To the commuter who called me an a*sehole

[SportMonkey]

It was good chatting to you, and I'm sorry I jumped the red light.

Before you all tear me to shreds for a RLJ, it was a pedestrian crossing that causes a pinch point on the A56 in Sale. There are two lanes of traffic in both directions. I was ahead of traffic, but had already been at the hands of some close passes by the cars I was with further down. I looked at the crossing and in the island in the middle of the four lanes were two school boys, on the near side nothing, all the shops closed and the pavement clear for 100 yards either way. The junction 200 yds up the road had a car which proceeded to pull out before I went through, and nothing behind. The oncoming had been stopped by another set of lights further up. I rolled through as it was to me the safest option, I'd not be in the way of pedestrians, traffic further up the road, or the traffic that was coming to the stop around me.

OK, now you can also all call me an a*sehole.

 

[MacB]

sadly he has a point, not that you weren't perfectly safe to act as you did but that it just reinforces others perceptions of cyclists. Barring other cyclists none of the witnesses will have analysed the situation as you did, they'll just have seen a cyclist and a red light.

But I don't think you're an peanut, just misguided

 

[Buddfox]

No he doesn't have a point. The only perception that is underlined here is that some cyclists are foul-mouthed busybodies! It was, frankly, none of that person's business!

 

[BentMikey]

LOL, he had a point. Rude of him though. Don't try to excuse your RLJing as "safer", it was only selfish and more convenient, nothing more.

 

[MacB]

No he doesn't have a point. The only perception that is underlined here is that some cyclists are foul-mouthed busybodies! It was, frankly, none of that person's business!

Ooh, ooh, ooh...idiot or troll, one can never be sure

 

[John the Monkey]

I wouldn't do it.

I'm less worried about it than I am about the numerous misdeeds by the drivers of motor vehicles though.

(Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a massive upsurge in hand held mobile use by drivers lately?)

I can't bring myself to call you an peanut. Would you accept a weary shake of the head instead?

 

[SportMonkey]

LOL, he had a point. Rude of him though. Don't try to excuse your RLJing as "safer", it was only selfish and more convenient, nothing more.

Yes it was selfish, yes it was more convenient. I have not jumped it before and will likely not jump it again. It was my choice this morning, however foolish. I didn't say it was safer, just that it seemed safer to me.

As an aside, if a cyclist doesn't look after themselves who does? (That is not to say we should do anything illegal or to endanger other road users or ourselves - guess I'm still smarting from that left hook)

 

[Buddfox]

Ooh, ooh, ooh...idiot or troll, one can never be sure

Hee hee! LOL - neither. I just find the concept of cyclists abusing other cyclists quite entertaining, I just don't get it. I guess I come from the camp that thinks we should all just get a long and save the judgments for the bad car drivers! We're all in this together, no?

But being called an idiot within ten posts of joining the forum must be some kind of achievement, I'll tone it down in future...

 

[VamP]

It was good chatting to you, and I'm sorry I jumped the red light.

Before you all tear me to shreds for a RLJ, it was a pedestrian crossing that causes a pinch point on the A56 in Sale. There are two lanes of traffic in both directions. I was ahead of traffic, but had already been at the hands of some close passes by the cars I was with further down. I looked at the crossing and in the island in the middle of the four lanes were two school boys, on the near side nothing, all the shops closed and the pavement clear for 100 yards either way. The junction 200 yds up the road had a car which proceeded to pull out before I went through, and nothing behind. The oncoming had been stopped by another set of lights further up. I rolled through as it was to me the safest option, I'd not be in the way of pedestrians, traffic further up the road, or the traffic that was coming to the stop around me.

OK, now you can also all call me an a*sehole.

I'm not going to judge you. Depending on the circumstances, I might well have done the same

 

[MacB]

Hee hee! LOL - neither. I just find the concept of cyclists abusing other cyclists quite entertaining, I just don't get it. I guess I come from the camp that thinks we should all just get a long and save the judgments for the bad car drivers! We're all in this together, no?

But being called an idiot within ten posts of joining the forum must be some kind of achievement, I'll tone it down in future...

a confident person to say neither

 

[BSRU]

Hee hee! LOL - neither. I just find the concept of cyclists abusing other cyclists quite entertaining, I just don't get it. I guess I come from the camp that thinks we should all just get a long and save the judgments for the bad car drivers! We're all in this together, no?

Not referring to this RLJ.

Bad cyclists deserve as much abuse as bad drivers, were all road users.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Not referring to this RLJ.

Bad cyclists deserve as much abuse as bad drivers, were all road users.

Do they?

Is "abuse" the way forward based on our views of the road and is it any different to the driver whose view of the road is that cyclists should be in the gutter so abuses anyone who contravenes their view of how things should be?

I'm not talking about the more or less involuntary "venting" after being nearly wiped out - that's a reaction.

Cycling round dishing out "abuse" just adds to the general abusive and intolerant nature of the roads

 

[Red Light]

I rolled through as it was to me the safest option, I'd not be in the way of pedestrians, traffic further up the road, or the traffic that was coming to the stop around me.

So would it have been OK for all the cars to ignore the red light on the same premise. And is it OK for them to speed if the road is clear?

 

[Gingerbloke]

*** HIGHWAY CODE ***

That is all!!

 

[MacB]

Do they?

Is "abuse" the way forward based on our views of the road and is it any different to the driver whose view of the road is that cyclists should be in the gutter so abuses anyone who contravenes their view of how things should be?

I'm not talking about the more or less involuntary "venting" after being nearly wiped out - that's a reaction.

Cycling round dishing out "abuse" just adds to the general abusive and intolerant nature of the roads

strongly agree with that, I don't like terms like 'moton', 'cager', etc for that very reason