More RLJ tales

[biking_fox]

Quite amused. RLJ obviously knew he shouldn't.

As I approached towards the red light guy infront realised the light was red, and didn't want to jump it. Instead he carefully cycled onto the pavement across the parallel pedestrian crossing (against the red man as well!) and then back onto the road and continued on his way.

I'm just not sure about what logic he was using? pedestrians can jay walk so I'm ok cycling? If I break more laws it will be better? Cars won't run me down on the crossing rather than the road?

The next red light had no pedestrian crossing so he was waiting there when I caught him up?

 

[Arch]

Nice use of 'logic'. Especially funny if he was patiently waiting where there wasn't a crossing.

If he was in that much of a hurry, he could have dismounted, pushed his bike across legally (the red man being only advisory to pedestrians) and remounted and stayed quite legal, instead of pretending, and breaking more laws in the process.

 

[fossyant]

I see it all the time - they'll come up to lights, then hop onto the pavement and traffic islands and continue to cross.

You have to laugh when you pass them, they jump the lights, 100 yards further, you pass again, they jump next set, and so on, and so on, and so on...

 

[Maz]

I think I'm going soft. I think pavement cycling when done considerately (although I don't do any pavement cycling) aint such a big deal in the scheme of things. Yes, it's illegal, but it's too anal to complain about. There. I've said it.

 

[Tynan]

erm yes

quick riders jump reds as well, you'd don;t always catch the again

rode a bit hard today to keep up with a rather lean type all in black on a fixie, he jumped reds and lost me on the first two and finally for good on the third

 

[John the Monkey]

As I approached towards the red light guy infront realised the light was red, and didn't want to jump it. Instead he carefully cycled onto the pavement

Saw this done myself yesterday, as I was going through Sandbach. Quite why people are so blasted impatient these days (whether in cars or on bikes) I don't know.

 

[BentMikey]

I think I'm going soft. I think pavement cycling when done considerately (although I don't do any pavement cycling) aint such a big deal in the scheme of things. Yes, it's illegal, but it's too anal to complain about. There. I've said it.

I'm with you on that Maz. Problem is here some people can't seem to do anything sensibly, and need to take everything to extremes.

 

[Maz]

Good. I'm glad I'm not the only one, BM.

 

[Arch]

I think I'm going soft. I think pavement cycling when done considerately (although I don't do any pavement cycling) aint such a big deal in the scheme of things. Yes, it's illegal, but it's too anal to complain about. There. I've said it.

Yes, true, if everyone was considerate and careful, it's wouldn't be such an issue, but while some aren't, unfortunately, the rest of us have to obey the law laid down to cope with them...

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Well I still maintain that RLJing needn't be dangerous. It's not the case that if you go through any single red you will be in danger. But I do nowadays accept that it's discourteous and inflammatory behaviour, sometimes.

I think of pavement riding in the same way.

In the OP the bloke sounds like he's caused no real danger, although he did break the law and he was discourteous to others waiting at the lights and those peds who had a right to expect no-one to cycle near them at that point in time.

Obviously both are illegal mind you, FWIW.

 

[magnatom]

I don't like pavement cyclists. I think that is fairly well known.

The problem is that a pavement cyclist is probably not a safe cyclist. If they understood cycling safety, they would not cycle on the pavement. Cycling across junctions etc is more dangerous than cycling on the road. I have recently been quoted that in Glasgow, approximately 15% of cycle accidents involved a cyclist coming off a pavement onto a road (I don't have the exact figure but I will try and get a hold of it from the appropriate source). That is quite a high figure for that one type of accident.

So cycling on the pavement, indicates some ignorance of the techniques of cycling safely. If anyone was to cycle on the pavement, I personally would prefer it to be the experienced, safe cyclists who would do it. They don't. So I think pavement cycling should be banned and the ban enforced.

 

[magnatom]

Sorry, I should have added that this was in reply specifically to Tete as he mentioned pavement cyclists.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Good God Magna, no RLJing, no pavement cycling - how's a bloke meant to get anywhere these days?!

 

[magnatom]

Good God Magna, no RLJing, no pavement cycling - how's a bloke meant to get anywhere these days?!

I'm sure we could re-write an old Adam Ant song along these lines...

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I'm the dandy pavement man, I ride there it's been said,
I love to break the law and jump through traffic lights at red.
I have no lights upon my bike and day glo is too dull
My brakes are f**ked and I never wear a helmet on my skull.

Stand in amazement, I'm about to end my life (do do do do HUP).