Have you ever been stopped by the police for passing a red light?

[Greenbank]

I don't do it for many reasons:

a) you're not supposed to, it's no different from cars deciding they can do it because they know it's "safe" which we spend lots of time moaning about
it really winds up the motons
c) it compounds the negative attitude the rest of the public have of cyclists so it affects other cyclists too
d) I don't believe the "increased safety" argument at all, that's just a poor excuse
e) I don't want to end up under a bus/car/lorry that's not expecting something to come through a red light
f) I like the occasional breather. It also makes it into a kind of interval training if you blast off from the lights and then ease up.
g) I'm not anal enough to worry about my average speed that much
h) it doesn't affect my "rhythm" at all
i) it gave me great pleasure once when an RLJer asked me if he could borrow my pump. "Sorry, no, I don't lend it to people who jump red lights." The look on his face was well worth it.

 

[leoc]

I almost never RLJ, the only exception has been cycling through a dodgy bit of town really late, where I seemed to be drawing a bit of attention.

I don't think it's too bad stopping, I quite like sprinting off, and if I don't have to try and weigh up which junctions / light phases are "safe" to RLJ all the better, keeps me calmer anyway

 

[Amanda P]

I've been stopped twice by the police in london and one of the times fined £30 for passing the red light. ...

They then fined me £30 when I stopped at the next red lights.

Er, hang on...

So, they fined you £30 for passing a red light, and then when you stopped at the next red light, they fined you £30 again?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't then!

 

[yenrod]

Kari - this means: you should not be training, go anywhere, adhere to ALL rules at all times, become a zombie, depressed - be a drain on the system DLA etc.. start drinking - get into fights - make trouble give the friendly police'person' something to do :?: (you know, instead of them sitting on their fat backsides)

Yet obviously if a car hits YOU I thoink you'll come off a WHOLE LOT WORSE than the cardriver !



[cynicalb@stardsmiley]

I've been stopped twice by the police in london and one of the times fined £30 for passing the red light. It was green for the pedestrians but there we're none that's why I went through.

They then fined me £30 when I stopped at the next red lights.

The exact questions they have asked:

Approach to red lights... "Pull over"...

"Hello, how are you?"
"Where did you come from and where you going to?"
"So you just travelled here for nothing?"
"Why are you training?"
"How old are you"?
"Do you want a ticket?"
"Why did you pass the red lights?"
"Was that the only reason?"

"A lot of others do it because they are lucky. You should not pass the red lights as it's dangerous and will involve yourself in an accident one day"

 

[Nicensleazy]

I remember some years ago, a cyclist jumping a red light and getting hit by an on-coming car.......they don't look that great and bike was smashed!

 

[elvisparsley]

I was stopped once at 2am for coming to a halt 5 yards over the STOP line at an empty crossroads. The copper wound down his window and asked " Do you not like that line there?" and then asked me my name and address, the answers to which I struggled to articulate because I'd had a few pints, shamefully, and because it made me feel like a small child. He was somehow happy with my slurred explanation and I managed to ride off in a straight line

 

[yenrod]

Once I went thru a red BLATANTLY (t-junc.) which i always did but now i don't mr ossifer - anyhow, i shot thru' the red swing a left, ride on a bit, right - fly down a hill hear some noise behind but as the wind was in my ear next min. theres a police car on my right with some pretty angry police jobs looking quite angry, i by the way am going to my Dads which is about 10mins cycle away and its his birthday NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP ME FOR MY FATHER even some cockhead of a fascist (if i explained then you'd understand i had a happening when i was 16, purely not of my doing, with the pols and never forgave them). So i then realise that the pols DO NOT LIKE ME NOT STOPPING so i then proceed to get run off the road - i then QUICKLY decide that an injury by the fascist bastards isnt applicable to my happy lifestyle of cycling SO i decide to stop otherwise things could get quite nasty, for them to go against someone on a bike who can move quite quick on a bike esp. as im a pretty good handler and i know EVERYWHERE in my locality (as stupid as the above sounds i suppose i would've had the best rac eof my life though i easily would ahve lost them on the tracks/paths and really feel I could have lost them - i dont do things i never attain personally) yet know enough about the big pic. of life to realise running will only get you probs. later if i'm seen so STOP i did, well adjust myself for NOT BEING hit by them tobehonest!

...anyhow the roads blocked by car in the road and me getting 'questioned audibly' by mr good&bad copper...I say audibly as I wasn't letting the stipid upstart fascist bastards ruin my journey to my Fathers for anything and a visit for his birthday.

I thought, ok I went thru' red and I wouldnt of esp. if a car was coming - its that type of junc. that the lights are set back prior to the actual junc. so you can see to your right as its very wide...

So, to cut a story short I basically was threatened with arrest as I was being quite nasty to them and frankly couldnt give 2 shoots to the 2 shoots of pathetic example of policemen in the business ive ever knew (i was a legal clerk at this point and had seen some jerks of 'protectors of the state' in court). Eventually I got thru' to them gods knows how ever many time I explained it without actually apologising but did after about 30mins...though I did say i'll only apologise if they apologise for nearly killing me...that was another 20mins of dialogue...in some ways when I look back it all came out that night...

I can only say i wouldn't have been stupid enough to get arrested as i wanted to get to my Dads and also didn't want to arrested for another time and even that was wrongfull arrest...

Live and learn...

We are only robots of a bigger deal...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

... the answers to which I struggled to articulate because I'd had a few pints, shamefully ...

What's shameful about that?
My favourite was when I approached some traffic lights where the police had closed the road in the direction I wanted to go in. As I went to follow the diversion they'd set up, the copper guarding the junction called me over. "We've closed this for a reason, you know. You can't come down here" he said, like a big pompous arse. "No, I know that. But I presume I can go down here", I said. "Oh, er ... yes". To do him justice, he did look a bit sheepish.

 

[Randochap]

Yenners

So you risked everything to shave 30 seconds off a 10 minute journey, for your dad's birthday??

It's a long, long way to Zen

Few people believe their
Inherent mind is Buddha.
Most will not take this seriously,
And therefore are cramped.
They are wrapped up in illusions, cravings,
Resentments, and other afflictions,
All because they love the cave of ignorance.
Fenyang

 

[roadiewill]

my mum was telling me that soon people are going to jhave to get a license to ride a bike! probably to try and reduce communting injuries I guess

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Yenners

So you risked everything to shave 30 seconds off a 10 minute journey, for your dad's birthday??

Wow. You understood that post?

 

[MacB]

Wow. You understood that post?

+1, I gave up half way through

 

[Randochap]

Wow. You understood that post?

I think it was a bump on the Tao

Or a large pothole.

 

[mr Mag00]

no never done, but i am in agreement with RT on the continent thay have flashing amber after a certain time so you approach junction with caution and carry on your merry way, but here? no way!
stop because the lights are going through thier cycle rediculous!

 

[classic33]

Twice, on both occassions it was to let emergency vehicles through.
First time stopped! after stopping & pulling of the road & given a "talking to". Whilst being given this talk, the ambulance that had been heard, not seen went past. At this point I was able to say that was why I went through on red.

Second time, ambulances with police escort front & rear. Again heard them before seeing them. Stopped by a local car who had joined the road after the lights.