Jumping red lights

[SW19cam]

I understand that 99% of 'rljing' is done in a perfectly safe manner, that is why very few cyclists get hurt or hurt others by doing it. But you are trying to make a reason as to why you should do it. You do not know how the vehicle behind you is going to act. You are just presuming that they might be a danger to you and that you would prefer to get out of the way. If that's the case then why don't you cycle on the pavement?



I was forced to go through the red light because a lorry behind me showed no signs of stopping. I'm not putting my self in harms where. The difference is you do not know if the vehicles behind you will run you of the road, where as i knew if i stopped, i would be flattened.

Personal judgement: I think that's absolutely key to safe cycling. Be aware of what is around you and make reasonable decisions on light of your judgements.

 

[HLaB]

Definitely. They are designed to hold pedestrians up so that the most amount of pedestrians cross at the same time and delay the road users for the least amount of time. Unfortunately what often happens is there is a gap in the traffic and the pedestrians cross and some time later the lights turn red, with no one there to cross.

There are two main problems with this, it causes unwanted delays and it puts road users above pedestrians.

I can't remember when they done it but the council retimed the ped x-ings in Edinburgh a while ago, so that if its not been pressed in the x seconds before they change almost instantly for the pedestrians; holding up vehicles instead of pedestrians mostly.

 

[gaz]

Personal judgement: I think that's absolutely key to safe cycling. Be aware of what is around you and make reasonable decisions on light of your judgements.

But why break road laws? You can keep perfectly safe without doing it.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

But why break road laws? You can keep perfectly safe without doing it.

Because those lights makes their poor legs tired.

 

[pshore]

how do you know that someone's going to rear end you?

Somebody funny please finish that joke ! This thread needs a bit of humour.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Pelican crossings really could use a redesign as they are way too inflexible. They often leave pedestrians or car drivers waiting for no good reason.

Don't they have to take into account those less fortunate who need extra time to cross? Disabled, elderly etc

 

[JonnyBlade]

I was thinking about the way in which they have a massive delay between button push and green man. I'm sure that we could quite easily build in a facility to allow enough time for whoever is using them each time but nothing excessive more along with changing to green man immediately, unless there has just been one less than x seconds ago. That sort of thing.

Fair comment

 

[rowan 46]

Don't they have to take into account those less fortunate who need extra time to cross? Disabled, elderly etc

yes they do and I'm all for it but sometimes late at night if there's nobody about I will go through an empty pelican crossing, however If there's anybody on or near I stop and they can take as long as they need to cross. I had words with some bully the other night who was honking his horn at an elderly lady crossing the road slowly. I asked him if he'd like to get out of his car to discuss it but he declined and shut up.

 

[crazy580]

Pelican crossings really could use a redesign as they are way too inflexible. They often leave pedestrians or car drivers waiting for no good reason.

This is why most new light controlled crossings are now puffin crossings.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

What annoys me (as a pedestrian) about many pedestrian crossings is how, when you push the button to cross, they remain on green for the traffic until there's a gap in the flow. Then, when it's safe to cross anyway, they turn red, stopping the now non existent traffic. I want a pedestrian crossing to actually stop the traffic for me, not merely to tell me when it's safe to cross. I can work that out for myself.

 

[Matthew_T]

Don't they have to take into account those less fortunate who need extra time to cross? Disabled, elderly etc

But what if noone like that is there? ped crossings should be like temporary traffic lights - when the lights sense repetitive flashing lights, they automatically think that it is an emergency vehicle, and change quicker, even though you are just flashing your own lights.

Ped crossings should have some sort of senser so it can tell when people have safely crossed.

 

[Twigman]

I wasn't condoning, I was actively encouraging.

You should be locked up before you kill yourself or (worse) someone else.


The number of times I have had to swerve or almost taken out a cyclist when I'm crossing on green [and they're on red] on my motorbike in London is huge. - Perhaps next time I should just ride straight into you and not bother to swerve?
If ever I hit you and I drop my fireblade , I hope you are adequately insured coz I will sue the arse off you.

Moron

 

[summerdays]

I can't remember when they done it but the council retimed the ped x-ings in Edinburgh a while ago, so that if its not been pressed in the x seconds before they change almost instantly for the pedestrians; holding up vehicles instead of pedestrians mostly.

My favourite set of traffic lights in the whole of Bristol is on Coronation Road just by the Goal Ferry Bridge - cycle across the bridge and then hit the button and the lights change within 15 seconds, even if someone did that only a minute previously. I've never had to wait long there and so all the pedestrians and cyclists using the bridge appear to have priority over the cars.

Ped crossings should have some sort of senser so it can tell when people have safely crossed.

A lot of the new ones that I hate do. If you look on top of the light pole there is a black square thing pointing at the crossing or maybe they can just tell that someone is waiting to cross. The reason that I hate them is that instead of having the red/green man on the far side of the road, it is on the light column beside you. I find it harder to watch the traffic and the light, or when my kids were younger to keep an eye on them and far easier for someone to stand obscuring the red/green man.

 

[Red Light]

You should be locked up before you kill yourself or (worse) someone else.


The number of times I have had to swerve or almost taken out a cyclist when I'm crossing on green [and they're on red] on my motorbike in London is huge.
If ever I hit you and I drop my fireblade and break my neck, I hope you are adequately insured coz I will sue the arse off you.

Moron

GREEN means you may go on if the way is clear.

Not condoning the RLJ cyclists but if you are having to take evasive action or almost hitting them all the time you might look at your own riding style.

 

[Twigman]

GREEN means you may go on if the way is clear.

Not condoning the RLJ cyclists but if you are having to take evasive action or almost hitting them all the time you might look at your own riding style.

Often it is clear on approach and then a RLJ doing 15-20 comes across from a side road......I'm approaching the lights on green @30....I have had to swerve many times to avoid cycling RLJs.


next time I'll just hit the RLJ and sue the arse off him.

Cyclists don't seem to see motorcycles at cross roads [just like half the myopic car drivers]...why they are RLJing is beyond me, it's asking for trouble.

I can't believe you are implying that if an accident was to occur between me crossing on green and an RLJ crossing on red that it would in any way be my fault!!!!!