So you're heading towards some lights...

[Cab]

...and they're green. You're in primary, as you're going straight on and you're not going to let some muppet left hook you at the junction ahead. You're hoping that the lights stay green, but you're going at a speed that will allow you to stop if they do change, so said muppet is getting closer and closer, obviously wanting to accelerate so that he's sure to get through the lights. Just as you're going to cross the line, like you're as far ahead as the cycle stop box, the lights change to amber. You obviously can't stop now, you go straight on.

Why is it that the car behind (which can easily stop) always goes through the lignts, which are by now usually red? And the car behind that will as often as not do likewise?

Is there some unwritten rule that states that if you only just missed the lights because of a bicycle in front of you, they don't really count at all and you can floor it and go through at red?

Sorry to bring up what might seem a trivial complaint, but this has happened three mornings in a row at the same junction, and on each day the first car behind me was turning left (so would have left hooked me if allowed to pass earlier). I don't feel endangered by this, but the idiot motorists following me are going to come to grief, sooner or later, and they're likely to hurt someone else too.

 

[dondare]

There is an unwritten rule, except that now it'll be a written rule, if only on here.
Green means go.
Amber also means go.
Red+Amber is the same as Amber, which is the same as Green, which means go.
Red is the same as Amber if it's only been Red for a few seconds.
If the vehicle in front went through and you're tail-gating them, then you can go through as well regardless of the colour.
Accidents are not your fault.

 

[JamesAC]

Another unwritten rule:

If you are driving a motor-vehicle, and there's a cyclist in front of you, you MUST at ALL COSTS get in front of them. You may disregard the Highway Code, common sense and the bleeding obvious.

It doesn't matter if you're not going to get anywhere, nor if there's a large 'bus or truck coming the other way, nor if there's actually no room for you to squeeze between the cyclist and the traffic island: JUST DO IT!!

 

[col]

The car may have thought it was being held up from going through the lights,so was in an angry state when it reached the changing lights.So going through anyway.

 

[gambatte]

My usual response when someone quotes RLJing as a cyclist 'crime' is to ask:

How many times when you've driven thro the last of the amber on a set of lights,have you looked in your rear view and seen 1 or more cars come thro' after and thought "No way that was not red?"

RLJing isn't just cycles

 

[gambatte]

What happens now?

Yay! 500 posts, SENIOR member!

 

[Maz]

The cars are using you as a human shield to protect themselves against oncoming traffic.

 

[summerdays]

What worries me in particular in that senerio (sorry spelling), is that if I did decide to stop quickly at the Amber light... is the car behind going to be able to.....

(And yes I do find that anytime I think should I have managed to stop at that Amber there will enevitably be one or more cars that follow through obviously on red).

 

[BentMikey]

The answer is that humans jump red lights and other stuff they think they can get away with. It's slightly easier for cyclists to get away with the crime, so you see more cyclists doing it. Some drivers will try it on too, but this is more limited because of having number plates (cops and RL cameras), and that the car in front stopping tends to prevent you from jumping the light.

Anyone remember the RAC study that found in London 1 in 10 car drivers at a particular junction went through red, and 1 in 5 zarking bus drivers!!!! What's even worse is that they only measured from more than 3 seconds after it turned to red.

 

[col]

Iv done this myself,but not intentionally.Iv started to move towards the lights,as my front starts to pass it turns to amber,i have a choice here,i can stop,but in the time it takes to stop,without throwing a passenger through the seat back in front of them,ill end up blocking any right turning vehicles from the oposite direction,or the car behind isnt expecting me to stop,and goes into my rear end,or i can put my foot down,and be out of the way.It happens,not something i do on purpose,but the lesser of all the evils is my prefered choice.

 

[Arch]

The car may have thought it was being held up from going through the lights,so was in an angry state when it reached the changing lights.So going through anyway.

Point of order: Cars don't actually have emotions, so can't get angry...

Although, I've known several that could sulk beautifully....

I'm noticing more and more vehicles of all sorts going through on 'late amber' IE red. Whether it's happening more, or I'm just noticing it more, I can't say.


Col, if the front of your bus is already at or over the line when it goes amber, I don't think anyone would suggest you could stop - even if you did slam the brakes on, the chances are you'd end up blocking the junction or something.

 

[BentMikey]

Iv done this myself,but not intentionally.Iv started to move towards the lights,as my front starts to pass it turns to amber,i have a choice here,i can stop,but in the time it takes to stop,without throwing a passenger through the seat back in front of them,ill end up blocking any right turning vehicles from the oposite direction,or the car behind isnt expecting me to stop,and goes into my rear end,or i can put my foot down,and be out of the way.It happens,not something i do on purpose,but the lesser of all the evils is my prefered choice.

No-one would expect you to stop in that situation Col, not even the highway code! I'm talking about blatant red light jumping.

 

[col]

Point of order: Cars don't actually have emotions, so can't get angry...

Although, I've known several that could sulk beautifully....

I'm noticing more and more vehicles of all sorts going through on 'late amber' IE red. Whether it's happening more, or I'm just noticing it more, I can't say.


Col, if the front of your bus is already at or over the line when it goes amber, I don't think anyone would suggest you could stop - even if you did slam the brakes on, the chances are you'd end up blocking the junction or something.

I do see a lot of angry DriversWhen they think iv held them up,and when in angry mode ,they go through red lights,pull out in front of other vehicles,in fact, i think they think being angry, is an excuse to go wild for a few seconds,and its ok,because they were angry,if you see what i mean

 

[magnatom]

There is an unwritten rule, except that now it'll be a written rule, if only on here.
Green means go.
Amber also means go.
Red+Amber is the same as Amber, which is the same as Green, which means go.
Red is the same as Amber if it's only been Red for a few seconds.
If the vehicle in front went through and you're tail-gating them, then you can go through as well regardless of the colour.
Accidents are not your fault.

Your wrong dondare. Amber means accelerate!

 

[HJ]

You have to look at this from the drivers point of view, the Highway Code is only for your driving test after that it doesn't apply to you, no it only apply to other road users and that have a duty to stay out of your way. After all only drivers pay tax and therefore own the road....