RLJ-ing: A Minority Pastime?

[Scruffmonster]

I suspect Jack the Ripper wouldn't start committing any other crimes either. What's your point? It is still people picking and choosing which laws they want to obey and you wouldn't want other people to do that would you?

People need to stop referencing Jack the Ripper. It's very silly.

Martin, how long would you wait at a red light for, at 3am, in your car? Let's say that the light is broken so only goes red every 20 minutes.

Nobody is around. Not a soul. How long before you break?

 

[defy-one]

I suspect Jack the Ripper wouldn't start committing any other crimes either. What's your point? It is still people picking and choosing which laws they want to obey and you wouldn't want other people to do that would you?

My point being a 1.5 tonne vehicle travelling at 30mph is going to have a much bigger consequence in the event of an accident,then a cyclist jumping light cautiously doing 10mph.
Why pick those speeds ... A vehicle will usually floor it to avoid stopping as the lights change from amber to red, a cyclist will be braking whilst looking all around for 1 tonne vehicles coming his way

 

[Davidsw8]

Any suggestions of a swift New Cross to Vauxhall Bridge route appreciated....

The more direct route seems to be Queens Rd, Peckham Rd, Camberwell New Rd past Oval and round Vauxhall Cross. I haven't tried that way, is it really busy?

I go to Vauxhall every day from the Old Kent Road (top) and I cut through Rodney Road, cross Walworth Road, cross Kennington Pk Rd and run parallel to Black Prince Rd. The streets are mostly v v quiet. It's north of the river that I have most of my traffic problems but most of that is unavoidable.

 

[nigelnorris]

I've never really understood the argument I've heard many make that they are safer jumping lights and that they believe they are going to get rear ended if they ever stop, and suchlike.

If they really feel they are in so much danger continuously riding their bike on the road that they need to consistently flout the law to feel slightly safer, I wonder why they ride a bike on the road at all.

In the last eighteen months I've been involved in three separate collisions. Once a motorist misjudged my speed and hadn't properly overtaken me before turning into her drive, left hooking me and bouncing me into the street. Second time I was in a completely stationary traffic queue, the car in front of me made to pull off so I stood on the pedal, then the driver changed his mind so I stood down again. The car behind had seen me stand up so also started to pull off but he didn't see me stand down so didn't pull back so just ran straight into the back of me. That one wrote the bike off. Third time a car didn't see a set of lights change so when I slowed she ran clean into the back of me. That one embedded my bike so deep into her bumper that it didn't even fall over. All three in broad daylight, and I ride dressed up in flouro colours even so.

Three incidents entirely the motorists' faults. In no way related to my riding style, I was stationary for two of them. Ok I've been unfortunate to meet such a run of bad luck, but two out of these three meet your criteria for getting rear ended. So maybe your holier than thou attitude is protecting you from stuff like this but I'll take my chances where I get them.

 

[Scruffmonster]

The more direct route seems to be Queens Rd, Peckham Rd, Camberwell New Rd past Oval and round Vauxhall Cross. I haven't tried that way, is it really busy?

I go to Vauxhall every day from the Old Kent Road (top) and I cut through Rodney Road, cross Walworth Road, cross Kennington Pk Rd and run parallel to Black Prince Rd. The streets are mostly v v quiet. It's north of the river that I have most of my traffic problems but most of that is unavoidable.

No idea, will give it a bash. I ride in from Wilmington. Used to work in The City, then Victoria, so I've never really tried to cut out that section.

Cheers

 

[Davidsw8]

By that reasoning.then all drivers doing 80mph on the motorway should be pulled over, anyone playing with sat nav,stereo,phone,smoking or drinking in a car should be penalised as those are the rules.
Some rules can be broken,dependant on the scene infront of that person. A cyclist going through a deserted pedestrian crossing (because the peds crossed when there was a break in the traffi, but lights were still green),is hardly a criminal is he/she?

...or reading a paper whilst driving or having a dog loose on one's lap in a car on the motorway... (both of which I've seen), those people probably saw nothing wrong with doing that.

I agree though, a cyclist going through a deserted pedestrian crossing on a red isn't doing much harm, but I still wouldn't do it myself - it's the principle

 

[martint235]

By that reasoning.then all drivers doing 80mph on the motorway should be pulled over, anyone playing with sat nav,stereo,phone,smoking or drinking in a car should be penalised as those are the rules.
Some rules can be broken,dependant on the scene infront of that person. A cyclist going through a deserted pedestrian crossing (because the peds crossed when there was a break in the traffi, but lights were still green),is hardly a criminal is he/she?

No some rules can't be broken. Some rules are broken because people feel a. they won't be caught and b. the consequences of being caught are not high enough. What people do is risk assess which is based on likelihood and impact. Raise the likelihood of being caught and increase the fine and drivers won't do 80mph on motorways and cyclists won't rlj.

 

[martint235]

People need to stop referencing Jack the Ripper. It's very silly.

Martin, how long would you wait at a red light for, at 3am, in your car? Let's say that the light is broken so only goes red every 20 minutes.

Nobody is around. Not a soul. How long before you break?

Without looking it up I can't remember but I'm sure there is guidance on when a red light counts as broken. The longest I've waited is 10 mins in the centre of Maidstone (poxy town) at which point I got off my bike, crossed the pedestrian crossing nearby and continued on my merry way.

 

[Recycle]

...or reading a paper whilst driving or having a dog loose on one's lap in a car on the motorway... (both of which I've seen), those people probably saw nothing wrong with doing that.

Off topic but about 15 years ago I was overtaken on the motorway by a guy talking on his mobile phone (still legal then) with his toddler standing on his lap "play steering". The scary bit is that if the toddler has survived his fathers driving then he/she will probably be driving now with the same acquired habits.

 

[Scruffmonster]

Without looking it up I can't remember but I'm sure there is guidance on when a red light counts as broken. The longest I've waited is 10 mins in the centre of Maidstone (poxy town) at which point I got off my bike, crossed the pedestrian crossing nearby and continued on my merry way.

Then you and I are just worlds apart and very different..... But then someone far wiser than both of us once said something like;

"Much of the beauty in this world lies in the differences between people"

Or something like that.

 

[Davidsw8]

Off topic but about 15 years ago I was overtaken on the motorway by a guy talking on his mobile phone (still legal then) with his toddler standing on his lap "play steering". The scary bit is that if the toddler has survived his fathers driving then he/she will probably be driving now with the same acquired habits.

Not being flippant but last week I heard a chap on the radio talk about his daughter who has Asperger's, her condition was overlooked for years but eventually diagnosed. He said he was worried for her future because she has no sense of danger.

Maybe there's a low level autism with some people, that's more common than we realise, who take these risks and can't see any kind of consequence...

 

[nigelnorris]

Not being flippant but last week I heard a chap on the radio talk about his daughter who has Asperger's, her condition was overlooked for years but eventually diagnosed. He said he was worried for her future because she has no sense of danger.

Maybe there's a low level autism with some people, that's more common than we realise, who take these risks and can't see any kind of consequence...

And an equally prevalent low level OCD that makes some people behave much more cautiously than they need to.

 

[Crankarm]

Really, what part of 'go if the way is clear' are you not understanding?

I take it you are a RLJer? Watch out, if I don't get you then a bigger faster moving vehicle might.

 

[Davidsw8]

And an equally prevalent low level OCD that makes some people behave much more cautiously than they need to.

lol touche! I probably am a bit OCD. However, in the case of red lights, I feel I'm just abiding by the law, that's all.

I do stress though, I wasn't being flippant there, I do see people take extraordinary and unnecessary risks to their well being and there must be something behind that.

 

[nigelnorris]

lol touche! I probably am a bit OCD. However, in the case of red lights, I feel I'm just abiding by the law, that's all.

I do stress though, I wasn't being flippant there, I do see people take extraordinary and unnecessary risks to their well being and there must be something behind that.

Oh gosh no I wasn't referring to you, that was just a general observation that life usually balances itself out that way.