Safer to jump red lights? - Times article

[Paul_L]

It's a few days old now so may have been posted elsewhere.

This article from the Times campaign, suggests the author thinks it's ok to jump red lights if he deems it safer to do so.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3314455.ece

I've heard this theory elsewhere but disagree for the following reasons;

1. It pisses car drivers off, and they may take their anger out on other cyclists.
2. Invariably the dangers at junctions can be managed by better positioning. There's a tendency to filter to the front in all cases whether there's a ASL or not. Cyclists should remember you don't have to filter evry time. If it's safer to sit in line in a strong primary, do so.
3. It might be safer for the cyclist but it's not safer for the pedestrian crossing the road not expecting bikes to cross in front of them.

I'm sure there are other reasons and these are all in addition to the fact that it's against the law which the writer acknowledges.

Does the theory of jumping red jumping under certain conditions hold much support amongst CCers?

 

[Vigilies]

Not one jot of support from me. Best to wait till the green light says "Go if it is clear to do so".

 

[ianrauk]

On a 35 mile round commute with near 40 sets of lights/ped crossings/RAB's etc in each direction I have not found a single reason or justification as to jump a red light.

 

[Rob500]

Haven't read the article so don't know what, if any, safe red light jumping examples it contains but my own method of road riding is to obey the 'rules of the road' and I'll continue to do that.

 

[MontyVeda]

he's just setting off a little early by the sounds of it, in the brief moment between the other lights saying stop and his lights saying go. Technically still an RLJ but very different to simply tearing through reds when the other lights are on green.

 

[BlackPanther]

I tend to 'bypass' some red lights by going pavement bound for short stretches if they're pedestrian free. I also regularly go through one redlight which doesn't change to green for me (it doesn't recognise bicycles) but this is at 6.30 am in the town centre pedestrianised area of Doncaster. I always stop and check, but there's no traffic around at that time of the morning.

I never ever jump red lights when there's traffic, unlike some I see who just edge forwards and then take their chances in cross traffic. Madness!

I quote form the article.
I do not justify my actions on some idea of bicycle supremacy — an attitude often attributed to “irresponsible” riders. I deplore cyclists who ride listening to music — are they mad? I condemn those who ride in dark clothing at night or without lights. And getting on a bike without a helmet? No, I don’t buy that either.
Oh dear, what a pratt! I listen to music (well Chris Moyles) every morning. I have the volume on low, and use good quality headphones so I can still hear traffic. You deplore me? Say that to my face after I've just seen you rlj you t0553r. Dark clothing? That's up to the rider, but yes he's right about the lights. I do wear a helmet, but don't consider non wearers to be in the wrong. Red light jumping is far more dangerous than listening to music!!!!

 

[MontyVeda]

I tend to 'bypass' some red lights by going pavement bound for short stretches if they're pedestrian free. I also regularly go through one redlight which doesn't change to green for me (it doesn't recognise bicycles) but this is at 6.30 am in the town centre pedestrianised area of Doncaster. I always stop and check, but there's no traffic around at that time of the morning.

that is absolutely disgraceful! Only joking, i often jump the worst positioned ped crossing in town.

 

[gaz]

People need to review their filtering and road position if they think it is safer to jump the light.

 

[Bicycle]

I thought the article was quite artfully worded. It appeared to imply that the author had an issue with the timing of the lights. He wasn't clear about his reasons and offered no alternatives to hopping red lights.

I first rode in Central London in the 70s, cycling to school over Blackfriars Bridge after a blast through SE1. After my school days I did hop quite a few reds, but that was out of impish impatience and naughtiness, not as a part of some bizarre crusade.

I still ride in London. I've never seen a set of lights that one would recommend a cyclist to cross on red.

I find the reference to the injured colleague quite unhelpfully juxtaposed to the intent of the piece. He doesn't make anything like a convincing link bewtween the injury and his passion for hopping reds where he believes they are wrong.

One of the best ways to be safe on the roads (car, bicycle, horse, lorry, pedestrian) is to make sure that your actions are predictable insofar as that is possible. Other road users will be best able to meld their own intentions with yours if they have half a clue what yours are.

Hopping a red light introduces one more guess into the equation. I imagine the author is a non-driver (not that that is a bad thing).

There are better things the Times might have used those column inches for... a piece about more arrests among the employees of their surviving sister paper might be a start.

 

[kishan]

i disagree with this theory too its stupid and suicidal and anyone who does it and gets hurt well their own fault and deserve it,

 

[Paul_L]

People need to review there filtering and road position if they think it is safer to jump the light.

change the "there" for a "their" and i agree 100%

 

[benborp]

I think the piece is a little more nuanced than a simple justification for red light jumping.

I have to cross a junction each day on my way home from work. I will usually arrive at the stop line with the lights at red if I'm not first to arrive I'll sit in primary of which ever lane that I'm in. The road that crosses in front of me carries traffic from right to left, it approaches from almost directly ahead. At the time of day that I ride through it is usually completely empty, the junction beyond is empty - it's a surprisingly calm place in the middle of London - it's a particularly attractive place to want to ride a bike, especially when in the blink of an eye it suddenly becomes one of the most intimidating and unpleasant and dangerous places to cycle in London. I never jump the lights, but the forty or so seconds that I spend waiting at them is often filled with thoughts of how I would prefer not to have to deal with what will happen when the lights turn green and the traffic that has built up around me vies to get across the junction. Left hooks, right hooks - both across three lanes of traffic, squeezes and tail-gating and then how to negotiate stopping at the next set of red lights in 50yds as surrounding traffic ploughs on through them. I'm a more than capable cyclist and this junction is hard work and one that I have no doubt would be safer for me to jump.
Like the writer I would certainly prefer not to be in the situation where I have to mitigate the dangers posed by road design and poor driving to such an extent. There have been many demands for the junction I mention above to be redesigned but political decisions have been taken to maintain the status quo. Other roads in the local area have been redeveloped at the cost of millions with lower speed limits and traffic calming measures (build outs, tables, cushions, granite sets) but continue to pose a high risk to cyclists as nothing has been done to modify driver behaviour - something again that there is no great political will to achieve.
Dealing with the less than optimal riding environment of London's roads the writer chooses to jump lights, I choose to develop my riding skills and ride assertively. In terms of minimising risk, placing oneself away from danger is often more effective than getting tooled up and dealing with it at close quarters. We would both prefer more action to be taken to improve London's roads for everyone.

 

[BentMikey]

On a 35 mile round commute with near 40 sets of lights/ped crossings/RAB's etc in each direction I have not found a single reason or justification as to jump a red light.

Same here, except I've 240-odd traffic lights on my round trip commute. There's no excuse, and no justification. All it is is selfishness and impatience.

If you really want to be as safe as possible going through junctions, take the lane. Best of all, take the lane a couple of cars back from the front so that it's them holding up the rest of traffic, not you.

 

[GrasB]

There is one & only one reason to jump a red light on your bike. That's when there's a car crowding out your rear wheel & you're convinced they're not going to stop for the light regardless of your presence. Besides that sort out your road positioning because if you think it's safer to jump the light you're not asserting your road presence correctly.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Sounds to me like he needs to get over his him vs "vehicles" attitude. He is in control of a vehicle too and he should behave accordingly by taking sensible road position in advance and not be compelled to filter unsafely on junctions he know are potentially dangerous, just to get a clear run at the road.

At least he wears a helmet though, so he's not a complete tool...