Stop Lines at Traffic Lights

[fossyant]

Stop. Simples.

 

[summerdays]

I wasn't looking for ways to avoid a red light, more seeking what the legal clarification is.... Just from a wondering point of view

 

[subaqua]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/3113/regulation/43/made


So, if no line, stop before the sign: if no sign, stop before the signal itself. Seems pretty clear

thanks for posting that, saves me going into the TSSGD regs and extracting that out.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

When a traffic light is red, you stop at the solid stop line.

At this location:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4...riW_BRlINhpg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1?hl=en

the stop line is broken for cyclists. The traffic lights are a pedestrian crossing, but the presence of the broken line implies that cyclists can ignore the traffic signals (or maybe treat them as a give way sign). So, where do cyclists stand legally if the pass the signals at red?

And here's another location:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5...Q_6EURfrbLaQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1?hl=en

cyclists have their own infrastructure, with their own signal head, but no stop line. So, do we have to obey the traffic signal, and if we do, where are we supposed to stop?

The first example looks like an unfinished advanced stop zone, where they've forgotten to paint the second stop line. In any case, as @Dan B has pointed out, you need to stop at the red light even if the line is not visible or absent etc.

GC

 

[jonny jeez]

The first example looks like an unfinished advanced stop zone, where they've forgotten to paint the second stop line. In any case, as @Dan B has pointed out, you need to stop at the red light even if the line is not visible or absent etc.

GC

I thought the same about the first, very odd.

 

[Pseudo]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/3113/regulation/43/made


So, if no line, stop before the sign: if no sign, stop before the signal itself. Seems pretty clear

There's my answer! I must have missed that bit in the Highway Code.....

 

[Pseudo]

In the first case, the line is broken to enable cyclists to mount the dropped kerb of the toucan crossing onto the pavement on the left which is shared use. In the second case, legally I don't know, but if it looked like I was about to hit a pedestrian, I'd probably think about stopping.

It's just more stupid overcomplicated supposedly helpful but actually really confusing infrastructure.

The number of times I have ridden down there and not noticed the shared path - surely most cyclists on the road would not know there was a shared path there? As others have said - it just looks like the council forgot to finish the job!

 

[Pseudo]

What if the light's red? Where do you stop?

Excellent picture. If it is not a proper full red signal, with an image of a bicycle instead, then does it become advisory like the images of pedestrians at pedestrian crossings?

 

[Pseudo]

I wasn't looking for ways to avoid a red light, more seeking what the legal clarification is.... Just from a wondering point of view

Exactly my point. They make it more complicated, and more likely people will flout the rules. It needs to be kept simples. Red light, solid white stop line. Everybody knows what to do. If I wanted to be on the shared path, I would already be on it!

 

[summerdays]

Exactly my point. They make it more complicated, and more likely people will flout the rules. It needs to be kept simples. Red light, solid white stop line. Everybody knows what to do. If I wanted to be on the shared path, I would already be on it!

I don't know why but I quite enjoy the technical extra bits I've learnt from this forum .... You should go and look up zebra crossings next....that's been discussed several times before and I've learnt from those discussions...

 

[winjim]

I'm not a fan of separate cycle infrastructure, especially when it leads to confusion as a lot of the more recent stuff does. The trouble is that it's an inevitable consequence of how local government is funded. They get a pot of money that they have to spend on cycling projects. Now the two things that would make my urban cycling journey easier and safer are 1. Proper resurfacing and road maintenance and 2. Stricter enforcement of the rules around safer driving. The trouble is, neither of these is cycling specific enough, and 2 is a sure fire vote loser (war on motorists ), so the council has no real choice but to keep thinking of more ludicrous and complicated ways to spend this money. So they dream up these schemes with no logic or consistency, and we're left trying to work out how the bloody hell to use them.

I just want to be able to use the regular roads, and for that to be normal and safe.