RLJ

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CotterPin

Senior Member
Location
London
redjedi said:
Agreed. I'm normal quite suprised when I see other cyclists stopped at a red light.

I sometimes feel as if I should jump the light, just because everyone else is doing it, and I feel like a plonker sat waiting on my own. :biggrin:

(it's probably not as bad as that, but it must be 2 jumpers to every 1 who stops)

I think that is a very valid point - one cyclist goes through which "permits" others to do the same.

OT but I witnessed a similar scenario with motorbikes in ASLs the other day. I was observing the traffic lights on the approach to Old Street roundabout in London the other day (as you do) and I noticed if the first motorbike entered the ASL they would be joined by others. However if the first motorbike stopped at the first white line then so did the rest.
 

jezhiggins

Well-Known Member
Location
Birmingham
Catrike UK said:
RLJ is about 50/50 here.

I don't see any in Birmingham. This might be a function of me not usually being out in the heavy rush hour, that there aren't a huge number of lights on the routes I generally take, that there are fewer cyclists, or perhaps that it just doesn't go on very much round here.

While London based newspaper columnists seem to be convinced that they can't set foot outside their mansion door without a horde of crazed cyclists blasting through red lights before zooming down the pavement at them screaming obscenities and throwing litter, I almost never see bikes on the pavement here either. A few kids going to school (which I absolutely don't object to), a few students around the university (although I might be out too early to see the bulk of them), and the odd twit in the city centre. Otherwise, none.
 

cupoftea

New Member
Location
London
Bentmikey, Tstegers got a lot of stick over the whole RLJ debate, some of which we all deserve!

I think it’s impossible to argue that RLJing is safer or more dangerous than anything else, yes the available figure hint in one direction, but you don’t have the whole picture as the figures only cover the numbers of accidents not the number of people who don’t have accidents and so you can’t accurately judge a given course of action.

Tstegers gave up of these threads due to the abuse he got
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
3 or 4 to 1 in my experience jump

I don't think it's unsafe, I do think it makes cyclists appear as if they don't obey the highway code and rules of the road and makes drivers treat them as such, that's why I don't jump any more

As an aside, on my new commute along the A11, I've had three shouting matches at lights, every single time with peds running in front of me as i start to pull away on the green because they think the flashing green man means they can still cross, came within an ace of knocking a teenager over last night who was way late by the time he arrived in front of me after stopping and darting in front of me, I got a motorist shouting at me too for my pains, sometimes I wonder why I bother
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Remember how he avoided the issue of me filming his riding? LOL!
 

jezhiggins

Well-Known Member
Location
Birmingham
The main junction where I see it is crossing the ring road south onto Hurst St. I'd say 80% of cyclists RLJ.

I'm not usually out and about there during the week. Be there just after seven am on Saturday though. I have a suspicion you might be too :sad:

I've always wondered if you're allowed turn left from the Queensway onto that cycle path. It seems like you should be able to, but it's not signed. I'd love to know which twit decided that a cycle lane up the middle of the road was a good plan.

Elsewhere it's very common to hop onto the pavement and over the crossing, which is pretty much the same things. Especially prevalent around the Universities.

I have seen people doing this along the Bristol Road through Selly Oak along toward UoBirmingham, but I don't more generally. Perhaps it's a rush hour thing?
 

jezhiggins

Well-Known Member
Location
Birmingham
For the BCC ride? Never been on that.
I started a few weeks ago, and now I really look forward to it.

Nothing to say you can't, as you say. I've done it many times.

Me too, but I always feel slight guilty :sad:

The reason that path is up the middle is that the left lane is left-turn only for cars. The right lane is straight on or right.

I kind of understand the logic, but I'd just rather it wasn't there at all. Personally, I think it's unhelpful. Many, many times I've seen put people in potential difficulty because ...

you do get cars realising they're in the wrong lane and crossing it at the last minute.
Where about are you anyway?

I live in Moseley, but I work at home so I don't actually commute very far. If I'm out in the morning it's generally before 8, so the rush hour isn't really in full swing, or later in the day when the rush hour has subsided.
 
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