles, other bikes, or pedestrians anywhere near the junction, am I going to stop and wait for the lights to go through their sequence while I get cold and wet?

No, I am certainly not. I will slow down and carry out sufficient observations to make doubly sure it is clear, and I will ride through the junction. No qualms whatsoever. Would you sit there?

With regards to why I don't think other road users should have the same discretion..... Well in an ideal world I think they SHOULD be allowed to make such judgements (such as in the USA where right turning vehicles can go through red traffic lights if it is clear to do so). The problem being that drivers would abuse it and it would create a whole new problem for the courts to prove that conditions were such that it was not safe to go ahead on a red light. Far simpler to keep things as is; you go through a red light you get convicted. I will admit that on a bicycle I take full advantage of the fact that I have no registration number so I cannot be traced. Further, I have no cycling licence to lose.

There is also the fact that on a bicycle, I am much smaller, more manoeuvrable, and have much better vision of the junction than I do in a car or lorry. In the unlikely event that I have cocked up my risk assessment, it is much easier to get a bike out of the way than a 44 tonne lorry.

HTH..

Here's the problem as I see it. I agree that there are certain circumstances when it would not be dangerous for a cyclist to not stop at a red light, such as the instance you mention. But other than accepting a situation where every cyclist has discretion at every red light how would we manage this situation. We either say the rules are red = stop or red = proceed with caution if you like. So we follow your advice and go for "proceed with caution".

Fast forward.....how do you think this will change the way, for example, city commuters ride? I can only see increased collisions, increased injuries

 

[Drago]

What a dilbert. Two hundred witnesses who'll now tell their chums what arses cyclists are.

 

[Brandane]

Fast forward.....how do you think this will change the way, for example, city commuters ride? I can only see increased collisions, increased injuries

City commuters just have to obey red lights, generally! That is my point. I used the Tesco scenario just as one example, but where I live and in most of the nearby towns it seems as if the roads department have snapped up traffic lights cheap at a fire sale. They have installed them at every other junction, totally OTT and not needed in the vast majority of cases. The result being that my scenario arises with monotonous regularity, but it is a scenario that cannot be compared to someone running a red light in central London or anywhere else where they are going to come into conflict with other road users. Unfortunately the law does not allow for the differing circumstances.

 

[subaqua]

Yep, I am aware of the law. I used to enforce it. But it would have been a very sad day for any Police Officer if they had stooped so low as to book a cyclist for going through a red light. Assuming it was done with common sense and taking into consideration the traffic conditions, as outlined in my previous post.
Do you have reflectors on your pedals?

Yes, even on the SPD unless I am off road . Then they clip out and go in pocket. And as for stopping at reds even at 2am at. Local tesco as there could well be a delivery driver on the way out with a load of card back to RDC

I suppose the bus driver should have checked it was clear and safe to proceed. Oh hang in it was . Till the nobber went through the lights.

 

[nickyboy]

City commuters just have to obey red lights, generally! That is my point. I used the Tesco scenario just as one example, but where I live and in most of the nearby towns it seems as if the roads department have snapped up traffic lights cheap at a fire sale. They have installed them at every other junction, totally OTT and not needed in the vast majority of cases. The result being that my scenario arises with monotonous regularity, but it is a scenario that cannot be compared to someone running a red light in central London or anywhere else where they are going to come into conflict with other road users. Unfortunately the law does not allow for the differing circumstances.

I fail to see how you could possibly construct a situation where cyclists could use their judgement on red lights "in certain circumstances". You have to accept either adherence or judgement in all circumstances. Your issue is with the traffic planning authorities it seems.

I suppose you could say that red lights were advisory for cyclists say midnight to 6am but that's about it

 

[raleighnut]

Almost like he was aiming for the middle of the bus, Winker (miss-type )

 

[Brandane]

And as for stopping at reds even at 2am at. Local tesco as there could well be a delivery driver on the way out with a load of card back to RDC

I did say that I would slow down and establish for a fact that my way was clear. So unless your delivery driver is driving some sort of stealth vehicle then your scenario would not arise.

 

[Markymark]

Everyone should obey the lights and those tgat don't are nobbers.

However I don't expect police to enforce cyclists as when they do it's pretty harmless and tend to only risk their own safety.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Urgh, the cyclist in the video made a major error there.
I admit to jumping red lights sometimes, when commuting in the wee hours.
Generally there are only foxes about, rabbits at a push.

 

[Arrowfoot]

City commuters just have to obey red lights, generally! That is my point. I used the Tesco scenario just as one example, but where I live and in most of the nearby towns it seems as if the roads department have snapped up traffic lights cheap at a fire sale. They have installed them at every other junction, totally OTT and not needed in the vast majority of cases. The result being that my scenario arises with monotonous regularity, but it is a scenario that cannot be compared to someone running a red light in central London or anywhere else where they are going to come into conflict with other road users. Unfortunately the law does not allow for the differing circumstances.

I think I know where you are coming from. Similar to pedestrians using a crossing without pressing the lights in low traffic areas. In such cases it allows traffic to flow smoothly.

 

[Cubist]

I think I know you are coming from. Similar to pedestrians using a crossing without pressing the lights in low traffic areas. In such cases it allows traffic to flow smoothly.

Except the pedestrian crossing on a red little man is not committing any offence.

 

[Brandane]

I admit to jumping red lights sometimes, when commuting in the wee hours.

I'm calling CRIMESTOPPERS right now!

I actually find it hard to believe that any cyclist would sit at a red light in the company of fwuffy wabbits and mean old foxes in the early hours of the morning. Such freedoms are one of the great advantages of cycling IMHO.. If you want to fall in line with motorists, well, just be careful what you wish for folks!

 

[Drago]

And if we don't fall in line with motorists and obey the same laws we expect them to then public pressure will sooner or later give us a lot worse than that. A lot worse.

 

[BrynCP]

I obey them in my car, so I obey them on my bike. There is just one exception where my bike doesn't trigger the sensor, so I go slowly through that one. It's in a quiet country lane so there is little danger to me, else I'd just walk around.

 

[nickyboy]

I obey them in my car, so I obey them on my bike. There is just one exception where my bike doesn't trigger the sensor, so I go slowly through that one. It's in a quiet country lane so there is little danger to me, else I'd just walk around.

Just one circumstance for me. Occasionally I come across temp lights up a steep hill where there is plenty of room to cycle up the side of the road that's coned off. I'll cycle up the coned off bit so that I don't hold up traffic behind me when the light turns green