Stop at lights?

[fossyant]

It's good to stop. I've never met one RLJ'er that can outrun me even when jumping many sets. It's good interval training, you'll get fitter and keep passing the idiot that sails through. They are generally unfit.

Best being on the right side of the law, get squished jumping a red light, then there will be no compensation for a squished bike and possibly permanent injuries.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

To the OP, it's not a big issue (ok maybe for some it is, not for me). I run 'em all the time if the road is clear and no police in sight. I don't care what other cyclists think, if they get all hot 'n' bothered about me jumping the odd light, that's their issue not mine. Likewise for peds and drivers, who cares what they think.

So, in a section of the forum called 'beginners', targeted at people just getting into cycling, and maybe for the first time in years they'll be cycling on busy roads........ I hope they have more common sense than to follow this lead.

 

[deanE]

I see that this was posted in the "beginners" section. I hope you live long enough to move up.

 

[marzjennings]

So, in a section of the forum called 'beginners', targeted at people just getting into cycling, and maybe for the first time in years they'll be cycling on busy roads........ I hope they have more common sense than to follow this lead.

Seems a great place to voice my opinion on the subject. From this thread a beginner will see that most folks see RLJ as a dangerous illegal activity that reflects badly not only on themselves, but on cyclists in general and that only an idiot or two thinks otherwise.

A beginner may wonder why some people jump red lights and from somebody who does, there is no good reason. On the ride today there were 10 sets of lights, I jumped 2. I wasn't in a rush, I had plenty of time to stop, I just couldn't be arsed to stop. There was no traffic, so chances of being squished were low, but I still ran the risk of a ticket from a cop unseen.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

A beginner will read the Highway Code and discover that jumping red lights is illegal.
The fact that an increasing amount of road users don't give a toss is shameful and sad.

 

[themosquitoking]

Instead of investing in speed cameras for the last 15 years the police should have been investing in camera's that detect RLJ's, i reckon more revenue would have been raised and more lives saved.

 

[ufkacbln]

Seems a great place to voice my opinion on the subject. From this thread a beginner will see that most folks see RLJ as a dangerous illegal activity that reflects badly not only on themselves, but on cyclists in general and that only an idiot or two thinks otherwise.

A beginner may wonder why some people jump red lights and from somebody who does, there is no good reason. On the ride today there were 10 sets of lights, I jumped 2. I wasn't in a rush, I had plenty of time to stop, I just couldn't be arsed to stop. There was no traffic, so chances of being squished were low, but I still ran the risk of a ticket from a cop unseen.

As a matter of interest what other lawas do you feel do not apply to you ?

 

[youngoldbloke]

The law should be obeyed. Full stop. I make sure the club runs I lead stop at road works lights in the lanes out in the country, even when it is obvious there is no other vehicle within miles - but I do get annoyed by pedestrian crossing lights changing to red when there is no pedestrian within 100 yards, for no apparent reason whatsoever.

 

[Dan B]

As a matter of interest what other lawas do you feel do not apply to you ?

Can't speak for the parent poster, but my clipless pedals don't have reflectors on them. And I was using LED rear lights since long before it was legal to do so

 

[Dan B]

Oh yeah, and I've broken jaywalking laws in countries that have them... Anything else I should confess to?

 

[outlash]

TBH, I'm surprised this has even come up. You're on the road, you obey the laws of the road. I don't think it gets any simpler than that...


Tony.

 

[Risex4]

I say fair play to those who do jump red lights.

I only wish I could get that high off the ground.


My opinion doesnt really need to be added apart from to say taht on top of absolutely everything else, to me it just smacks of breath-taking arrogance (and not the "good" kind).

 

[Lanzecki]

Short end of a long straw IMHO.

 

[sheffgirl]

I just tried to count, and I go through at least 10 sets of traffic lights on my way to work, and that's in a 3 miles journey, no wonder it takes so long in a car! It might be more than that, I lost count at ten.

I actually counted the number of traffic lights whilst on the bus yesterday, and there are 15 sets of traffic lights, 17 if I stay on the main road!

 

[wilko]

To the OP, it's not a big issue (ok maybe for some it is, not for me). I run 'em all the time if the road is clear and no police in sight. I don't care what other cyclists think, if they get all hot 'n' bothered about me jumping the odd light, that's their issue not mine. Likewise for peds and drivers, who cares what they think.

I see you are in the US where I believe it's ok to turn right on a red provided it's clear and safe. I also think cyclists in the US have a different mindset to jumping a red light than most of us here in the UK.