RLJ - Taxi Drivers' video

[steveindenmark]

Yes, relatively speaking in the grand misdemeanour of traffic offences.

Well I will agree with you providing we all stop moaning the next time a cyclist is flattened by struck after jumping a red light.

I cannot think why a red traffic light would apply to all other road users, except a bike.

Steve

 

[Dan B]

Well I will agree with you providing we all stop moaning the next time a cyclist is flattened by struck after jumping a red light.

I cannot think why a red traffic light would apply to all other road users, except a bike.

All other road users apart from pedestrians, roller skaters, and horse riders[*] you mean?

[*] not sure about this one, but they're clearly not 'vehicles', so ...

 

[steveindenmark]

All other road users apart from pedestrians, roller skaters, and horse riders[*] you mean?

[*] not sure about this one, but they're clearly not 'vehicles', so ...

Having had horses in the past, I have never seen a horse not stop at a red light, have you?

I am not sure what the law is regarding roller blades. But again I have never seen one not stop at a red light. I cant find either on Youtube either.

Steve

 

[Shut Up Legs]

The argument is nonsense.

Imagine if someone were to suggest that we shouldn't give black people respect and equality because some of them commit crimes.
Would a black person subjected to that argument think "Well they've got a point. I can't demand respect until the black community puts its house in order"?

No. The argument is bigoted drivel and would be dismissed out of hand - just as the cyclist RLJ argument should be.

Agreed. As I've said before on these fora, we shouldn't accept responsibility for what other cyclists do, any more than a motorist is responsible for other motorists breaking the road rules. Holding all cyclists responsible for the actions of a few is prejudice.

 

[Dan B]

Having had horses in the past, I have never seen a horse not stop at a red light, have you?

I am not sure what the law is regarding roller blades. But again I have never seen one not stop at a red light. I cant find either on Youtube either.

I've seen many many roller skaters go through red lights, and indeed have done so myself when there's nobody crossing/nothing coming the other way. But that's beside the point: we were discussing what the law says, not whether people follow it or not, and my point is that the law says different things to different kinds of road user.

 

[400bhp]

Well I will agree with you providing we all stop moaning the next time a cyclist is flattened by struck after jumping a red light.

I cannot think why a red traffic light would apply to all other road users, except a bike.

Steve

Why would anyone moan about such a thing?

And I suspect the numbers of cyclists killed p.a. whilst jumping red lights can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

 

[gaz]

Why would anyone moan about such a thing?

And I suspect the numbers of cyclists killed p.a. whilst jumping red lights can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

I believe that in the past 10 years in London, only one has been killed because of going through a red. So I suspect you are correct and potentially you might need 0 fingers.

 

[zimzum42]

Strange that despite my terrible bad habits of RLJing, riding the wrong way down one way streets and wearing a headphone, the only serious accident I have ever had was out on a club run where we do none of those things

(and in case anyone is interested, a car deliberately drove into me. 30 witnesses and an awesome description of the car and driver, police did sweet FA)

I also ride with no hands sometimes too...

 

[400bhp]

I believe that in the past 10 years in London, only one has been killed because of going through a red. So I suspect you are correct and potentially you might need 0 fingers.

I purposefully over-egged it knowing that it was likely to be the square root of....

Hence (in my book) it is a relatively minor misdemeneour in the grand scheme of road mideemeanours.

 

[400bhp]

Agreed. As I've said before on these fora, we shouldn't accept responsibility for what other cyclists do, any more than a motorist is responsible for other motorists breaking the road rules. Holding all cyclists responsible for the actions of a few is prejudice.

I agree with you but I was thinking a little about this the other day.

Do things like "critical mass" and group "demonstrations" really hinder in this respect as it gives the impression we are a group when in fact we aren't?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I agree with you but I was thinking a little about this the other day.

Do things like "critical mass" and group "demonstrations" really hinder in this respect as it gives the impression we are a group when in fact we aren't?

I think not. Demonstrations on other issues (e.g. anti-abortion, anti-war, etc.) occur without these people being considered part of a "group". The perception that cyclists are a group, tribe, etc. is due to their minority status, and is (in my opinion only) a reflection of anti-cyclist prejudice.

 

[400bhp]

I think not. Demonstrations on other issues (e.g. anti-abortion, anti-war, etc.) occur without these people being considered part of a "group". The perception that cyclists are a group, tribe, etc. is due to their minority status, and is (in my opinion only) a reflection of anti-cyclist prejudice.

Perhaps, but the group all have one thing in common - cyclists whinging about something to do with cycling.

 

[zimzum42]

It doesn't help when things like Critical Mass get hijacked by the loony left and the environmentalists and becomes one of the usual multi-issue demonstrations (one I went on years back parked up outside BPs offices for ages, for example)
It makes people think that cyclists are much the same as the Occupy lot...

 

[glenn forger]

thank \god we've got you to tell us what people think, zimzum.

 

[gaz]

Having had horses in the past, I have never seen a horse not stop at a red light, have you?

I am not sure what the law is regarding roller blades. But again I have never seen one not stop at a red light. I cant find either on Youtube either.

Steve

I've seen a horse not stop at a red light.