RLJ-ing again

[fimm]

So there I was, cycling along behind a car that was slowing for a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Pulled out into primary as I'm going to turn right just after the crossing. There's a bus coming the other way that has also stopped at the red light. This is a funny crossing in that instead of the usual red-flashing orange-green sequence, it does red-red and orange-green. So the pedestrian crosses, but the lights are still at red, and the car in front of me simply sails off straight through the red light and disappears, while the bus driver and I look at one another open-mouthed! I have never seen anything so blatant by a car before. Sadly I don't have a helmet cam, so no footage.

 

[HLaB]

So there I was, cycling along behind a car that was slowing for a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Pulled out into primary as I'm going to turn right just after the crossing. There's a bus coming the other way that has also stopped at the red light. This is a funny crossing in that instead of the usual red-flashing orange-green sequence, it does red-red and orange-green. So the pedestrian crosses, but the lights are still at red, and the car in front of me simply sails off straight through the red light and disappears, while the bus driver and I look at one another open-mouthed! I have never seen anything so blatant by a car before. Sadly I don't have a helmet cam, so no footage.

Not that it matters but they are gradually phasing out the flashing ambers, one idea the ped will be less harassed by the driver who is presented with a more definitive sign to stop and stay stopped, it clearly didn't happen in that case.

 

[Svendo]

I see that quite frequently round Rochdale. See lots of blatant RLJs, not just amber-to red-gambler-ing. And all from cars or POBs who are usually on the pavement anyway except at the junction where it's easier to avoid the peds and railings on the road.

 

[fimm]

Not that it matters but they are gradually phasing out the flashing ambers,

Oh, that is interesting, I didn't know that.

 

[Sheepy1209]

Lots of those round here - and I think they're combined with some sort of sensor to make sure the crossing's clear before the green light.

 

[jugglingphil]

Call the Daily Mail (etc) and get all car drivers punished!

What about phasing out all red & green lights and replace them with flashing ambers, at least during times of little traffic. Actually I'm not sure if this would be good for cyclists.

 

[Cardiac]

What about phasing out all red & green lights and replace them with flashing ambers, at least during times of little traffic. Actually I'm not sure if this would be good for cyclists.

It's already being looked at in Portsmouth apparently... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12860433

 

[davefb]

saw one like that whilst cycling a few months back... i think the idiot woman in the people carrier was wtching the green of a ped crossing, so just saw some green and set off...


i mean, i'd guess she was on the phone, but couldnt tell...

 

[nickb]

What about phasing out all red & green lights and replace them with flashing ambers, at least during times of little traffic.

Why bother with the flashing amber? It's just a waste of electricity. Turn the damned things off altogether outside of rush hour and you'll have good old-fashioned crossroads or T-junctions.

I'm convinced the reason why so many people ignore red lights (including me from time-to-time) is that there are so many of them and most of the time they force you to sit there whilst nothing else is moving.

 

[fimm]

I'm convinced the reason why so many people ignore red lights (including me from time-to-time) is that there are so many of them and most of the time they force you to sit there whilst nothing else is moving.

I do have some sympathy with this view, although I don't run reds myself. I would quite like it too be legal to go through a red on a pedestrian only crossing if there are obviously no pedestrians anywhere around. However I can't see how your would phrase such a law to protect the pedestrians, so in the real world I don't think it would be possible.

The reason I started the thread was the way the RLJ was so blatant - it is unusual to see a car do that.

 

[2Loose]

I quite often see slow queues of cars follow the car in front and go through reds. I once counted 5 cars go through a red in procession, I can only assume because the first one caught the amber.

I don't see a lot of cyclists on my commute, so it is rare to see a bike RLJ, but I see a lot of drivers on automatic doing it quite blatantly.

 

[nickb]

The reason I started the thread was the way the RLJ was so blatant - it is unusual to see a car do that.

It is surprising when one sees someone do that, i.e. just drive off from a red light having already stopped.

But, if you think about it, it's probably a lot less dangerous than flooring it when the lights go amber and driving through a red at full pelt without having had the chance to weigh things up. Now I see that every day without fail at two or three junctions that I pass on my commute.