The disadvantage of commuting by bike

[mr_cellophane]

Is that you don't get to read the London Lite. Which is a shame for the cyclists on Bishopsgate this morning who hadn't read that 400 cyclists have been fined in the last 3 months for flouting the law.

If they had they would have been a bit more careful when RLJ at Middlesex Street and the ped crossing at Liverpool Street. I saw 2 heading south caught. Funny at Primrose Street no one heading north RLJ'd. They had obviously seen what could happen to them.


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...ned+for+flouting+rules+of+the+road/article.do

Dom
Hope you weren't one who spent and unexpected £30 this morning.

 

[dondare]

I wrote a letter to the London Lite and never got to find out whether they printed it.

 

[Landslide]

Not that I agree with RLJing, but I had to smile at this great comment:
"The first person who answers with a clear, reasoned argument why bikes are more of a menace to society than knife crime, wins a years subscription to the Daily Mail."

 

[LLB]

Not that I agree with RLJing, but I had to smile at this great comment:
"The first person who answers with a clear, reasoned argument why bikes are more of a menace to society than knife crime, wins a years subscription to the Daily Mail."

About time as well. I have lost count of the number of occasions when I had to jump out of the way of some little twerp riding a bicycle on the pavement.

- Stephen Curtis, London, UK

I'm being a bit pious now because I obey the rules of the road whether on a cycle, or driving.

 

[mickle]

Do people really jump out of the way of pavement cyclists? I walk straight at the feckers.

 

[hackbike 6]

Was at Bank junction yesterday and usually stop at an advanced position at the lights as it's a bit of a bottleneck but for some reason I stopped shorter than normal.Then as i pulled away I realised a plod on a bike had been watching me intently.Nice to see it's come to this.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Do people really jump out of the way of pavement cyclists? I walk straight at the feckers.

Me too. Some arse on a fixie cut through Fenchurch Buildings last night just after 5:00 at full speed. This is an alley between Fenchurch Street and Leadenhall Street. There is a narrow arch, just wide enough for 2 people. He made the woman in front of me jump out of the way and I think he expected me to do the same. I just braced myself and caught him with a nice shoulder block. It made him stop. Unfortunately, I was in too much of a hurry to bother with him after that.

 

[gavintc]

Do people really jump out of the way of pavement cyclists? I walk straight at the feckers.

I completely agree. Indeed, it is useful to change direction to make it even more tricky for them. I delight in making them stop.

 

[bryce]

RJLers being fined? Good on the Plod.

From reading this forum you'd think sometimes it was perfectly legal, safe and desirable!

 

[yorkshiregoth]

I used to see a regular RLJ'er going down the A4 and then onto Chiswick High Road, riding an orange road bike with a blue "Mann" jersey, haven't seen him for a few months until this morning. It's the only way he's able to keep in front of me though

 

[maxcherry]

Don't mean to be rude what what is an 'R L J'

 

[BentMikey]

Don't mean to be rude what what is an 'R L J'

Some 'kin can't who drives/cycles through red lights when they should stop.

 

[hulver]

Don't mean to be rude what what is an 'R L J'

Red Light Jump(er)

 

[User482]

RJLers being fined? Good on the Plod.

From reading this forum you'd think sometimes it was perfectly legal, safe and desirable!

I'm on record as saying that RLJing is wrong, and if you get fined it's all your own fault. But is stopping and fining cyclists in this way an effective use of police resources? Are they fining all cars 1mph over the speed limit? It smacks of pandering to popular opnion, and will do little to improve road safety.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm on record as saying that RLJing is wrong, and if you get fined it's all your own fault. But is stopping and fining cyclists in this way an effective use of police resources? Are they fining all cars 1mph over the speed limit? It smacks of pandering to popular opnion, and will do little to improve road safety.

It's a fair point User482.
However, it's antisocial behaviour apart from the safety issue and if left unchecked will become endemic in cities. To my mind that is not a good thing. Sometimes in Oxford you'd think the lights were non-existant judging by cyclists behaviour... the safety hazard is stopping on the red with the fear of being rear-ended rather than jumping with the rest of the lemmings.
Something needs to be done, cyclists are increasingly seen as the enemy on the roads by drivers and peds alike. It's not a feeling I appreciate.

It's a good time for cycling, numbers are on the up, we have an opportunity to lead the way, but were severly hampered image-wise by RLJ'ers and pavement riding.

Well done plod for doing something.