RLJ in the countryside

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[QUOTE 5240072, member: 9609"]As I said earlier with any long stretch of controlled area it is very often an impossibility to get through before the opposite end turns green, so may be it is safer to start off with red when you can see nothing coming, more chance of getting to the other end when it is on red.

for example, a stretch between 200m and 250m will be set at 25secs from amber at one side to green at the other.
therefor you have to maintain an average speed between 18 and 22.5 mph to stay safe.
up hill or into the wind? not a hope in hell[/QUOTE]

On one recent set of temporary lights, uphill with a sharp bend, cyclists had no chance of getting through the lights in one go, they had to stop half way up and wait for the lights to cycle again, most though just ignored the lights and cycled up the coned off area, but some did try, cue some angry horn beeping motorists following behind and the cyclists moving to the other side of the cones.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
One of my pet hates is seeing a bunch adults waiting for a green signal when its obvious nothing is coming or likely to be while they cross the deserted road.

What if they're partially sighted? What if they're in no hurry? What of they're retired and have all the time in the world? Why should it bother you?
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
[QUOTE 5240080, member: 9609"]
I'm not necessarily being on the side of cyclists here, I agree they are the biggest abuses of the law on the road,[/QUOTE]

Did you really mean to write that, or did you copy and paste something by accident from the Daily Mail? I hate to go down the 'prove it' route, but I would love for you to show me that cyclists are the biggest abusers of the law on the road.
 

smutchin

Cat 6 Racer
Location
The Red Enclave
I have this unfortunate condition - it's caused by the DGAF gene and it means I'm unable to care what motorists think of my cycling.

It's this same genetic condition that meant last week when I was in my car, waiting at a red light, and the driver behind decided to overtake and drive straight through the junction before the lights changed, I didn't feel the need to find an online motoring forum where I could recount this anecdote, citing it as evidence why it's OK to hate all motorists.
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
What if they're partially sighted? What if they're in no hurry? What of they're retired and have all the time in the world? Why should it bother you?

Who said it bothered me ? If they want to stand at the side of the road, carry on, I just think it's a strange.
 

Siclo

Veteran
Shirley it depends on the lights? Unless you're riding a steel bike you can stand in this ASL until the sun goes nova and the lights won't change without a motor vehicle behind you. Rules are for the guidance of the wise ;)
 
Did you really mean to write that, or did you copy and paste something by accident from the Daily Mail? I hate to go down the 'prove it' route, but I would love for you to show me that cyclists are the biggest abusers of the law on the road.

I think it’s very easy to believe that if you live in a large city, but it’s far from correct throughout the country,

There are a lot of motorists who either have an incorrect understanding of what is legal for a cyclist to do, lots think that they have to ride in single file, or that you have to ride in cycle lanes, or ride in the gutter, or think that if they have to give cyclists 1.5m then cyclists should have to give them the same distance, asking them how many drivers have cyclists killed, by riding too close, is never answered,

If cyclists riding within the law are seen by motorists as breaking the law, then no matter what they do, the perception among motorists is that the law doesn’t apply to them.
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
You described it as a 'pet hate' which sounds a bit strong for something that apparently doesn't bother you!

Perhaps you should look bothered up in the dictionary, smoking and littering are two more of my pet hates, but I wouldn't say they bothered me.
 

Lonestar

Veteran
Shirley it depends on the lights? Unless you're riding a steel bike you can stand in this ASL until the sun goes nova and the lights won't change without a motor vehicle behind you. Rules are tailored to suit what's best for me.:whistle:

Yup got to agree,this is what I see out there.
 
[QUOTE 5240129, member: 9609"]Only because there is virtually no rules for cyclist to break whilst out in the countryside.[/QUOTE]
Plenty of rules, in the town I live in,
Traffic lights, one way systems, roadworks
 

smutchin

Cat 6 Racer
Location
The Red Enclave
Perhaps you should look bothered up in the dictionary, smoking and littering are two more of my pet hates, but I wouldn't say they bothered me.

According to my dictionary, a 'pet hate' is something that annoys you, and according to my thesaurus 'annoys' is a synonym for 'bothers'. HTH.
 

DaveReading

Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
Location
Reading, obvs
Doppler radar rather than PIR I think, so they can tell the difference between things moving towards and things moving away.

"How does it work?

Each signal is provided with a vehicle-detector unit. These units normally use microwave technology
and are often referred to as an ‘MVD’ (Microwave Vehicle Detector). Other technology can be used,
but the unit must be approved (see page 3).

The MVD can detect most moving motor vehicles, including larger motorcycles, up to 40 metres
away, but with smaller motorcycles and cycles the distance is 25 metres — provided they are
travelling towards the MVD at speeds greater than 10 mph and the detector is correctly aligned (see
next page). Some detectors may be able to work outside these limits."

An Introduction to the Use of Portable Vehicular Signals

So it appears that if you keep your speed up until you get close, you have a better chance of triggering the detector.
 

Siclo

Veteran
Yup got to agree,this is what I see out there.

Oh I agree with your amendment, however ultimately the fault rarely lies with a system user (numbskulls aside), a system has to meet the needs of all it's users, as soon as you start expecting the users to meet the needs of the system, users will deviate and the system breaks. A successful system should always be more attractive to the user than an alternative.

Road systems are an interesting one, multiple users with differing needs:

Motorists want to save time, hence rat-running.
Cyclists want so save momentum, hence RLJ.
Pedestrians want to save distance, hence crossing away from facilities.

All too often the system engineers simply can't be bothered to attempt to resolve those conflicting needs.
 
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