U
User482
Guest
Delftse Post said:
You do realise that my last post wasn't entirely serious?
Should police swoop on cyclists who ignore red lights? (ES poll)
- Thread starter patheticshark
- Start date
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You do realise that my last post wasn't entirely serious?
hackbike 6
New Member
- Location
- The Mile End Road.
You are right - there are a number of cyclists who roll through the red lights and like you I find it annoying. I do a "stern stare" although I don't think it comes out quite right.
I think i've really gone past caring now.
That RLJer this morning was so fking slow I lost him easily.
I think i've really gone past caring now.
That RLJer this morning was so fking slow I lost him easily.
fofo
New Member
- Location
- S Manchester
Yes fines should be handed out to all cyclists that jump red lights. This morning I stopped at a pedestrian crossing and this guy went straight through and nearly took out the girl who gave me a smile; he was only going about 5 mph and I caught him and told him how close he was to knocking someone over he told me to mind my own business. After locking my bike in work I went to shop and guess who I saw jumping a red light as pedestrians were crossing! i don't know if he heard me shout twat at him but if I see him again I am sure he will
Sh4rkyBloke
Jaffa Cake monster
- Location
- Manchester, UK
Clearly you need to speed on ahead of him, jump off your bike and be a ped on a crossing when he comes through... a swift push and he'll be off the roads for a while and given some time to think about the error of his ways.fofo said:
Having said that in jest though, if I was on a crossing and someone barrelled through I'd have no qualms about pushing them off or at least making contact.
hackbike 6
New Member
- Location
- The Mile End Road.
BentMikey said:
Hang on,they focus on car drivers for speeding (sometimes) so I think yes.
I jump red lights and I ride on pavements.
I jump the red light at a pedestrian crossing if the road is completely empty and the pedestrian who pushed the button finished crossing the road ages ago. Of course, if there are pedestrians on the crossing, or if there is any other traffic on the road, I don't jump the red light. And of course I never jump red lights at road junctions. Interestingly, I would never jump the red light at all if I was in my car, not even in the 'empty road' scenario above.
I ride on pavements when I'm travelling up the inside of a huge queue of stationary traffic and I reach the single car which is 3 inches from the kerb. I ride on the pavement for about 10ft to get past, if there are no pedestrians nearby.
I did see one very gratifying outcome one day, on my way to work: a cyclist came charging towards a pedestrian crossing, at rush hour, clearly with no intention of stopping despite the fact that many pedestrians had started to cross. As usual, I shouted "RED LIGHT, AS**OLE!", and at the same time the lady who was at the front of the group of pedestrians swung her umbrella right at his head. She missed, narrowly, but the cyclist got such a fright he lost his balance and planted his face on the boot of a car which was parked just a few yards ahead. That was great.
As someone else has said above, the laws are in place to ensure safety and to ensure that all road users are given the appropriate priority. If those other users have enjoyed their priority, and it's safe to do so (I mean safe as in 'there are NO other pedestrians or vehicles), then I don't see the problem with moving forwards. Americans have acknowledged this with their traffic light system which permits right turn if the road is clear.
It seems to me that some of the views expressed here are saying the opposite - that the full weight of the law should be brought down upon anyone who jumps a red, no matter what the time of night or circumstances. I'd say that inflexible attitude is unreasonable.
Edit - sorry - that must appear a bit arrogant as a first post! I just got a bit worked-up when reading through the rest of the thread...
I jump the red light at a pedestrian crossing if the road is completely empty and the pedestrian who pushed the button finished crossing the road ages ago. Of course, if there are pedestrians on the crossing, or if there is any other traffic on the road, I don't jump the red light. And of course I never jump red lights at road junctions. Interestingly, I would never jump the red light at all if I was in my car, not even in the 'empty road' scenario above.
I ride on pavements when I'm travelling up the inside of a huge queue of stationary traffic and I reach the single car which is 3 inches from the kerb. I ride on the pavement for about 10ft to get past, if there are no pedestrians nearby.
I did see one very gratifying outcome one day, on my way to work: a cyclist came charging towards a pedestrian crossing, at rush hour, clearly with no intention of stopping despite the fact that many pedestrians had started to cross. As usual, I shouted "RED LIGHT, AS**OLE!", and at the same time the lady who was at the front of the group of pedestrians swung her umbrella right at his head. She missed, narrowly, but the cyclist got such a fright he lost his balance and planted his face on the boot of a car which was parked just a few yards ahead. That was great.
As someone else has said above, the laws are in place to ensure safety and to ensure that all road users are given the appropriate priority. If those other users have enjoyed their priority, and it's safe to do so (I mean safe as in 'there are NO other pedestrians or vehicles), then I don't see the problem with moving forwards. Americans have acknowledged this with their traffic light system which permits right turn if the road is clear.
It seems to me that some of the views expressed here are saying the opposite - that the full weight of the law should be brought down upon anyone who jumps a red, no matter what the time of night or circumstances. I'd say that inflexible attitude is unreasonable.
Edit - sorry - that must appear a bit arrogant as a first post! I just got a bit worked-up when reading through the rest of the thread...
goo_mason
Champion barbed-wire hurdler
- Location
- Leith, Edinburgh
I shouted at a RLJ'er on Friday - first time I've ever done it when I was on the bike. Bearded young-ish guy on a Tesco special - straight through the red light and left across a pedestrian crossing when the green man was on and a doddery old man was half-way across. The guy on the bike just missed him, so I yelled out, "Red light means STOP !"
He pedalled on for a while and then sheepishly turned back to see who'd yelled at him, so I just glowered and shook my head.
It was rather gratifying when a pedestrian thanked me and said I was quite right to shout at the idiot. So I felt good and smug...
Then with under half-a-mile to go, I was changing down through the gears approaching a stop when there was a strange noise and the lever felt rather slack. The gear cable had shredded and was only hanging on in there by a few metal threads - giving me just enough of a small selection of gears to see me to the flat. Was that my reward for shouting ?
He pedalled on for a while and then sheepishly turned back to see who'd yelled at him, so I just glowered and shook my head.
It was rather gratifying when a pedestrian thanked me and said I was quite right to shout at the idiot. So I felt good and smug...
Then with under half-a-mile to go, I was changing down through the gears approaching a stop when there was a strange noise and the lever felt rather slack. The gear cable had shredded and was only hanging on in there by a few metal threads - giving me just enough of a small selection of gears to see me to the flat. Was that my reward for shouting ?
