RLJ - hypothetical question

[Cab]

So there are circumstances where you would RLJ?

Everyone, absolutely everyone has circumstances in which they would RLJ. Such as you get to a light and its broken stuck on red, or you get to a light and the car driver behind makes it quite clear that they're not stopping, your best option is to move forward and out of the way, etc.

 

[gambatte]

You should go the whole hog...

Pedestrian traffic signal on trans-Siberian road, far far out in the wilderness. The plains are so flat that you can see for miles and miles all around. It is a balmy day today with temperatures reaching the dizzy heights of +4C so unusually there is little risk of ice on the road. The road, unusually for this region is in tip top condition with a special surface applied that reduces the risk of skidding. The traffic lights have been green for 4 months now, but as you approach the lights a pesky group of school kids, who just happen to be passing the area on a field trip, decide to press the crossing button. It is obvious that they do not want to cross because they are obviously heading to the only nearby town (50 miles away) for a can of coca cola. They are on the correct side of the road to get their coca cola. The children after pressing the cross button have now picked up some big looking rocks and a gesturing to each other about hitting the cyclist over the head with said rocks when he stops.

Question: do you run this red light or do you stop?

Hows that?

Nah, doesn't work.
You've added an element of danger to the option of complying with the letter of the law.
Instead of the parkland, put a 100m long factory wall there. Whatever option it just means theres no other peds - 100% sure.

 

[gambatte]

Everyone, absolutely everyone has circumstances in which they would RLJ. Such as you get to a light and its broken stuck on red, or you get to a light and the car driver behind makes it quite clear that they're not stopping, your best option is to move forward and out of the way, etc.

Yep just wanted to pose the question where:

1 theres no danger to stopping
2 theres no danger to proceeding
3 you know the reds not due to a fault and therefore that a green will appear.
4 you know the light being on red is unwarranted

Now knowing the lights been activated mischieviously and will be green in 30s, do you RLJ?

 

[BentMikey]

I'd stop and call out "Have a salad." I know this, because I did exactly this once in my Beemer for the same situation when some schoolgirls did this. An aggrieved "Shut up, shut up" is all I got in return, I was laughing so much. Bad karma, but it hit home beautifully!

 

[magnatom]

Yep just wanted to pose the question where:

1 theres no danger to stopping
2 theres no danger to proceeding
3 you know the reds not due to a fault and therefore that a green will appear.
4 you know the light being on red is unwarranted

Now knowing the lights been activated mischieviously and will be green in 30s, do you RLJ?

I honestly wouldn't. I'd be too curious to see what would happen, especially if as you suggest that there was obviously no danger. I would probably have a chat with the kids as well.

Anyway, personally I would be too worried that it was a set up and that there was a Sun photographer hiding somewhere with a long range lens wanting to catch me out and publish a magnatom shocker, shocker article!

 

[Tynan]

what a lot of sophistry and fancy dancing

if it's red stop, easy

I go through ambers though, if it's safe, perhaps even the odd nearly red if I'm cracking along

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Don't think it matters.

Essentially a question of "are there any circumstances where you might RLJ?"

I reckon I might, therefore I'll be in the 3rd option.

Magnatom - it happens on a saturday, the kids don't have uniforms* - big grin looks a bit out of place now?

*Apart from the hoodies with 'Strathy Cruise' on the front!!

You don't think it matters whether there are other cars or peds about?

Think of it like farting. You wouldn't when others are around (presumably!) in case it might cause offence, even though there's minimal danger to you in doing so. When no-one else is about to judge your guff, then blast away.

Dom for example regularly trumps in peoples' faces (metaphorically).

ps OF COURSE it matters whether there's other traffic about - how else can you judge risk?

 

[Tetedelacourse]

pps as Cab says, for your question to have ANY meaning, you must illustrate the situation fully, because there are circumstances when every single one of us would RLJ.

 

[gambatte]

You don't think it matters whether there are other cars or peds about?

Think of it like farting. You wouldn't when others are around (presumably!) in case it might cause offence, even though there's minimal danger to you in doing so. When no-one else is about to judge your guff, then blast away.

Dom for example regularly trumps in peoples' faces (metaphorically).

ps OF COURSE it matters whether there's other traffic about - how else can you judge risk?

OK, it doesn't matter to limit the scenario by setting it as one of the parameters.
tell you what tet, look at the scenario. Consider the possible variants, with and without peds/cars. Any of these you'd RLJ?

 

[CopperBrompton]

Here's a simpler one, from this morning's commute ...

You're on a one-way main road, with a side-road to your left. You have loads of vision down the side-road. There is one car waiting to exit the side-road. Your lights turn red and you stop. The one car pulls out and tootles off down the road. There is no other traffic, and no pedestrians within 500 metres. Do you continue sitting at the red, waiting for it to change to green, or do you now proceed through the red?

Ben

 

[magnatom]

Here's a simpler one, from this morning's commute ...

You're on a one-way main road, with a side-road to your left. You have loads of vision down the side-road. There is one car waiting to exit the side-road. Your lights turn red and you stop. The one car pulls out and tootles off down the road. There is no other traffic, and no pedestrians within 500 metres. Do you continue sitting at the red, waiting for it to change to green, or do you now proceed through the red?

Ben

I wait and have done on many occasions in similar situations. If you were a car would you jump this light? You could argue that it would be safe for a car to jump it....

 

[515mm]

All depends on the circumstances.

My first thought would be ''Are these 'kids' going to put me in danger?''

If I thought they meant me harm, I'd RLJ, damn right, if not, I'd slow down, time out the lights and proceed with caution

I can't vote on the question as it's too ambiguous. Sorry to disappoint etc

 

[tdr1nka]

I'd stop, simple and frustrating as that might be sound.

 

[MERV]

It generally is.Over the last couple of days on the ride home I have been well knackered and had to stop at virtually every set of lights going.

 

[Cab]

Now knowing the lights been activated mischieviously and will be green in 30s, do you RLJ?

I've already answered that; in the hypothetical (but in my experience unlikely almost to the point of absurdity) scenario outlined, I'd tentatively and carefully RLJ. No court in the land would have a problem with me doing so.