Red Light Jumping

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martint235

Dog on a bike
Location
Welling
Yes you have.

I have a problem with it.

Ok. @Dan, I've now met someone who has a problem with it. If they were rollerskating in the road, I would expect them to stop at a red light as they are technically a road user. However I can't find any specific mention in either the HC or the RTA.

If it is legal and you have a problem with it, then in the same way as cyclists having a problem with having to stop at red lights, you'll need to petition for a change in the law.
 
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apollo179

apollo179

Well-Known Member
Is it ever safe?
In another thread a poster is suggesting he is unaware of the presence of motorcycles on the road until they have overtaken him.
Perhaps in view of that RLJing can never be deemed to be safe as there may well be an invisible, inaudible motorcycle approaching (at mach3 - as suggested by another sensationalist poster in the same thead).

:rolleyes:

In general terms i think it is possible that it can be safe in certain circumstances.
In specific circumstances it can prove to be safe by the safe outcome or prove to be unsafe by harm incurred.
CopperCyclist: 31 August 2011 - 15:35:37
Yes, you're correct I do agree it can be done safely.

Coppercyclists adds that the reality is that most of the time it is unsafe and most of the time that it is done it is done in unsafe circumstances thereby unsafely.
This is common sense and agreed.
However the answer to your question is ; yes it is possible that it can be safe.
 

Twigman

New Member
yes it is possible that it can be safe.

I am not disputing that it may be safe at times. I am questioning people's judgement to determine whether it is safe or not. The poster who claims not to notice motorcycles until they've overtaken him is obviously incapable of determining whether the junction is safe to cross as he is unable to spot approaching traffic. One may believe the junction is safe but it might not be. Perhaps then leaving the decision as to whether the junction is safe to the traffic control system is the safest bet?
 

Raa

Active Member
Sorry but when someone says that the main dross is people playing fast and loose with facts, I don't think it's inappropriate or pedantry to point out when they haven't actually checked their own

It is pretty pedantic to dispute that traffic lights were introduced in response to congestion, then go on to say that in fact they were introduced to control 'competing flows of traffic'.....
 
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apollo179

apollo179

Well-Known Member
I am not disputing that it may be safe at times. I am questioning people's judgement to determine whether it is safe or not. The poster who claims not to notice motorcycles until they've overtaken him is obviously incapable of determining whether the junction is safe to cross as he is unable to spot approaching traffic. One may believe the junction is safe but it might not be. Perhaps then leaving the decision as to whether the junction is safe to the traffic control system is the safest bet?

That is a fair point.
The poster who claims not to notice motorcycles until they've overtaken him is obviously incapable of determining whether the junction is safe to cross as he is unable to spot approaching traffic.
If thats any junction then that begs the question should he be on the road in the first place.
If you cater to this individual then you would have to instal lights at every junction.
 

martint235

Dog on a bike
Location
Welling
It is pretty pedantic to dispute that traffic lights were introduced in response to congestion, then go on to say that in fact they were introduced to control 'competing flows of traffic'.....

But you were the one who said part of the dross was people playing fast and loose with facts only to then do it yourself
wave.gif
 

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
I am not disputing that it may be safe at times. I am questioning people's judgement to determine whether it is safe or not. The poster who claims not to notice motorcycles until they've overtaken him is obviously incapable of determining whether the junction is safe to cross as he is unable to spot approaching traffic. One may believe the junction is safe but it might not be. Perhaps then leaving the decision as to whether the junction is safe to the traffic control system is the safest bet?

Assuming you are referring to this thread: https://www.cyclechat.net/ then you are being bang out of order.

That guy has taken no issue with you personally and yet you are slagging him off on another thread because of an unpleasant incident that occurred to him, which you appear to be assuming must be his fault because apparently you have a much lower opinion of pedal cyclists than motorcyclists and the latter can never be in the wrong.

If you are enjoying the negativity this is creating then I would expect you won't last long here.

Don't bother replying, I've added you to my ignore list.
 

Raa

Active Member
Ok. @Dan, I've now met someone who has a problem with it. If they were rollerskating in the road, I would expect them to stop at a red light as they are technically a road user. However I can't find any specific mention in either the HC or the RTA.

If it is legal and you have a problem with it, then in the same way as cyclists having a problem with having to stop at red lights, you'll need to petition for a change in the law.


The said cyclists could indeed start a petition. In support of the petition they could point to the 1000's of infringements that occur every hour, along with the accident statistics which show it to be a relatively safe activity!

Actually I think changing the law would be a crap idea. The situation we have is reasonable, with the autorities realizing it is not adding significantly to the accident stats, and so not wasting resources on it.
 
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apollo179

apollo179

Well-Known Member
As does not being aware of basic road laws such as stopping at red lights!

Fair comment.
Thats leads us slightly off topic to the "should cyclists have to take compulsory highway code education" question.

I know you are apalled by the idea that anyone could be unaware that rljing is illegal for bikes but when you consider that although rlj is technically illegal it is in the main tolerated (not enforced) so is it so big a stretch to beleive that someone would not realise that it is illegal. Just a thought.
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
Fair comment.
Thats leads us slightly off topic to the "should cyclists have to take compulsory highway code education" question.

I know you are apalled by the idea that anyone could be unaware that rljing is illegal for bikes but when you consider that although rlj is technically illegal it is in the main tolerated (not enforced) so is it so big a stretch to beleive that someone would not realise that it is illegal. Just a thought.

Children are taught from a very young age red means stop. In my time leading cycle groups the only people who had no concept of "red means stop" had quite severe learning difficulties.

So no, I don't think compulsory highway code eduction is required although cycle training for school children is a great idea it is not always possible due to LA budgets.
 
The said cyclists could indeed start a petition. In support of the petition they could point to the 1000's of infringements that occur every hour, along with the accident statistics which show it to be a relatively safe activity!

Actually I think changing the law would be a crap idea. The situation we have is reasonable, with the autorities realizing it is not adding significantly to the accident stats, and so not wasting resources on it.


STFU will you.

The authorities have been hot on the tail of RLJ'ing cyclists and motorists for a long time.

It was only a few weeks ago that the police were out in force on the high street in the crappy little town of Maidstone pulling cyclists up for this very situation.

The problem was the lights and their sensativity to weight, I know this because I phoned the council and asked why the lights failed to recognise cyclists.

Their solution is a simple yet brilliant one, they rest the default setting of the lights from red to green for traffic. The police have now lost interest in the RLJ'ing problem on the high street.
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
STFU will you.

The authorities have been hot on the tail of RLJ'ing cyclists and motorists for a long time.

It was only a few weeks ago that the police were out in force on the high street in the crappy little town of Maidstone pulling cyclists up for this very situation.

The problem was the lights and their sensativity to weight, I know this because I phoned the council and asked why the lights failed to recognise cyclists.

Their solution is a simple yet brilliant one, they rest the default setting of the lights from red to green for traffic. The police have now lost interest in the RLJ'ing problem on the high street.

Lost interest or RLJing has stopped happening?
 
RLJ'ing has stopped happening, the lights are now green by default and only go red when a pedestrian pushes the button.

It was the other way around before.
 
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