Jumping Red Lights

[GrumpyGregry]

I think the law could be varied for cyclists but until it is....

 

[John the Monkey]

There is a set of lights on a road I use which do not change for me. At 6:00am when there's no traffic and I can see there is no danger I will jump them.

Funnily enough, there's one like that on my commute. A chap on an aluminium hybrid swears it "doesn't change for bikes" although my Surly LHT triggers the light change with no bother. I always figured it was something to do with steel vs alu bikes, but then found that the lights can be triggered by a non-steel bike when I rode in on my SCR2 (an aluminum/crabon road bike). I've not seen the hybrid fellow to give him the good news that he probably could wait for the lights to change, rather than jumping them.

How dare you presume to apologise on my behalf.

I apologise on his behalf, from all humans.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Funnily enough, there's one like that on my commute. A chap on an aluminium hybrid swears it "doesn't change for bikes" although my Surly LHT triggers the light change with no bother. I always figured it was something to do with steel vs alu bikes, but then found that the lights can be triggered by a non-steel bike when I rode in on my SCR2 (an aluminum/crabon road bike). I've not seen the hybrid fellow to give him the good news that he probably could wait for the lights to change, rather than jumping them.

Most likely he approaches them too slowly. Go too slow and the detectors may detect you but the software won't change the lights.

 

[Drago]

The problem with RLJing is one's own self determination as to whether it is safe to do so. This largely relies on other road users behaving in a law abiding and predictable manner in order to make a safe judgement. Other road users are often not predictable, and to expect them to be law abiding when you aren't is both dangerous and hypocritical.

Right or wrong, cyclists as a group of road users are under a disproportionately intense level of scrutiny and we should avoid anything that portrays us on a negative light which could be used in the future to justify action against us, such as infrastructure changes, New legislation etc.

And then there's the practical reality. If a red light is making you late then perhaps a bicycle is the wrong mode of transport for you, or you should've left 5 minutes earlier.

 

[Dan B]

The problem with RLJing is one's own self determination as to whether it is safe to do so.

This patently can't be the actual problem because (1) the presence of a green light doesn't excuse you from the requirement to determine whether it's safe anyway, and (2) the same requirement also exists at Stop lines, Give Way lines, when overtaking parked cars, when turning right onto a minor road, when negotiating roundabouts ... in fact during pretty much every minute of a road journey other than the occasions when you come under the ambit of a junction with traffic light signals.

 

[Dan B]

[ I posted this as an edit but got "like"d for the original while typing it, so I've restored the original and wrote this separately ]

Right or wrong, cyclists as a group of road users are under a disproportionately intense level of scrutiny and we should avoid anything that portrays us on a negative light which could be used in the future to justify action against us

Not this one again ...

Anything that portrays us in a negative light such as riding two abreast, filtering, wearing lycra, not wearing lycra, wearing hi-viz, not wearing hi-viz, not paying road tax, riding in the New Forest, riding too fast, riding too slow, being on the road when there's a perfectly good cycle lane, being on the road when there's a perfectly good pavement, being on the pavement (shared-use or otherwise), using the cycle lane to get to the front of queues, riding a bike in public while fat, riding a bike in public while fit, being smug, eating lentils, something about helmets ...

 

[blazed]

The argument about not doing anything which may paint 'us' in a bad light is silly. Personally I don't class myself as a cyclist, I am someone that cycles. I don't define myself by each little thing I enjoy doing or hobby, just like I don't call myself a 'foodie' because I enjoy cooking/eating. Therefore I guess many people like me are not worried about some strangers being painted in a bad light because they happen to share the same mode of transport as us.

Show us a picture of the small country junction that YOU cited, unbidden by me, in YOUR post... put up or shut up?

I said small junctions and pedestrian crossings but the internet is not full of pictures of little village junctions. You was unable to point out what would be dangerous about jumping the light in the picture I did show you, and you would be unable if I had a picture of one of the junctions I am talking about also.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I said small junctions and pedestrian crossings but the internet is not full of pictures of little village junctions. You was unable to point out what would be dangerous about jumping the light in the picture I did show you, and you would be unable if I had a picture of one of the junctions I am talking about also.

OK, from what I can see from the picture it's a pedestrian crossing, so the light will be red because someone has pressed the button and probably wants to cross the road. The right hand side of the crossing is obscured by scaffolding so it would be easier for someone about to cross to be hidden and the left hand side (if actually on the correct side of the road) is obscured by a solid wall and hedge so someone hurrying to catch the green man could easily appear at the last minute. So if you are almost on top of it at the time, there will be a person near the button, if you are a distance away you might just as well ease off as you'd need to slow to be safe anyway.

Want to randomly pick another one you'd be happy to blast through?

 

[Markymark]

... the left hand side (if actually on the correct side of the road) is obscured by a solid wall and hedge so someone hurrying to catch the green man could easily appear at the last minute.

this

 

[blazed]

OK, from what I can see from the picture it's a pedestrian crossing, so the light will be red because someone has pressed the button and probably wants to cross the road. The right hand side of the crossing is obscured by scaffolding so it would be easier for someone about to cross to be hidden and the left hand side (if actually on the correct side of the road) is obscured by a solid wall and hedge so someone hurrying to catch the green man could easily appear at the last minute. So if you are almost on top of it at the time, there will be a person near the button, if you are a distance away you might just as well ease off as you'd need to slow to be safe anyway.

Want to randomly pick another one you'd be happy to blast through?

The picture is not random it is from Ampthill a place I often pass through. Your points don't really work and unless you have awful control of your bike nothing you have said could be dangerous. Even if travelling at 30mph on a bike the distance between the wall and the lights would still give you plenty of time to make sure nothing was going to go wrong. At a more realistic speed there is absolutely no worry. A tiny fraction of red light jumps end in an accident, there are thousands of more dangerous things happening on roads by cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. It's frankly a boring topic I'll continue jumping the lights I feel it is safe to do so, others can continue waiting. Simple.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I said small junctions and pedestrian crossings but the internet is not full of pictures of little village junctions.

Actually you didn't. What you said was...

No it's not impossible. If you are at a small country junction or pedestrian crossing and there is nobody in sight, it is not dangerous to jump the light. That is a fact.

put up, via Google Street View, or shut up.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'll continue jumping the lights I feel it is safe to do so, others can continue waiting. Simple.

And thus you will continue to be a RLJ'ing law-breaking nobber.

 

[User6179]

[QUOTE 3315970, member: 45"]What do you say to old Mrs Jones, who can't get to the post office any more because she's seen some idiot ignoring crossing lights and is too scared to use the crossing?[/QUOTE]

If its a small village the chances are they wont have a Post Office anymore

 

[Markymark]

[QUOTE 3315970, member: 45"]What do you say to old Mrs Jones, who can't get to the post office any more because she's seen some idiot ignoring crossing lights and is too scared to use the crossing?[/QUOTE]
Or more relevant to me when teaching my young daughter to cross the road. When the man turns green, wait for the cars to stop. Cross the road if you think it is safe but watch out for cyclists who like to go through red lights, may not see you as you're small and think anything they do on a bike is fine as they're not as dangerous as cars.

I dislike cyclists who go through red lights.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Simple.

Mmm hmm, nail on the head for all sorts of different reasons I believe...