Is red light walking OK?

[Terminator]

I've always dreamed of owning a remote control to change the lights as I approach.Wouldn't that be good?

 

[HLaB]

I've no idea how effective they are, but I like the idea of the cycle lanes that have flashing bollards beside them and if you match their speed, the lights are green when you get to a junction.

 

[Kirst]

I often do this at a junction on my way home. It's a crossroads with traffic lights and I wait to turn right. It's often difficult because of traffic coming from opposite, and if you don't get through, you then have to wait for all the green men to go, and the north/south traffic to go. So I jump off, walk across, get back on the bike and am on my way again long before my lane has started to move.

 

[John the Monkey]

I've no idea how effective they are, but I like the idea of the cycle lanes that have flashing bollards beside them and if you match their speed, the lights are green when you get to a junction.

From the article "Cyclists riding at a speed of 9 to 11 miles..."

Nice for pootling, but even I can sustain a higher average than that :/

 

[Maz]

I did a lot of 'Red Light' walking in Amsterdam.
It's perfectly OK.

 

[4F]

I did a lot of 'Red Light' walking in Amsterdam.
It's perfectly OK.

Maz were you wearing your "polite" jacket at the time ?

 

[Maz]

Maz were you wearing your "polite" jacket at the time ?

Indeed. And a condom for added safety.

 

[4F]

Did you RLJ ?

 

[Maz]

Did you RLJ ?

Yes, and I said thank you afterwards. It seemed the polite thing to do.

 

[Danny]

Yeah there's always an excuse. My boss and his wife both work and have 2 small kids, yet he's rarely late, in fact I cannot remember him being late, tardiness is something of an anathema to him...

Should you ever have a family I look forward to reading your blog describing how you maintain a perfectly ordered and timetabled routine.

I might add that the reason I sometimes walk my bike across a junction is to avoid arriving late and upsetting people who are totally obsessed by punctuality...a few of whom seem to have surfaced on this tread.

 

[Terminator]

I drive trains for a living.I haven't been late since the day diana died in 1997.

I have never had to walk my bike across a junction or RLJ to get me there on time.

 

[User482]

Its exactly how I thought it was then

I think you either have to press the button and stop the traffic to turn left, or run the red light. I'd do the former.

I'm confused - I want to turn right, not left.

 

[magnatom]

Err, no.

In fact, I have no idea on what basis you make this comment at all.

You seem to be talking about something completely different and criticising something that you have invented for me to think. This is a perfect demonstration of the 'straw man' argument, and unworthy of someone as intelligent as you.

I was talking about the subject at hand. Let's keep it that way, eh?

(And some other time, if you'd like to have a chat about the decline in social responsibility, we can compare notes...)

Blimey, you took a while to get back to me, I completely forgot about this comment! (Busy at work and home so I had moved on....)

You said this 'I'd always err on the side of not adding to the stock of self-righteous indignation'.

That to me suggested two things, first you think some of what I do (and I mean that in general terms, I understand that you are not personalising any criticism) is self-righteous. I, and I am sure others like me are not trying to look down our noses at anyone. Far from it I want to enter into discussion, discuss how others could improve their cycling/driving/behaviour and how I could do the same. I personally have always stated that I make mistakes have improved from what I used to do (in the beginning I pavement cycled! ). So I feel I am talking to equals or maybe even superiors (I'm not talking about you here Dom!)

Your comment also suggests that you would rather not say anything, or hold back your feelings when you see a minor wrong (cycling in this instance). There are times when I agree with that, however, there are also times when I think it might help and I do say something (just this morning I mentioned to a lady cyclist that she was right in the door zone, she thanked me). I just think keeping quiet about small matters is the thin end of the wedge.

Nothing personal of course as I am sure your a top bloke and I am sure you'd be an interesting beer drinking partner! I am also sure that you wouldn't turn a blind eye when it mattered.

As for me being intelligent...... well, maybe some might think so and I know others would disagree. However, by asserting that you are assuming that you are intelligent enough to determine my level of intelligence. Your not self righteous are you.....

 

[Cab]

I'm confused - I want to turn right, not left.

And I always get right and left confused when writing

Thats what I'd do for turning right too. I think its probably the correct thing to do.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Your comment also suggests that you would rather not say anything, or hold back your feelings when you see a minor wrong (cycling in this instance). There are times when I agree with that, however, there are also times when I think it might help and I do say something (just this morning I mentioned to a lady cyclist that she was right in the door zone, she thanked me). I just think keeping quiet about small matters is the thin end of the wedge.

All I was saying was that I try not to do unecessary small things that I know are going to piss people off. I'd never back down from something serious, and if I think it's helpful or useful, I will pretty much always intervene. I will also generally intervene even if it's dangerous to me, if the situation is serious enough. It's just a matter of judgement. I used to think every situation was important enough, and everything situation in which I was correct was worth holding my ground. This wasn't good for my physical or mental health , nor I think was it good socially. That was really it.