Please be careful if you cross at pedestrian crossings...

[the reluctant cyclist]

Last winter I got knocked off my bike by a car who jumped the red lights. On that occasion the lights had only just changed and he was dashing through at the last minute - no excuse I know.

This morning however I was crossing the hagley road on a pelican crossing - I do this every morning as I also got knocked off turning right on the same road so feel safer using the crossing.

The lights had changed to red for the traffic and the beeps were going. There are four lanes and three lanes had stopped for the lights. As I was crossing one lady driver just went straight through! Luckily I was looking left and right and saw her and managed to stop before she hit me.

I was really shocked and it is only because I am so vigilant on crossings nowadays that she didn't hit me. She didn't even looked shocked or touch the brakes or anything - she was completely oblivious!

Just a warning to be really really careful - not that any of us throw caution to the wind as a general rule (on the road!) but it's worth noting I think!

 

[ChrisKH]

Indeed. Cycle defensively and treat every other road user as having had a lobotomy if only to keep yourself safe.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Indeed. Cycle defensively and treat every other road user as having had a lobotomy if only to keep yourself safe.

in other words, cycle with the same degree of caution that motorists SHOULD employ…

 

[jmaccyd]

The number of road users (including cyclists) that seem to show scant regard for pedestrian crossings is something that I have noticed in the last few years of driving in London.

 

[mr_cellophane]

As it was a Pelican Crossing, I hope you were pushing your bike accross and not riding it.

 

[domtyler]

I too was knocked over by an elderly gentleman, about ten years ago on a pelican crossing.

Remember to keep looking and listening as you cross guys!

 

[Eat MY Dust]

I watched in amazement the other morning as a van jumped a set of red lights that had been red for at least 10 seconds. As I was shaking my head in disbelief a bus came through the same red at speed, this was probably a good 15 seconds after the change!!! WTF?

 

[summerdays]

I feel it should be me apologising to loads of motorists... somehow I just wasn't cycling very well this afternoon and made more than one mistake....

Did the lady look apologetic/embarassed or no reaction at all when she saw you?

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

As it was a Pelican Crossing, I hope you were pushing your bike accross and not riding it.

I was - although if it had been a toucan crossing or whatever you call them it still would have been a dangerous thing for a driver to do.

Walking, riding, cartwheeling or gamboling it would be nice to think that if the lights are on red that traffic would stop!

I agree with one of the earlier posters that there is more and more disregard for lights recently.

Later on on the same commute I was cycling up to a set of traffic lights that changed to red when I was still a good 15 feet away. I was in the proper position and all that and a bloke on his mountain bike cut me up overtaking me and then sped up to go through to lights on red as a woman was trying to cross!!!

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

I feel it should be me apologising to loads of motorists... somehow I just wasn't cycling very well this afternoon and made more than one mistake....

Did the lady look apologetic/embarassed or no reaction at all when she saw you?

Nah - I would put money on her not even realising that she had gone through on red!

How many of your mistakes were going to kill somebody by the way?!

 

[summerdays]

Nah - I would put money on her not even realising that she had gone through on red!

How many of your mistakes were going to kill somebody by the way?!

I think if my mistakes had injured anyone it would of been me.... but I do think I caused some motorists to have to brake/react to me when I shouldn't of done.... I was definitely in the wrong and effecting them. Perhaps I should of recognised that my level of concentration wasn't upto cycling on anything other than really minor side roads. Too hot!

But did she actually see you do you think?

 

[jmaccyd]

It is interesting the 'idea' of a mistake when driving. In a previous life as a driving instructor I would explain the consequences of a 'mistake' So I would explain to the people I was teaching that their are certain things that we do as motorists that we need to get 100% correct (overtaking, turning right and our approach and observation of pedestrain crossings) Because in these, the 'mistake' ,would have a high chance of serious consequences. There are of course lots of other actions when driving that we should take great care in but have some latitude for mistakes on our part (an easy example would be a reverse park in Tesco's - the consequences of not get your reverse parking right could just be a dent or bodywork damage) Mistakes will happen when driving but there are key things in our motoring that we must demand 100% of all road users - that certainly includes the correct observation and approach of pedestrian crossings

 

[domtyler]

If that was me I would have been very concerned about my ability to control my bike. Knowing my luck it would have left my hands and rolled into the path of the car...

...which smashed into it sending it flying down the road where it hit a group of young school children killing one and severely injuring several more.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

...still, it stopped the car which would have ploughed through them and probably killed them all!

Silver linings and all that.

 

[hackbike 6]

I watched in amazement the other morning as a van jumped a set of red lights that had been red for at least 10 seconds. As I was shaking my head in disbelief a bus came through the same red at speed, this was probably a good 15 seconds after the change!!! WTF?

I saw that at Stratford last week but I really believe all three were mistakes and not deliberate.I.E front car on the way he was driving didnt notice the red.The 2nd followed the first and the 3rd followed the 2nd.The 4th car stopped.

One of the traffic lights red aspect was not lit.