RLJ'ers

[SquareDaff]

Almost got broadsided by a car this morning RLJ'ing. There was no room for doubt - I could see his lights on red and mine had been on green for a good 3-4 seconds. I'd already checked once for "amber gamblers" and had just set off. As it was - if I'd been a little more "fresh" I'd have been a few feet further forward and kissing this guys windscreen. Even the guy in the car next to me (dual carriageway) was shocked and let out an all mighty blast of the horn.

The RLJ'ing is getting stupid and it's not just by cyclists. Is it going to take someone to die before something is done about this epidemic?

 

[I like Skol]

This is the problem. You experienced blatent RLJ'ing and it is sheer lunacy and downright dangerous. Cyclists get accused of RLJ'ing but in reality what the majority of cyclists do is 'filtering' i.e passing a red light but proceeding with caution and defering to vehicles that are passing through the green and pedestrians that would cross if you had stopped at the red.

I admit that when cycling I do 'filter' at most traffic lights where it is safe to do so but not in a car, as putting a 1-2 ton roadblock into the path of unexpecting road users or randomly propelling a 1-2 ton metal missile across a busy junction is obviously STUPID even when I am wearing my moton hat! Some people just don't give a F**K!

 

[Camgreen]

This is the problem. You experienced blatent RLJ'ing and it is sheer lunacy and downright dangerous. Cyclists get accused of RLJ'ing but in reality what the majority of cyclists do is 'filtering' i.e passing a red light but proceeding with caution and defering to vehicles that are passing through the green and pedestrians that would cross if you had stopped at the red.

I admit that when cycling I do 'filter' at most traffic lights where it is safe to do so but not in a car, as putting a 1-2 ton roadblock into the path of unexpecting road users or randomly propelling a 1-2 ton metal missile across a busy junction is obviously STUPID even when I am wearing my moton hat! Some people just don't give a F**K!

Plenty of cyclists who "filter" at great speed through pedestrian lights around here ..... no thought of deference to the poor sods crossing .... and little evidence of giving a flying f**k for anyone unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Let's face it, your comment is a cop out. The red light is there for a reason and should be adhered to in accordance with the Highway Code .... it isn't an option where you can pick and choose the circumstances you follow it, regardless of your mode of transport.

 

[SquareDaff]

I really don't understand the mentality - there's another set of lights 200m up the road that are always on red whilst ours are on green (it's an access road for buses/bikes/traffic from an industrial estate). Why risk killing someone for the sake of one or two car lengths and no time gain?!?

 

[2Loose]

I often see cars dangerously 'filtering' (In I like Skols terms), occasionally the odd darwin award candidate cyclist too.

Very rarely see impacts, but it is justa question of time.


Red means stop and wait, Green means carry on - for ALL ROAD USERS - hardly rocket salad is it.

I think many drivers who do it will use the 'well cyclists always do it and get away with it, why not me.' argument to justify their actions.

 

[SquareDaff]

Red means stop and wait, Green means carry on - for ALL ROAD USERS - hardly rocket salad is it.

I agree - I always stop at red lights. I'm open and exposed on a bike- why risk getting hit? Apart from that it's against the same law I expect other road users to abide by.

I think many drivers who do it will use the 'well cyclists always do it and get away with it, why not me.' argument to justify their actions.

You're probably right there - but if I prang into a car the worst they'll probably end up with is a dent. If they prang into me chances are I'll end up in hospital.

I'll balance the arguement and say that a lot more motorists obey the red light laws than cyclists and actions should be taken against both modes of transport that RLJ, firstly to take away any argument the motorist may have and secondly to stop cyclists putting themselves in a potentially dangerous position in the 1st place!

 

[Dan B]

I think many drivers who do it will use the 'well cyclists always do it and get away with it, why not me.' argument to justify their actions.

Because it's against the law. The laws of physics. Frontal area, volume, mass, momentum - all differences between a bike and a car that make the car unable to safely perform many of the manoeuvres that a bicycle can, and anyone who refuses to see the difference is either stupid or deluding themselves.

HGVs often turn left from the middle lane and go the wrong way round mini-roundabouts. Does this mean that car drivers or cyclists can copy them? No. Again, the laws of physics.

 

[Dan B]

Red means stop and wait, Green means carry on if the way is clear - for ALL ROAD USERS - hardly rocket salad is it.

FTFY

 

[2Loose]

Because it's against the law. The laws of physics. Frontal area, volume, mass, momentum - all differences between a bike and a car that make the car unable to safely perform many of the manoeuvres that a bicycle can, and anyone who refuses to see the difference is either stupid or deluding themselves.

HGVs often turn left from the middle lane and go the wrong way round mini-roundabouts. Does this mean that car drivers or cyclists can copy them? No. Again, the laws of physics.

Are you suggesting that a cyclist can safely jump a red light, but a car can't?

Anyone that thinks so is either stupid or deluding themselves.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1

Are you suggesting that a cyclist can safely jump a red light, but a car can't?

Anyone that thinks so is either stupid or deluding themselves.

 

[Dan B]

Are you suggesting that a cyclist can safely jump a red light, but a car can't?

In some situations, yes. For example, a cyclist proceeding in a cycle lane along the road and approaching a junction with a road on his right is unlikely to come into conflict with a driver approaching from the mouth of that right-hand road who is turning into the general-purpose traffic lane alongside him. A car driver, on the other hand, would not physically fit into the cycle lane and would cause the approaching driver to have to change his speed or direction to avoid him.


Have you never seen this happen?

 

[2Loose]

Can't say I have as most traffic lit junctions I see are cross roads and tbh I don't see many other cyclists on my route, but I can concede that it would be fairly safe unless the front of the car swung over the line into the cycle lane while turning right. As would jumping a light which isn't responding to the presence of a bike when no other traffic is about.

Either way, both are naughty and the former is imo unjustifiable.

There is no doubt in my mind that bad road behaviour from individuals encourages others to believe that they can get away with it, be it bike or car, which in turn leads to even more unpredictable and dangerous driving.

 

[subaqua]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zeb_C3ILkAQ


is this filtering ?

this is just one of the many I see each day. I could upload them all but i just don't have the time.

RED light means STOP

 

[SquareDaff]

No that's impatience and stupidity. If we expect cars to stop then we should too. Otherwise we're as guilty of "road ownership superiority" as the car drivers!

 

[Coco]

No that's impatience and stupidity. If we expect cars to stop then we should too. Otherwise we're as guilty of "road ownership superiority" as the car drivers!

+1 If we want to be treated the same as other road users then we have to behave the same.