My deliberate RLJ - opinions.

[jonny jeez]

I used to RLJ all the time. I believe it safe and prudent to do so. Furthermore i have proved (by FOI requests) that police action (particularly by the CoLP) against RLJ is unfair, disproportionate and quite frankly ludicrous.

However, i dont now simply because some people on here have convinced me that my doing so may result in them being placed in danger by making motorists think less of cyclists. They may be right or wrong, but as theyre nice people i dont want to risk it.

Longers said to me on a ride the other week, 'you want to be treated like traffic, you have to act like traffic' and it seemed a sensible take. So somewhat reluctantly, i dont RLJ.

ditto, I am a convert too, but I have actually experienced better behaviour from other road sharers as a result, so I'm possibly not quite as reluctant as you

 

[4F]

In the instance you have described and within the layout you have given then I probably would and voted yes in the poll however as a rule of thumb I don't tend to.

 

[wafflycat]

Quite frankly, I don't believe a word of it.
I'm truly not trying to sound like a paragon of virtue (because I'm not), but I've commuted by bike for 7 months now, and remain convinced that I'm the only cyclist in North London who religiously obeys red lights at all times. (Hats off to the little lady in her 60s on an MTB who told me to get out of her way at the temporary lights at the junction of Prince Albert and Avenue Roads three days ago, while they were at red.)
I think 7 months experience in N London represents a big enough sample to cover the rest of the country?

Then you'd be mistaken. N London doesn't respresent anything other than N London.

 

[on the road]

When you jump red lights, you put me at risk.

Don't be daft

 

[CharlieB]

Then you'd be mistaken. N London doesn't respresent anything other than N London.

Mind you, I've also commuted in Norwich many times and that isn't any better.

 

[BentMikey]

This forum is also self-selecting for better educated and more experienced cyclists, so doesn't reflect the average cyclist so well.

 

[Landslide]

I'd just take primary along there. As you say, it's only a short stretch.

As an alternative, I've recently been using the cycle route along Shoreham St > Asline Rd > Fieldhead Rd > Stavely Rd > Saxon Rd and found it rather pleasant. Probably not one for super lightweight road tyres though.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

RLJing is never right, and is always selfish.

Careful with blanket statements like that.

I refer to an incident from my past whereby I was chased by a WVM looking to "pagger" me
I got away by RLJ'ing and then heading the wrong way down a OWS.

Selfish? If that means to avoid a battering then yes.
Wrong? I don't consider it wrong in that circumstance.

Perhaps I am nit-picking but it makes the point that one can't use the word "ALWAYS" in that way. There is often an exception.. Unless you genuinely believed that a 14yo kid (as I was at the time) should have stood and taken a thumping from a thug who had already driven a van into him as it would be "wrong" to RLJ

 

[slowmotion]

I don't RLJ for the reasons that others have stated....it upsets motorists and is likely to make them treat cyclists less courteously. It really is that simple to me.

 

[wafflycat]

Mind you, I've also commuted in Norwich many times and that isn't any better.

The vast amount of RLJing I see in Norwich is by motors..

 

[Dan B]

The vast amount of RLJing I see in Norwich is by motors..

Does it make motorists treat them less courteously?

 

[BentMikey]

Point taken, Sheffield Tiger. Can I weasel by saying I don't think that counts as RLJing?

 

[wafflycat]

Does it make motorists treat them less courteously?

It certainly has MrWC venting spleen on what he thinks of motons who RLJ...

 

[hackbike 666]

This forum is also self-selecting for better educated and more experienced cyclists, so doesn't reflect the average cyclist so well.

Get your head out of your bottom for once.

 

[HJ]

RLJing is never right, and is always selfish.

+1

Grow up, you have no greater right to the road than anyone else, if you don't know how to ride in traffic, get a bus pass!